How To Watch The 2026 Kentucky Derby And Stream The Race From Anywhere

• Coverage of the 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville begins at 2:30 ET with the race scheduled for 6:57 p.m. ET on May 2
• The race airs on NBC, or stream it via YouTube TV, DirecTV, or Peacock in the U.S.
• Stream the big game on Sky Sports Racing in the UK.
• Stream from anywhere in the world with NordVPN (Save 75%!)

The Kentucky Derby is the longest-running sporting event in the United States, having been held every year since 1875. It’s one of the premier horse races in the world and the first leg of the Triple Crown of horse racing, preceding the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes. It’s a day filled with pomp and circumstance from the legendary Churchill Downs race track in Louisville, where big hats, tailored suits, and mint juleps are as much a part of the tradition as the race itself.

As of this writing, 22 horses are expected to race in the 2026 edition of the race, though there can always be scratches right up until post time, a little before 7pm ET on Saturday, May 2nd. The favorite, for now at least, is Renegade, trained by Todd Pletcher and to be ridden by jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. Pletcher has won the race twice as a trainer, most recently in 2017 with Always Dreaming. The race is scheduled to start at 6:57pm, but coverage of all the events of the day begins much earlier.

How To Watch The Kentucky Derby In The U.S.

As has been the case for many decades now, NBC is the network home of the Run of the Roses. Coverage starts at 2:30pm on NBC. If you’re in the US and you subscribe to a cable or satellite service, it’s easy to tune in. If you don’t, there is no reason to fret; the race will also be streaming on Peacock, with coverage starting even earlier on the streamer, beginning at noon Eastern time. Peacock is the official home of the Triple Crown and will stream all three races over the next month and a half. Now is a great time to subscribe for racing fans.

If you don’t have Peacock or traditional cable, you can also stream the race with streaming services like Hulu+Live TV, DirecTV, or YouTube TV. The Sling TV Orange plan is also perfect, as it offers customers plans that range from a single day to monthly.

Anyone from the U.S. traveling internationally can utilize a VPN deal to make sure to stay current with everything coming out.

Watch the Kentucky Derby as if you were at home with a VPN
Try out NordVPN, our personal favorite as the best VPN for unblocking many of the major streaming services – and doing so speedily. You'll be able to stream from any device, including your mobile or desktop, TV, or gaming console, with assistance from its 24/7 customer support and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

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Step-By-Step Guide To Using A VPN To Unblock Content

1. Choose your ideal VPN and install – our go-to recommendation for unblocking is NordVPN

2. Connect to a server – If you're wishing to connect to a service like Peacock, YouTube TV, or DirecTV, one in the U.S. would be ideal.

3. Go to the streaming platform you wish to access – for the Derby, head to that service where you have an active subscription.

How To Watch The Kentucky Derby In Canada, The UK And Beyond

Here's how to stream the 2026 Kentucky Derby in other parts of the world.