Complete Kentucky Derby Schedule – All Races & Events at Churchill Downs
If you thought the Kentucky Derby schedule was all about one race, then think again. Churchill Downs Racetrack is where it’s at for an entire week before the main event. There’s loads going on both on and off the track in Louisville and this is our guide to the whole caboodle.
Full Kentucky Derby Schedule of Events
The Kentucky Derby program of events is packed, especially a week out from the big one. There’s so much going on. You can pick up Kentucky Derby tickets for all events at the track. Race organizers at Churchill Downs have six racing days during the meet, including five consecutive days of racing on both their dirt and turf tracks from the Tuesday before Derby Day.
You can learn more on the official Kentucky Derby website about events taking place in Derby Week, but this is our own day-by-back breakdown of what’s happening.
Opening Night (Saturday, April 26)
There’s live horse racing at Churchill Downs with a 10-race program seven days before the big one. While this is low grade action by comparison, bettors and fans will still want to tune in.
This is the day when the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby post positions draws are made. You will then know which gate horses are coming out of the following Saturday. It takes place halfway through a 10-race card.
The outcome of the draw changes the odds on Kentucky Derby betting sites, that’s for sure. This is because certain post positions and section of the draw produce more winners than others.
Opening Night is an evening inspired by The Great Gatsby at Churchill Downs this year. They turn the clock back to the Roaring 1920s with classic fashion and dress from the period.
The Kentucky Derby museum also exhibits historic fashion pieces. Look out for some style tips too. Here is the Opening Night Kentucky Derby schedule of races with the first at 5pm ET:
Race Time Race Name Race Type Surface Distance Age of Horses 5:00 Claiming Race Dirt 7f 4yo+ 5:28 Claiming Race Dirt 1m 3yo+ 5:56 Starter Allowance Race Dirt 6f 3yo+ 6:26 Allowance Optional Claimer Claiming Race Turf 5f 3yo+ 6:57 Claiming Race Dirt 6.5f 3yo 8:04 Maiden Claimer Claiming Race / Maiden Dirt 1m 0.5f 3yo+ 8:37 Allowance Race Turf 1m 0.5f 3yo+ 9:09 Maiden Special Weight Dirt 1m 2f 3yo+ 9:40 Roxelana Overnight Stakes Black Type Dirt 6f 4yo+ 10:10 Maiden Claimer Claiming Race / Maiden Dirt 6f 3yo+ Dawn at the Downs (April 24-30)
Each morning, VIPs can get a behind-the-scenes look at how Kentucky Derby horses and Kentucky Oaks contenders warm up for their dates with destiny. View their final workouts with canters on the actual dirt track where the big races take place from 10 days before The Run for the Roses up until the Wednesday of Derby Week.
How they get on can shape the Kentucky Derby odds available online. There’s expert commentary available at no extra cost. Dawn at the Downs is an underrated but integral part of the Kentucky Derby program of events as you can watch as the thoroughbreds are put through their paces up close. Look out for the three-year-olds exclusively between 7:30am and 7:45am ET.
502’sDay (Tuesday, April 29)
Local businesses lie at the heart of the community in Louisville. Churchill Downs celebrates them as ever with 502’sDay, plus racing on the track. Tributes to Louisville’s own boxing icon Muhammad Ali also take center stage this year.
The Kentucky Derby schedule of events includes a nine-race card here, plus networking opportunities with Bluegrass State businesses front and center. Here is all the horse racing action on 502’sDay with the first at 12:45pm ET:
Race Time Race Name Race Type Surface Distance Age of Horses 12:45 Claiming Race Claimer Dirt 6f 4yo+ 1:14 Claiming Race Claimer Dirt 1m 0.5f 4yo+ 1:43 Starter Allowance Race Dirt 6.5f 4yo+ 2:13 Maiden Special Weight Maiden Dirt 1m 2f 3yo+ 2:45 Allowance Race Turf 1m 0.5f 3yo+ 3:18 Claiming Race Claimer Dirt 1m 3yo+ 3:50 Claiming Race Claimer Dirt 1m 0.5f 3yo+ 4:22 Allowance Optional Claimer Claimer Turf 5f 3yo+ 4:55 Maiden Claimer Maiden Dirt 6f 3yo+ Winsday (Wednesday, April 30)
Replacing Champions Day, the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s non-profit organizations have their moment on Winsday. This is all about celebrating good causes and the charities operating in Louisville and beyond.
On the track, meanwhile, there’s another 10-race card at Churchill Downs with action again underway at 12:45pm ET. There are two notable races on this day.
Older dirt horses tackle the Isaac Murphy Marathon. The other black type race on the Kentucky Derby schedule here is William Walker Stakes, a Listed event for three-year-old sprinters. Here is every race taking place on Winsday:
Race Time Race Name Race Type Surface Distance Age of Horses 12:45 Claiming Race Dirt 6.5f 3yo+ 1:15 Maiden Special Weight Maiden Dirt 4.5f 2yo 1:45 Maiden Claimer Maiden Dirt 1m 0.5f 3yo+ 2:15 Claiming Race Dirt 6f 3yo+ 2:45 Claiming Race Dirt 1m 0.5f 4yo+ 3:16 Maiden Special Weight Maiden Turf 1m 0.5f 3yo+ 3:47 Allowance Race Dirt 7.5f 3yo+ 4:19 Isaac Murphy Marathon Overnight Stakes Black Type Dirt 1m 4f 4yo+ 4:52 William Walker Stakes Listed Turf 5.5f 3yo 5:25 Claiming Race Dirt 1m 3yo+ Thurby (Thursday, May 2)
Bluegrass music isn’t just Cool Kentucky, but front and center during Thurby with live performances a key part of this celebration of local culture. Soulful tunes are as vital to the Commonwealth as a mint julep at Churchill Downs.
Thurby has a 12-race card with the first off at 12:45pm ET, and there Kentucky Derby 2025 schedule has three important stakes races held on this day. The first of these is the Kentucky Juvenile for two-year-olds, while older horses tackle the St. Matthews on the dirt.
A Listed mile turf race, the Opening Verse Stakes, completes the black type action at Churchill Downs. This is the full program of races on Thurby, so you know what happens and when:
Race Time Race Name Race Type Surface Distance Age of Horses 12:45 Maiden Claimer Claiming Race / Maiden Dirt 6f 3yo+ 1:15 Maiden Claimer Claiming Race / Maiden Dirt 1m 0.5f 3yo+ 1:47 Maiden Special Weight Dirt 4.5f 2yo 2:17 Allowance Optional Claimer Claiming Race Dirt 6.5f 3yo+ 2:52 Maiden Special Weight Maiden Turf 1m 0.5f 3yo+ 3:27 Allowance Race Dirt 7.5f 3yo+ 4:03 Claiming Race Dirt 6f 3yo+ 4:38 Allowance Optional Claimer Claiming Race Turf 1m 1f 3yo+ 5:13 Kentucky Juvenile Stakes Listed Dirt 5f 2yo 5:47 St. Matthews Overnight Stakes Black Type Dirt 6f 4yo+ 6:18 Opening Verse Stakes Listed Turf 1m 4yo+ 6:47 Claiming Race Dirt 1m 3yo+ Kentucky Oaks Day (Friday, May 3)
The day before The Derby has lots of races for fillies and mares. These culminate in the Longines Kentucky Oaks over 9 furlongs. This is the premier 3-year-old fillies’ race in the Bluegrass State, but also the most lucrative in the whole of America.
Racegoers attending Churchill Downs are encouraged to wear pink this year. This is to help raise awareness of breast cancer with the Pink Out tradition.
Away from The Oaks, the Kentucky Derby schedule for the day before contains 12 other contests, six of which are stakes races. These include another Grade I, the La Troienne Stakes also on the dirt for older fillies and mares.
There are also three Grade II events and a couple Grade III races across both dirt and turf track surfaces. Whether you are planning to make Kentucky Oaks picks or not, this is the full day card with all 13 races you can enjoy at Churchill Downs on the Friday:
Race Time Race Name Race Type Surface Distance Age of Horses 11:00 Maiden Special Weight Maiden Dirt 6.5f 3yo+ 11:29 Allowance Optional Claimer Claiming Race Dirt 1m 0.5f 3yo 11:58 Allowance Optional Claimer Claiming Race Dirt 1m 3yo+ 12:29 Allowance Optional Claimer Claiming Race Turf 1m 1f 3yo+ 1:03 Edgewood Stakes Grade II Turf 1m 0.5f 3yo fillies 1:42 Alysheba Stakes Grade II Dirt 1m 0.5f 4yo+ 2:23 Fasig-Tipton La Troienne Stakes Grade I Dirt 1m 0.5f 4yo+ fillies & mares 3:12 Modesty Stakes Grade III Turf 1m 1f 4yo+ fillies & mares 4:07 Eight Belles Stakes Grade II Dirt 7f 3yo fillies 4:51 Unbridled Sidney Stakes Grade III Turf 5.5f 3yo+ fillies & mares 5:51 Longines Kentucky Oaks Grade I Dirt 1m 1f 3yo fillies 6:27 Allowance Optional Claimer Claiming Race Dirt 6.5f 3yo 7:02 Maiden Special Weight Maiden Dirt 1m 3yo+ Kentucky Derby Day (Saturday, May 4)
And finally, there’s a massive 14-race card with The Run for the Roses scheduled as the 12th and feature 1¼-mile race for 3-year-old thoroughbreds. In the immediate build-up to the Kentucky Derby, watch out for three other Grade I races.
These are the Derby City Distaff and Churchill Downs Stakes, both on dirt for older horses over 7 furlongs, and the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic on grass over 9 furlongs. Supporting those are four Grade II contests including the Pat Day Mile before the meet’s centerpiece at 6:57pm ET.
The eyes of the horse racing world will be fixed on Churchill Downs for this major sports event and its showpiece race. This is the full final day Kentucky Derby schedule in full, so you know about post time for the Fastest 2 Minutes in Sports. Here is the complete race day program:
Race Time Race Name Race Type Surface Distance Age of Horses 11:00 Maiden Special Weight Maiden Dirt 6.5f 3yo+ 11:32 Allowance Optional Claimer Claiming Race Dirt 1m 3yo+ 12:05 Allowance Optional Claimer Claiming Race Dirt 1m 0.5f 3yo 12:38 Knicks Go Overnight Stakes Black Type Dirt 1m 4yo+ 1:12 Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes Grade II Turf 1m 4yo+ fillies & mares 1:53 Pat Day Mile Stakes Grade I Dirt 1m 3yo 2:38 Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes Grade II Turf 5.5f 3yo+ 3:23 Churchill Downs Stakes Grade II Dirt 7f 4yo 4:06 American Turf Stakes Grade II Turf 1m 0.5f 3yo 4:50 Derby City Distaff Stakes Grade I Dirt 7f 4yo+ fillies & mares 5:39 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic Stakes Grade I Turf 1m 1f 4yo+ 6:57 Kentucky Derby Grade I Dirt 1m 2f 3yo 8:00 Allowance Optional Claimer Claiming Race Dirt 7f 3yo 8:33 Maiden Special Weight Maiden Dirt 1m 3yo+ FAQs
How is the Kentucky Derby celebrated?
What date is the Kentucky Oaks 2025?
What time is the Kentucky Derby race?
How many races are there on Kentucky Derby day?
9.7
01/03/249.6
01/03/249.6
01/03/249.6
01/03/249.6
08/03/249.6
04/03/24
