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The 149th running of the Kentucky Derby will be held on May 6. Don’t miss the annual live event. Here are the best ways to watch:
Best for Spectrum customers
Peacock Premium
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Free for one year (for Spectrum TV customers) or 90 days (for Spectrum Internet customers)
(Save $49.99 a year or $4.99 a month)
Place your bets, put on your best hat, and make yourself a mint julep(Opens in a new tab). It’s time again for the annual Kentucky Derby.
The 2023 Kentucky Derby is the 149th annual horse race at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race coverage will last over eight hours, but the race itself only lasts a few minutes. Here’s everything you need to know to make sure you don’t miss the prime time – and everything that leads to it.
When is the 2023 Kentucky Derby?
The 149th running of the Roses is scheduled for Saturday, May 6. Coverage will run from noon until 7:30 PM ET, but another time for the race itself is set to 6:45 PM ET. You’ll want to make sure you tune in well beforehand so you don’t miss a beat.
When is the draw for the 2023 Kentucky Derby?
The 2023 Kentucky Derby Postal Centers draw took place on Monday, May 1. This is when each of the twenty horses in the race will be assigned a starting spot, which can affect the odds. Some leading positions have better chances of winning than others. Derby official odds(Opens in a new tab) (also known as the “Morning Line”) posted shortly after the draw – which is also the time when bets usually start. If you’re looking to place a bet this year, you can also check out what the Kentucky Derby experts have to say(Opens in a new tab).
Who is the favorite to win the 2023 Kentucky Derby?
Four of the past five years, Irad Ortiz Jr. has won the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey. However, he did not secure a victory in the Kentucky Derby. This could be his year – he will ride Forte in the 2023 race. Forte was the early favorite and stayed on after a 3-1 tie. Next up is Tapit Trice with odds of 5-1 and Angel of Empire with odds of 8-1.
How to watch and stream the 2023 Kentucky Derby without cable
NBC Sports is the home of the 149th Kentucky Derby, with coverage and analysis of the race broadcast live on NBC and NBC Sports.com.(Opens in a new tab) (with your cable provider) on May 6 from 12-7:30 p.m. ET. Don’t have cable? No problem. Cord-cutters can also stream Run for the Roses live on Peacock with a subscription.
NBC, NBCSports.com(Opens in a new tab)and Peacock will also broadcast the Kentucky Oaks, Preakness Stakes, and Breeders’ Cup.
Can you watch Peacock for free?
Peacock still offers a free level, but it only allows you to access limited content. In order to stream live events such as the Kentucky Derby, you will need to subscribe to either a Premium or Premium Plus tier (for at least a month). Sadly, Peacock has discontinued the seven-day free trial in November 2021, but there are still ways to get it for free or at a deep discount. Plus, starting at $4.99 per month, it remains one of the most affordable full-price streaming software out there. Here are the best Peacock broadcasts from May 1.
Most people will find the Peacock Premium deal to be the better option. You’ll have to contend with some ads, but at only $19.99 for the entire year, it’s hard to complain. When you get to the page to choose a plan, select the premium annual subscription (which actually saves you 17% compared to the monthly subscription), then enter the code N2TEWDZZ(Opens in a new tab). This brings the usual cost of $49.99 per year down to just $19.99 per year. That’s a total of 67% of the savings and works out to just $1.67 per month. With an annual subscription, you’ll be able to watch loads of live action after the Kentucky Derby winner is crowned. Just remember that the deal is only available for the first year of streaming, so when it comes time for auto-renewal, you’ll be charged full price. The code will not last forever. Make sure to sign up ASAP if you want to secure a deal.
Through June 26th, Xfinity Flex and Xfinity X1 customers can still get Peacock Premium for free. You must have an Xfinity Flex or Xfinity X1 device to access your free subscription(Opens in a new tab). Simply create a Peacock account, then link your Xfinity account to start streaming between now and June 26th. At that time, you will either be returned to the free Peacock tier or you will have the option to re-subscribe to Premium during a limited time offer. Regardless, with the Kentucky Derby kicking off May 6, you’ll be able to stream it for free.
Like Xfinity customers, Spectrum TV and Internet customers can get Peacock Premium for free(Opens in a new tab). Spectrum TV customers (other than the base level or Essentials product) can get a free year of Peacock Premium ($49.99 value), while Spectrum Internet users (including the TV Essentials product) can sign up for a free 90-day subscription. Simply create a Peacock account, link it to your Spectrum account, and add a valid payment method to access footage of the Kentucky Derby and other live events. This deal is valid until December 7th, so definitely take advantage of it while you can.
Other Ways to Watch the Kentucky Derby (Including Free Trials)
While the Peacock is the most obvious choice for wire cutters, it’s not the only one. If you’re looking to watch a live Kentucky Derby stream, along with other sports, live TV services like fuboTV and YouTube TV are also great options. Better yet, some offer free trial periods – so you can watch all eight hours of NBC’s Derby coverage for free, then cancel before being charged the full monthly fee (which can be kind of prohibitive). Here are the best deals for watching the annual horse race and more on live TV. Double check that NBC is offered in your zip code before committing to the service.