The gates of the “Run for the Roses” open at Churchill Downs this evening. Here’s how to livestream the race online

Horse racing’s biggest day of the year has arrived with the 2026 Kentucky Derby getting underway at Churchill Downs this evening.

At a Glance: Where to Watch the Kentucky Derby

This will be the 152nd running of the “Run for the Roses,” and, as always, the lead-up to the iconic race will see a full day of festivities, celebrity appearances, and, of course, big hats. As of this writing, Renegade, The Puma, So Happy, Commandment, Chief Wallabee, and Further Ado are the favored horses to win the race. Mike Tirico will host NBC’s coverage of the event, and he’ll be joined by analysts Jerry Bailey and Randy Moss.

Where to Watch the Kentucky Derby Online

The 2026 Kentucky Derby will be broadcast on NBC, marking the network’s 26th year covering the race. Peacock will provide a livestream, but you can also watch the Kentucky Derby online using any live TV streaming service that carries NBC. Here’s a breakdown of the four best ways to stream the Kentucky Derby:

DirecTV carries NBC in a few of its packages, and all of them start with a five-day free trial. If you want to keep service after the trial ends, pricing for plans with NBC starts at $39.99 a month. The service is one of our favorites overall, offering a robust channel lineup and a range of packages to suit different viewing needs and budgets.

Peacock is the most affordable streaming service with Kentucky Derby coverage, but it does not offer a free trial (although you can use a hack we found here). Peacock subscriptions start at just $7.99 a month, or $79.99 for an annual subscription.

Sling is a great, affordable live TV streaming service, but it doesn’t offer a free trial. NBC is available in its Select, Blue, and Orange + Blue packages, which start at $19.99 a month.

Another live TV streaming service with a free trial and NBC is Hulu + Live TV. This one’s free trial lasts for three days before the service renews at $89.99 a month.

When Is the Kentucky Derby? 2026 Start Time, Date

The 2026 Kentucky Derby will be held on Saturday, May 2. NBC’s coverage begins at 2:30 p.m. ET, with lead-up coverage on Peacock starting at noon ET. The gates of the actual race are set to open at 6:57 p.m. ET.