The 2026 Kentucky Derby is here, and racing fans across the U.S. and all around the world are ready for one of the biggest days on the sports calendar. The 152nd Run for the Roses will crown a new champion at Churchill Downs, with the winner instantly becoming the horse to watch in this year’s Triple Crown conversation. Whether that runner stays on course for the Preakness and Belmont will depend on the connections, just as last year’s Derby winner Sovereignty skipped the Preakness to focus on the Belmont. The last horse to complete the Triple Crown was Justify in 2018, which shows how rare the achievement remains. This year’s field includes several strong contenders with the talent to make a real run at racing history.
For Hispanic viewers in the United States looking for the live coverage, the big question is what time the race starts and which TV channel or streaming platform will carry it today. The Derby usually delivers a full day of pre-race coverage before the main event, so timing matters if you want to catch the build-up. Live broadcasts are typically available on major sports networks and streaming services in English and Spanish-friendly options, depending on your provider. As always, the final stretch at Churchill Downs can change everything in seconds. That’s why today’s Derby is not just a race, but the first major step toward a possible Triple Crown story.
The 2026 Kentucky Derby takes place today, Saturday, May 2, 2026, at Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky. The feature race is scheduled to start at approximately 6:57 p.m. ET (Eastern Time). Here are the race start times for different countries in Latin America are:
In the United States, official coverage is provided by NBC, which begins its broadcast at 2:30 p.m. ET. The Peacock streaming service will broadcast pre-race coverage starting at noon (12:00 p.m. ET).
In Latin America (including Mexico, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Uruguay, and Venezuela), the broadcasters are ESPN and Disney Plus Premium.
This is the 152nd edition of the race known as “The Run for the Roses.”
Contenido GEC