Kentucky Derby 2019: Post Time, TV Schedule and Live-Stream Hub for 145th Race
Time is running out for bets to be placed on this year's Kentucky Derby, as the 145th Run for the Roses will take place Saturday evening at Churchill Downs.
Twenty horses will be in the starting posts, but only one will emerge victorious from the two-minute spectacle that is one of the most exciting events in sports.
Here's a look at everything to know heading into this year's Kentucky Derby.
Kentucky Derby Information
Post Time: Saturday at 6:50 p.m. ET
TV: NBC,BBC,CBS,ESPN,ESPN+
Live Stream: NBC Sports Live
Preview
With early favorite Omaha Beach scratched from the race due to a respiratory issue, the Kentucky Derby field is wide open heading into Saturday's race.
Omaha Beach won the Arkansas Derby and could have given longtime trainer Richard Mandella his first Kentucky Derby victory.
"We came flying in here like we had it written on us, and it didn't work," Mandella said, according to ESPN.com's Katherine Terrell.
The betting favorites are now three horses trained by the legendary Bob Baffert, who has five career Kentucky Derby wins, including with Triple Crown winners American Pharoah (2015) and Justify (2018).
Baffert's trio of horses in this year's race are Game Winner (9-2 odds to win, per SportsLine), Improbable (5-1) and Roadster (5-1). Maximum Security (8-1) and Tacitus (8-1) have the best odds among the non-Baffert-trained horses.
Game Winner and Roadster drew starting posts next to each other at Nos. 16 and 17, but they will each move in one post with Omaha Beach scratched from the race.
Roadster won the Santa Anita Derby with jockey Mike Smith, who rode Justify to each of its Triple Crown wins last year. However, Smith chose to ride Omaha Beach in the Kentucky Derby. After losing his mount, Smith landed on his feet and will replace Corey Lanerie on Cutting Humor.
"I think if Mike Smith would've stuck to Roadster, he might've been the favorite," Baffert said, per ESPN.com's Katherine Terrell. "These jockeys, they're right about 90 percent of the time, so we'll see what happens. That's what I'm afraid of."
Improbable is starting from the No. 5 post and should contend for the win. It nearly won the Arkansas Derby, making a strong push in the final stretch, but it came up short against Omaha Beach.
With multiple strong contenders, it wouldn't be surprising to see this year's Kentucky Derby come down to a close finish.
