Kentucky Derby 2027: Date, Odds, Future Wager and How to Bet
The 2027 Kentucky Derby is Saturday, May 1, 2027, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. It is the 153rd running, with post time listed for about 6:57 PM ET on NBC and Peacock. Betting on it has already started through the Kentucky Derby Future Wager.
Kentucky Derby 2027 date, time and TV
| Detail | 2027 Kentucky Derby |
|---|---|
| Date | Saturday, May 1, 2027 |
| Running | 153rd |
| Track | Churchill Downs, Louisville, Kentucky |
| Post time | About 6:57 PM ET, per KentuckyDerby.com |
| TV and streaming | NBC and Peacock |
| Distance | 1 1/4 miles on dirt |
| Field | Up to 20 three-year-olds |
| Kentucky Oaks | Friday, April 30, 2027 |
| 2026 winner | Golden Tempo (jockey Jose Ortiz, trainer Cherie DeVaux) |
2027 Triple Crown dates
| Race | Date | Track |
|---|---|---|
| Kentucky Derby | May 1, 2027 | Churchill Downs |
| Preakness Stakes | May 23, 2027 | To be confirmed |
| Belmont Stakes | June 5, 2027 | Belmont Park |
The Preakness moves later in 2027, to three weeks after the Derby instead of two. That gives Derby horses more rest before the second leg.
How Kentucky Derby odds work
Derby odds come in three stages. First are the Future Wager pools months ahead. Second is the morning line, set at the post draw. Third are the live pari-mutuel odds on race day, which are the ones that pay.
Kentucky Derby Future Wager
The Future Wager is a pari-mutuel pool with about 40 betting interests. Most are individual horses, and one is "All Others," which covers every horse not listed. For the 2026 Derby, Churchill Downs ran six pools from late October through early April, with $2 win and exacta betting.
Future bets pay more because of the risk. If your horse does not make the race, the bet loses and there is no refund. In early pools "All Others" is usually the favorite, because many eventual Derby runners have not yet stood out.
Morning line and race-day odds
After the post draw, the track oddsmaker sets a morning line for each of the 20 starters. Betting then opens and the real odds move with the money. You are paid at the final odds. Our horse racing odds guide explains the math.
How to bet on the Kentucky Derby
- 1Pick how to betBet at a track, an off-track site or a licensed app where your state allows it. All of them feed the same pools.
- 2Start simpleA $2 win, place or show bet is all you need. With 20 horses in the pool, prices are usually longer than in an ordinary race.
- 3Consider across the board$6 buys win, place and show on one horse, which pays something if it runs in the top three.
- 4Keep exotic tickets smallA 20-horse field makes trifectas and superfectas very hard. Use 50-cent and 10-cent bases and key one horse.
Step-by-step help is in how to bet on horses, and every wager is defined in horse racing bet types.
Road to the Kentucky Derby
Horses qualify by earning points in a series of prep races that runs from the fall through April. The biggest preps come in the final weeks. The Florida Derby is set for March 27, 2027, at Gulfstream Park and will air on FOX.
The year opens for older horses with the Pegasus World Cup on January 30, also at Gulfstream Park.