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The 2023 Kentucky Derby will be held on May 6 with the main race set to begin at 6:57 p.m. ET. If you’re aiming to watch the Kentucky Derby live, we’ve got you covered with complete details on how to catch all the action on TV or online.
US viewers can watch Kentucky Derby coverage on NBC, NBCSports.com, and Peacock, starting with a series of early races at 12 p.m. ET. Main event coverage will then follow at 3 p.m. ET. The Kentucky Derby is the first horse race of America’s Triple Crown, which also includes the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes.
This year’s race will be the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The Kentucky Derby is exclusively for three-year-old thoroughbreds, who will race 1.25 miles. The race features 20 horses competing for a prize purse of $3 million.
NBC and Peacock will also air the next two races in this season’s Triple Crown: the Preakness Stakes on May 20, and the Belmont Stakes on June 10. The last two Triple Crown winners were Justify in 2018 and American Pharoah in 2015. A total of 13 horses have won the Triple Crown, and American Pharoah was the first horse in 37 years to win all three races.
How to watch the Kentucky Derby in the US
You can watch the Kentucky Derby on NBC, NBCSports.com, and Peacock Premium.
The NBC network is available for free if you have a digital TV antenna, and it’s also included with most cable, satellite, and live TV streaming services, including Sling TV’s Blue plan ($20 for your first month). If you already have a pay-TV provider with NBC, you can also watch the Kentucky Derby via NBCSports.com or the NBCSports app.
If you’re a cord cutter, the cheapest way to live stream the Kentucky Derby is with a Peacock Premium subscription. Peacock Premium costs $5 a month or $50 per year. The service also offers tons of movies and shows from NBCUniversal, as well as other live sporting events throughout the year.
What if you’re not in the US?
If you’re traveling in a region without easy streaming access to the Kentucky Derby, we recommend using a VPN service to access the US broadcast of the race. A VPN, or virtual private network, will let you stream the Kentucky Derby on Peacock or services like Sling TV no matter where you are, while also making your internet connection more secure.
Our pick for the best VPN service you can sign up for is ExpressVPN. New subscribers get a 30-day money-back guarantee if you’re unsatisfied. For more VPN recommendations, check out our full guide to the best VPN services.
With its consistent performance, reliable security, and expansive global streaming features, ExpressVPN is the best VPN out there, excelling in every spec and offering many advanced features that makes it exceptional. Better yet, you can save up to 49% and get an extra three months for free today.
How to watch the Kentucky Derby with a VPN
- Sign up for a VPN if you don’t already have one.
- Install it on the device you’re using to watch the Kentucky Derby.
- Turn the VPN on and set it to any US location.
- Subscribe to Peacock or a live TV streaming service with NBC, like Sling TV.
- Open you streaming app to start streaming the Kentucky Derby.
- Kentucky Derby coverage begins at 12 p.m. ET on May 6, with the race’s post time set for 6:57 p.m. ET.
Kentucky Derby schedule
Horses running the Kentucky Derby
Note: The use of VPNs is illegal in certain countries and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services. Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.
