Yep, You Can Watch the Kentucky Derby for Free This Weekend
The 147th Kentucky Derby is just around the corner! The race will take place in person at Churchill Downs, the historic race course that has hosted the event since 1875. This year marks the 147th running of the Kentucky Derby and it’s safe to say fans of the sport are nothing short of excited — especially after last year’s Derby. In lieu of the much-anticipated May 2020 race, a virtual race —the Kentucky Derby: Triple Crown Showdown— was presented in September, in which historic champion Secretariat "won."
This year's event is sponsored by Woodford Reserve, which is celebrating the rich history of Black jockeys through their annual "$1000 Mint Julep Cup" charity program. Woodford Reserve will donate proceeds from the sales of special-edition julep cups to the Project to Project African American Turf History program, which works to spread the word about the history of Black jockeys and their contributions to the sport.
At long last, fans can look forward to an in-person gathering for the Kentucky Derby. Keep reading for everything there is to know about this year’s race.
When is the 2021 Kentucky Derby?
Per tradition, this year’s Derby will take place on the first Saturday in May, which just so happens to be the first day of the month. While coverage of all the races begins at 12:30 ET, the famous derby is the final race of the day and is slated to begin at 6:57 pm ET. Find a full timeline and race schedule here.
Who can attend the 2021 Kentucky Derby?
According to an April 2021 press release, the Kentucky Derby will only be welcoming a fraction of the fans to the racing complex.
“At this time, we are working under the assumption that we will need to limit the number of reserved seats to 40 to 50% of capacity and will delay the sale of any general admission tickets until we are closer to the date of this year’s Kentucky Derby,” the release reads. “If the circumstances surrounding the spread of COVID-19 improve, then we will sell more reserved seats and consider selling general admission tickets.”
According to the Courier Journal, officials expect to sell about 15,000 infield tickets.
How to watch and stream the 2021 Kentucky Derby:
Fans from near and far can tune into the 147th Kentucky Derby on NBC. Coverage will begin promptly at 12:30 PM ET, and will include race-day analytics and real-time coverage. The official Running of the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford will happen exactly at 6:57 PM ET.
You can stream the Derby through the NBC Sports website or on any iOS or Android device using the NBC Sports app. Additionally the event can be streamed via fuboTV, Sling TV, Hulu Live TV, Youtube Live TV, Roku, Xbox One and more — but you will need a cable login, or sign up for a subscription or free trial.
Last year, viewers were also able to watch the race for free on the Kentucky Derby's Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
Happy watching!
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