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CBS News
16-05-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Another Kentucky Derby winner not in the Preakness reignites debate about Triple Crown changes
Sovereignty is not running out of that starting gate in the Preakness Stakes on Saturday, two weeks after winning the Kentucky Derby. Yet he is still the talk of Pimlico Race Course this week. That is because owners and trainer Bill Mott opted to skip the Preakness and with it a chance at the Triple Crown because of the short turnaround. It is the second time in four years the Derby winner is not taking part for that reason and the fifth time in seven years overall the Preakness goes on with no Triple Crown on the line. The trend has reignited the debate about what, if anything needs to change with the Triple Crown, with ideas ranging from putting more space between the Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes to adding incentives to run in all three to changing the order of the races altogether. Like starters in baseball throwing fewer pitchers, elite horses now typically get much longer time between races, and the situation has put tradition and modernization of the sport head to head. The two-week turnaround now feels to many around the sport like an antiquated schedule when longer gaps are now the norm with an eye toward horse wear and tear and better performance. Thoroughbreds used to be trained and run at a much quicker interval. "It's a question that has more than one side to it," said Steve Asmussen, who has has won more races than any other trainer in North America. "I love how hard it is to do, which makes it so special. And then would it be making it easier? Does it dilute it? That's a great question. And I think that it'll continue to be debated." The debate It was debated constantly during the 37-year drought between Triple Crown champions from Affirmed in 1978 until Bob Baffert-trained American Pharoah swept the three races in 2015. Baffert's Justify did it in 2018, too, and the chorus of voices calling for change was quieted. But then, for various reasons, there has been a Triple Crown chance in the Preakness only twice in the past seven years. The biggest draw of the middle leg – the anticipation for the possibility – went from being automatic to anything but. "It is troubling, and it has been troubling for several years," said Jerry Bailey, a Hall of Fame jockey who won each of the three races twice and is now an NBC Sports analyst. "It's completely flip-flopped from my generation when it was the rule that they would run back and the exception that they wouldn't." Many top trainers, including Baffert, D. Wayne Lukas, Mark Casse and Michael McCarthy have run a Derby horse in the Preakness or will this year. Others, like Mott, Chad Brown, Todd Pletcher and Brad Cox, are more reluctant to take the risk. "We need them in the game," said Casse, who won the Preakness in 2019 with War of Will and has Sandman this year. "This is important. We want the best horses for our sport." When Asmussen won a Triple Crown race for the first time with Curlin in the 2007 Preakness, it came after his horse finished third behind Street Sense and Hard Spun in the Kentucky Derby. Curlin, Street Sense and Hard Spun went 1-2-3 in the Preakness. "We are definitely running on a very different environment than we were then," Asmussen said. "Every horse is an individual, every year is different, and it's just very unique circumstances." The fallout The circumstances have deteriorated for for the Preakness, on track and on television. Since pandemic crowd limits were lifted in 2022, attendance has plummeted by 62% from an average of nearly 120,000 from 2009-19 to just over 45,000 annually the past three renditions. NBC ratings have dropped 27.5% over that time from 6.9 million viewers to 5 million. Lukas, an 89-year-old Hall of Famer who has won the Preakness seven times, acknowledged not having the Derby winner in the field probably hurts for the "lay person that's not familiar with racing just saying, 'What's going on there?'" He said for the trainers, it still matters and that those paying attention year-round understand. But for a sport with an aging fan base that thrived in yesteryear when it was the only legalized form of sports gambling in many places, competition in that space has picked up and there are many options for younger sports fans beyond racing. A series of safety initiatives have been implemented to make the sport more acceptable to a wider audience. There has been significant progress on that front. Fatalities have decreased at tracks overseen by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, including to a historic low of 0.90 per 1,000 starts last year. "We've got some momentum going right now," Casse said. "Our game has come a long way in the last year or so. We were headed in the wrong direction. I feel like now we're headed in the right direction. Let's take advantage of this and make some changes." The ideas One thing that is not going to change is the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May. Beyond that, plenty is up for consideration. Lukas has for decades pitched moving the Preakness back to Memorial Day weekend and the Belmont to the weekend closest to the Fourth of July. Prominent owner Mike Repole last week suggested making the Belmont the second leg and shifting the Preakness back to third to provide more time in between. Casse on Tuesday broached the option of a month between the races. Even four weeks apart would be more in line with modern thinking. "Pretty much all of us are going to say you want to give them four, five, six weeks between races," trainer Brendan Walsh said. "A larger spacing between races would be more favorable to trainers. I think you would get better lineups in the individual races." Casse also wondered if bringing back a bonus for winning the Triple Crown would help or creating a points system and an incentive for running in all three races, especially if they're further apart. Since there is no centralized governing body dictating the calendar, changes would have to be agreed upon by the Maryland Jockey Club, which is taking over the Preakness from 1/ST Racing when Pimlico is scheduled to reopen in 2027, and the New York Racing Association that runs the Belmont. The opposition Baffert on Thursday said he hopes nothing changes, citing the excitement of American Pharoah completing the Triple Crown a decade ago. "The Triple Crown is still important, even though it's tough," Baffert said. "We need to keep this thing because this is what racing looks forward to." McCarthy, who has the Preakness favorite in Journalism after finishing second to Sovereignty in the Derby, is in Baffert's camp, saying: "Maybe I'm a bit of a traditionalist in that way, but I think the three races in five weeks is good. I think it should stay as it is." Casse would have agreed a year ago but notes horses move around worldwide and are scrutinized for safety more than in previous generations. "One of the things that drives me more crazy than anything is when people say, 'Well, this is the way that we've always done it,'" Casse said. "I believe that the world gets smarter every day, and if you stand still, you get run over." The future Lukas points to alterations in recent years, including the Belmont shortening from its classic 1½-mile distance to 1¼ miles while temporarily at Saratoga Race Course, as support for change. With the Preakness moving to Laurel Park in 2026 and the Belmont returning to New York City after a short stay in Saratoga, he argues now is the time to redraw the schedule. But he also thinks whether to run a horse back in two weeks is part of the decision making that has been a hallmark of racing and trainers reading how their horses are doing. "That horse makes the decision for you," Lukas said. "If you're paying attention, he'll tell you whether you want to come back in two weeks." The alternative is stakeholders taking the decision out of trainers' hands and coming up with something that keeps the Preakness and the Triple Crown relevant to casual fans and not just hardcore ones. "If you can come up with a plan and it makes sense and it can make everybody stronger, shouldn't it happen?" Casse said. "That's something that should be worked on. As soon as this race is over this weekend, it should be worked on. That should be the next goal."
Associated Press
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Another Kentucky Derby winner not in the Preakness reignites debate about Triple Crown changes
BALTIMORE (AP) — Sovereignty is not running out of that starting gate in the Preakness Stakes on Saturday, two weeks after winning the Kentucky Derby. Yet he is still the talk of Pimlico Race Course this week. That is because owners and trainer Bill Mott opted to skip the Preakness and with it a chance at the Triple Crown because of the short turnaround. It is the second time in four years the Derby winner is not taking part for that reason and the fifth time in seven years overall the Preakness goes on with no Triple Crown on the line. The trend has reignited the debate about what, if anything needs to change with the Triple Crown, with ideas ranging from putting more space between the Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes to adding incentives to run in all three to changing the order of the races altogether. Like starters in baseball throwing fewer pitchers, elite horses now typically get much longer time between races, and the situation has put tradition and modernization of the sport head to head. The two-week turnaround now feels to many around the sport like an antiquated schedule when longer gaps are now the norm with an eye toward horse wear and tear and better performance. Thoroughbreds used to be trained and run at a much quicker interval. 'It's a question that has more than one side to it,' said Steve Asmussen, who has won more races than any other trainer in North America. 'I love how hard it is to do, which makes it so special. And then would it be making it easier? Does it dilute it? That's a great question. And I think that it'll continue to be debated.' The debate It was debated constantly during the 37-year drought between Triple Crown champions from Affirmed in 1978 until Bob Baffert-trained American Pharoah swept the three races in 2015. Baffert's Justify did it in 2018, too, and the chorus of voices calling for change was quieted. But then, for various reasons, there has been a Triple Crown chance in the Preakness only twice in the past seven years. The biggest draw of the middle leg – the anticipation for the possibility – went from being automatic to anything but. 'It is troubling, and it has been troubling for several years,' said Jerry Bailey, a Hall of Fame jockey who won each of the three races twice and is now an NBC Sports analyst. 'It's completely flip-flopped from my generation when it was the rule that they would run back and the exception that they wouldn't.' Many top trainers, including Baffert, D. Wayne Lukas, Mark Casse and Michael McCarthy have run a Derby horse in the Preakness or will this year. Others, like Mott, Chad Brown, Todd Pletcher and Brad Cox, are more reluctant to take the risk. 'We need them in the game,' said Casse, who won the Preakness in 2019 with War of Will and has Sandman this year. 'This is important. We want the best horses for our sport.' When Asmussen won a Triple Crown race for the first time with Curlin in the 2007 Preakness, it came after his horse finished third behind Street Sense and Hard Spun in the Kentucky Derby. Curlin, Street Sense and Hard Spun went 1-2-3 in the Preakness. 'We are definitely running on a very different environment than we were then,' Asmussen said. 'Every horse is an individual, every year is different, and it's just very unique circumstances.' The fallout The circumstances have deteriorated for the Preakness, on track and on television. Since pandemic crowd limits were lifted in 2022, attendance has plummeted by 62% from an average of nearly 120,000 from 2009-19 to just over 45,000 annually the past three renditions. NBC ratings have dropped 27.5% over that time from 6.9 million viewers to 5 million. Lukas, an 89-year-old Hall of Famer who has won the Preakness seven times, acknowledged not having the Derby winner in the field probably hurts for the 'lay person that's not familiar with racing just saying, 'What's going on there?'' He said for the trainers, it still matters and that those paying attention year-round understand. But for a sport with an aging fan base that thrived in yesteryear when it was the only legalized form of sports gambling in many places, competition in that space has picked up and there are many options for younger sports fans beyond racing. A series of safety initiatives have been implemented to make the sport more acceptable to a wider audience. There has been significant progress on that front. Fatalities have decreased at tracks overseen by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, including to a historic low of 0.90 per 1,000 starts last year. 'We've got some momentum going right now,' Casse said. 'Our game has come a long way in the last year or so. We were headed in the wrong direction. I feel like now we're headed in the right direction. Let's take advantage of this and make some changes.' The ideas One thing that is not going to change is the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May. Beyond that, plenty is up for consideration. Lukas has for decades pitched moving the Preakness back to Memorial Day weekend and the Belmont to the weekend closest to the Fourth of July. Prominent owner Mike Repole last week suggested making the Belmont the second leg and shifting the Preakness back to third to provide more time in between. Casse on Tuesday broached the option of a month between the races. Even four weeks apart would be more in line with modern thinking. 'Pretty much all of us are going to say you want to give them four, five, six weeks between races,' trainer Brendan Walsh said. 'A larger spacing between races would be more favorable to trainers. I think you would get better lineups in the individual races.' Casse also wondered if bringing back a bonus for winning the Triple Crown would help or creating a points system and an incentive for running in all three races, especially if they're further apart. Since there is no centralized governing body dictating the calendar, changes would have to be agreed upon by the Maryland Jockey Club, which is taking over the Preakness from 1/ST Racing when Pimlico is scheduled to reopen in 2027, and the New York Racing Association that runs the Belmont. The opposition Baffert on Thursday said he hopes nothing changes, citing the excitement of American Pharoah completing the Triple Crown a decade ago. 'The Triple Crown is still important, even though it's tough,' Baffert said. 'We need to keep this thing because this is what racing looks forward to.' McCarthy, who has the Preakness favorite in Journalism after finishing second to Sovereignty in the Derby, is in Baffert's camp, saying: 'Maybe I'm a bit of a traditionalist in that way, but I think the three races in five weeks is good. I think it should stay as it is.' Casse would have agreed a year ago but notes horses move around worldwide and are scrutinized for safety more than in previous generations. 'One of the things that drives me more crazy than anything is when people say, 'Well, this is the way that we've always done it,'' Casse said. 'I believe that the world gets smarter every day, and if you stand still, you get run over.' The future Lukas points to alterations in recent years, including the Belmont shortening from its classic 1½-mile distance to 1¼ miles while temporarily at Saratoga Race Course, as support for change. With the Preakness moving to Laurel Park in 2026 and the Belmont returning to New York City after a short stay in Saratoga, he argues now is the time to redraw the schedule. But he also thinks whether to run a horse back in two weeks is part of the decision making that has been a hallmark of racing and trainers reading how their horses are doing. 'That horse makes the decision for you,' Lukas said. 'If you're paying attention, he'll tell you whether you want to come back in two weeks.' The alternative is stakeholders taking the decision out of trainers' hands and coming up with something that keeps the Preakness and the Triple Crown relevant to casual fans and not just hardcore ones. 'If you can come up with a plan and it makes sense and it can make everybody stronger, shouldn't it happen?' Casse said. 'That's something that should be worked on. As soon as this race is over this weekend, it should be worked on. That should be the next goal.' ___ AP horse racing:
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Road to Kentucky Derby needs detour. Best horses are being left out of field
Trainer Mark Casse, whose colt Sandman finished second in the Road to Kentucky Derby leaderboard, believes the post draw in the Run for the Roses should reflect the points system. Finish first in points and get first pick in selecting a post. Priority would be given by points on down the list until the 20th horse gets his gate. It'd be a way to ensure the better horses don't get stuck with poor draws and those that barely qualified and have little chance of winning aren't starting from a prime position. Advertisement 'Can we do it this year?' joked Ian Wilkes, trainer of Burnham Square, which finished first in points this year and drew the No. 9 post. Casse believed it could also trickle down to leading more owners and trainers running their horses in more prep races. Trainer Steve Asmussen, who was completely satisfied with his horses Tiztastic and Publisher drawing posts 13 and 14, respectively, agreed. He added that some owners and trainers pull back on prep races once they've scored enough to comfortably be in the Derby field, but rewarding them might foster competing for more points. "Anything that incentivizes somebody to run more is a good thing for racing," Asmussen said. Advertisement Saturday's draw was not a good thing for Casse. Sandman will operate out of post 17, which has historically been one of the worst positions, and its lone winner was Rich Strike in 2022. American Promise, which was listed at 30-1 odds, drew the favorable No. 5 post. 'We've ran, and we've ran hard; we should be rewarded for that,' Casse said. '(Now) it's just the luck of the draw.' Trainer Bob Baffert, who makes his return to Churchill Downs after a three-year suspension, received the dreaded No. 1 post with Citizen Bull. Baffert facetiously said he wanted to challenge the draw, but noted he liked the process better when they drew an order of selection and trainers got to pick their own post position. Advertisement It's a good idea to try as much as possible to deny luck from playing a part in what is annually the most visible and important two minutes in horse racing. But the post draw is far from being the most important matter until the point system itself is refined. There are worthy horses who don't get in the field. There are, let's just say, less-than-worthy horses that do. And that needs to change. Even if it didn't have an impact on the outcome of the race with so many intangibles factoring into a 20-horse field, trainer Todd Pletcher said rewarding the points winner with picking its post could bring some intrigue to the process. 'Anything we can do to spice it up a little bit is good,' Pletcher said. Advertisement Trainer Brad Cox believes there should be some wiggle room for automatic berths in the Derby field. He'd start with the Breeders' Cup Juvenile race, for 2-year-old colts and geldings, which has produced six Derby winners since 1984, including Street Sense in 2007 and Nyquist in 2016. (The Baffert-trained Derby entrant Citizen Bull won it in November.) Cox would like to give Grade 1 races for 2-year-olds like the Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park and Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland (won by Derby entrant East Avenue) more weight in the points system. It would provide an avenue for owners and trainers to race in fewer prep races for the overall benefit of the horse's health. 'Maybe only have one prep leading up, if you choose to do that, because there are small, nagging things with horses at times that need to be addressed, and I do think the Derby can kind of put (addressing) those things on hold,' Cox said. Advertisement Kenny McPeek, who became the first trainer since 1952 to sweep the Kentucky Oaks and Derby last year, sees a glaring hole in the points system. McPeek believes 'the best one or two fillies' should have an option to compete in the Kentucky Derby. McPeek should know. He partnered his Oaks winner, Thorpedo Anna, with his Derby winner, Mystik Dan, for much of their early training. McPeek not only believes Thorpedo Anna could have competed against the colts, he thinks she could have won the Derby last year. 'No filly will ever win it again until they change the point system,' McPeek said. The good thing is the point system is constantly being tweaked to get it right. The bad news is one of those recent changes tweaked a potential contender right out of the race. Advertisement Baeza finished second to Journalism in the Santa Anita Derby, which has seen 19 starters and 10 of its winners go on to win the Kentucky Derby. But this year's race only had five starters, including Citizen Bull. Because of the rules change, only 75% of points were awarded since the field size shrunk, leaving Baeza to collect just 37.5 points instead of 50. Had it been awarded the full number for a second-place finish, Baeza would be tied with Flying Mohawk and Grande at 15th on the leaderboard, after Saturday's news of Tappan Street's scratch, and comfortably in the Derby field. Instead, Baeza may have to look toward the Preakness Stakes unless one more horse has to withdraw from the field. Ensuring the Kentucky Derby gets the 20 best 3-year-olds should never come down to the luck of the draw. Advertisement Reach sports columnist C.L. Brown at clbrown1@ follow him on X at @CLBrownHoops and subscribe to his newsletter at to make sure you never miss one of his columns. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky Derby 2025: Run for Roses at Churchill Downs could use tweak
USA Today
03-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Tiztastic trainer, jockey, owner and more to know about 2025 Kentucky Derby horse
Tiztastic trainer, jockey, owner and more to know about 2025 Kentucky Derby horse Show Caption Hide Caption Watch 2025 Kentucky Derby contender Tiztastic work at Churchil Downs Tiztastic is trained by Steve Asmussen. The horse is 3-1-2 in eight starts. Jockey Joel Rosario is slated to ride. Tiztastic enters the Kentucky Derby off a win in the Louisiana Derby on March 22 at Fair Grounds Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen is still looking for his first Kentucky Derby victory Tiztastic is one of 20 horses expected to enter the 2025 Kentucky Derby on May 3 at Churchill Downs. Spots for the Run for the Roses are earned by gaining points through a series of Kentucky Derby prep races that began last September. The post-position draw for the Kentucky Derby is set for Saturday, April 26. Post time for the Kentucky Derby is set for 6:57 p.m. on Saturday, May 3. Tiztastic will enter the Kentucky Derby off a victory in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby on March 22 at Fair Grounds. He currently ranks fifth on the Kentucky Derby points leaderboard with 119. Color: Dark bay. Bred in: Kentucky. Sire: Tiz the Law. Dam: Keesha, by Tapit. Price tag: $335,000 at 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Owners: Winchell Thoroughbreds (Ron Winchell); Mrs. John Magnier; Michael Tabor; Derrick Smith. Winchell is 0 for 12 in the Derby, his best finishing coming with Epicenter (second) in 2022. Magnier, Tabor and Smith have teamed on several Derby horses, including 2024 runner-up Sierra Leone. Trainer: Steve Asmussen. He's 0 for 26 in the Derby with a trio of runner-up finishes — Nehro (2011), Lookin At Lee (2017) and Epicenter (2022). Jockey: Joel Rosario. He's 1 for 13 in the Derby, winning with Orb in 2013. Record: 3-1-2 in eight starts. Career earnings: $1,549,800 Road to the Kentucky Derby points: 119 (No. 5). Last race: Won Grade 2 Louisiana Derby on March 22 at Fair Grounds by 2 ¼ lengths over Chunk of Gold. Running style: Closer. Notes: Tiztastic got his first two victories on the turf at Kentucky Downs last fall before joining the Kentucky Derby trail. He finished in the money in two stakes races at Churchill Downs — second in the Grade 3 Street Sense on Oct. 27 and third in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club on Nov. 30. He's never finished worse than fifth in eight career starts. … Asmussen's 26 career starters in the Kentucky Derby is the most of any trainer without a victory. He's won the Preakness twice (Curlin, Rachel Alexandra) and the Belmont once (Creator). … Tiztastic is from the first crop of Tiz the Law, who finished second as the favorite in the 2020 Kentucky Derby. What they're saying: 'The horse is getting good at the right time,' Asmussen said. 'Had a lot of confidence in him going into the Louisiana Derby because he was simply acting faster than he had previous to that. Proved to be true.' Last May, NBC Sports announced a partnership with Churchill Downs to present the Kentucky Derby on NBC and Peacock through 2032. The extension includes multiplatform rights to the Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks and Derby and Oaks Day programming, which will be presented on NBC, Peacock, USA Network and additional NBCU platforms. You can stream the 2025 Kentucky Derby on Fubo and Peacock. Post time for the 151st Kentucky Derby is set for 6:57 p.m. on Saturday, May 3. Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@ Follow on X @KentuckyDerbyCJ. More horse racing: Set for second Kentucky Derby, St. Xavier grad Whit Beckman hopes for better racing luck
USA Today
03-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Publisher trainer, jockey, owner and more to know about 2025 Kentucky Derby horse
Publisher trainer, jockey, owner and more to know about 2025 Kentucky Derby horse Show Caption Hide Caption Kentucky Derby 2025 contender Publisher trains at Churchill Downs Kentucky Derby 2025 contender Publisher works Wednesday at Churchill Downs. Horse is trained by Steve Asmussen. Horse is 0-2-3 in seven starts. Publisher will enter the Kentucky Derby off a runner-up finish in the Arkansas Derby on March 29 Publisher will look to become the first maiden to win the Kentucky Derby since Brokers Tip in 1933 Publisher is one of 20 horses expected to enter the 2025 Kentucky Derby on May 3 at Churchill Downs. Spots for the Run for the Roses are earned by gaining points through a series of Kentucky Derby prep races that began last September. The post-position draw for the Kentucky Derby is set for Saturday, April 26. Post time for the Kentucky Derby is set for 6:57 p.m. on Saturday, May 3. Publisher will enter the Kentucky Derby off a runner-up finish in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on March 29 at Oaklawn Park. He currently ranks 13th on the Kentucky Derby points leaderboard with 60. Color: Bay. Bred in: Kentucky. Sire: American Pharoah. Dam: Indian Pride, by Proud Citizen. Price tag: $600,000 at 2023 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale. Owners: Gus King; Estate of Brereton Jones. First Derby for King. Jones finished 15th with King Russell in 2023. As a breeder, the former Kentucky governor was 0 for 7 in the Derby, his best finish coming with Desert Wine (second) in 1983. Trainer: Steve Asmussen. He's 0 for 26 in the Derby with a trio of runner-up finishes: Nehro (2011), Lookin At Lee (2017) and Epicenter (2022). Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr. He's 0 for 8 in the Derby, best finish coming with Improbable (fourth) in 2019. Record: 0-2-3 in seven starts. Career earnings: $407,756 Road to the Kentucky Derby points: 60 (No. 13). Last race: Second in Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on March 29 at Oaklawn Park, 2 ½ lengths behind Sandman. Running style: Closer. Notes: Publisher will become just the 13th maiden to start in the Kentucky Derby since 1937 and first since Bodexpress (13th in 2019). Three maidens won the Derby prior to 1937: Buchanan (1884), Sir Barton (1919) and Brokers Tip (1933). … Publisher qualified for the Derby by finishing second in the Arkansas Derby (50 points) and fourth in the Rebel Stakes (10 points). He raced twice as a 2-year-old at Churchill Downs, finishing third both times. … Jones was Kentucky's governor from 1991-95. He died in September 2023 at the age of 84 after battling an illness at his Airdrie Stud Farm in Midway, Kentucky. What they're saying: 'The thing about Publisher that gives you unbelievable confidence is what kind of a horse he is to run,' Asmussen said. 'He is going to be the easiest horse we've ever saddled in the Derby as far as how he takes the surroundings and just his personality. He's not going to waste an ounce of energy doing anything other than running.' Last May, NBC Sports announced a partnership with Churchill Downs to present the Kentucky Derby on NBC and Peacock through 2032. The extension includes multiplatform rights to the Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks and Derby and Oaks Day programming, which will be presented on NBC, Peacock, USA Network and additional NBCU platforms. You can stream the 2025 Kentucky Derby on Fubo and Peacock. Post time for the 151st Kentucky Derby is set for 6:57 p.m. on Saturday, May 3. More Kentucky Derby: Five things to know about 2025 field as draw approaches April 26 Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@ Follow on X @KentuckyDerbyCJ.
