How to watch the 2017 Kentucky Derby: Start time, livestream and odds
The 143rd running of the Kentucky Derby gets underway Saturday, with wet conditions in Louisville, Kentucky, promising to make the first leg of the Triple Crown a muddy affair.
The 2017 Kentucky Derby will be broadcast live from Churchill Downs on NBC stations and streamed live on NBC Sports Live. Coverage began Saturday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. ET.
This year's Derby contenders are scheduled to enter the gates at 6:34 p.m. ET, with the Derby itself slated to begin at 6:46 p.m. ET.
Twenty horses will compete for the traditional garland of roses and $2 million in winnings. Known as the Fastest Two Minutes in Sports, the Derby track measures 1 and ¼ miles, making it the second-longest of the Triple Crown races.
The field in this year's Kentucky Derby is considered wide open, with no horse enjoying a commanding lead among oddsmakers. Always Dreaming is the favorite going into the race, having won its three last races. The 3-year-old colt had 4-1 odds to win as of Saturday afternoon, followed by Irish War Cry at 5-1 and Classic Empire and McCracken, each at 7-1.
Patch, a one-eyed colt who has captured the hearts of many Derby fans, sits at 15-1 odds ahead of the race.