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 27)
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.
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.
You can also check out the latest fashions with the Rodes for Her / Rodes for Him exclusive style shows too. The Kentucky Derby museum also exhibits historic fashion pieces.
This is a great chance to get some style tips from menswear experts and milliners about what the well-dressed man and woman are wearing this season. Here is the Opening Night Kentucky Derby schedule of races with the first at 6pm ET:
Race No Race Name Race Type Surface Distance Age of Horses 1 Claiming Race Dirt 7f 4yo+ 2 Claiming Race Dirt 1m 3yo+ 3 Starter Allowance Race Dirt 6f 3yo+ 4 Allowance Optional Claimer Claiming Race Turf 5f 3yo+ 5 Claiming Race Dirt 6.5f 3yo 6 Maiden Claimer Claiming Race / Maiden Dirt 1m 0.5f 3yo+ 7 Allowance Race Turf 1m 0.5f 3yo+ 8 Maiden Special Weight Dirt 1m 2f 3yo+ 9 Roxelana Overnight Stakes Black Type Dirt 6f 4yo+ 10 Maiden Claimer Claiming Race / Maiden Dirt 6f 3yo+ Dawn at the Downs (April 25-May 1)
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 that 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 30)
Local businesses lie at the heart of the community in Louisville. Churchill Downs celebrates them once again with 502’sDay, plus racing on the track. 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 No Race Name Race Type Surface Distance Age of Horses 1 Claiming Race Claimer Dirt 6f 4yo+ 2 Claiming Race Claimer Dirt 1m 0.5f 4yo+ 3 Starter Allowance Race Dirt 6.5f 4yo+ 4 Maiden Special Weight Maiden Dirt 1m 2f 3yo+ 5 Allowance Race Turf 1m 0.5f 3yo+ 6 Claiming Race Claimer Dirt 1m 3yo+ 7 Claiming Race Claimer Dirt 1m 0.5f 3yo+ 8 Allowance Optional Claimer Claimer Turf 5f 3yo+ 9 Maiden Claimer Maiden Dirt 6f 3yo+ Champions Day (Wednesday, May 1)
On Champions Day, sports within the Commonwealth of Kentucky has its moment. This extends beyond a 10-race card at Churchill Downs. The Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame announces its inductees for the Class of 2024.
On the track, where action gets 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 everything taking place on Champions Day:
Race No Race Name Race Type Surface Distance Age of Horses 1 Claiming Race Dirt 6.5f 3yo+ 2 Maiden Special Weight Maiden Dirt 4.5f 2yo 3 Maiden Claimer Maiden Dirt 1m 0.5f 3yo+ 4 Claiming Race Dirt 6f 3yo+ 5 Claiming Race Dirt 1m 0.5f 4yo+ 6 Maiden Special Weight Maiden Turf 1m 0.5f 3yo+ 7 Allowance Race Dirt 7.5f 3yo+ 8 Isaac Murphy Marathon Overnight Stakes Black Type Dirt 1m 4f 4yo+ 9 William Walker Stakes Listed Turf 5.5f 3yo 10 Claiming Race Dirt 1m 3yo+ Thurby (Thursday, May 2)
Bluegrass music is front and center on Thurby with live performances on the Woodford Reserve Paddock Plaza Stage providing the perfect background. Soulful tunes are as key to the culture in the Commonwealth of Kentucky 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 2024 schedule has three important stake 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 No Race Name Race Type Surface Distance Age of Horses 1 Maiden Claimer Claiming Race / Maiden Dirt 6f 3yo+ 2 Maiden Claimer Claiming Race / Maiden Dirt 1m 0.5f 3yo+ 3 Maiden Special Weight Dirt 4.5f 2yo 4 Allowance Optional Claimer Claiming Race Dirt 6.5f 3yo+ 5 Maiden Special Weight Maiden Turf 1m 0.5f 3yo+ 6 Allowance Race Dirt 7.5f 3yo+ 7 Claiming Race Dirt 6f 3yo+ 8 Allowance Optional Claimer Claiming Race Turf 1m 1f 3yo+ 9 Kentucky Juvenile Stakes Listed Dirt 5f 2yo 10 St. Matthews Overnight Stakes Black Type Dirt 6f 4yo+ 11 Opening Verse Stakes Listed Turf 1m 4yo+ 12 Claiming Race Dirt 1m 3yo+ Kentucky Oaks Day (Friday, May 3)
The day before The Derby, the card is packed with 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.
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 No Race Name Race Type Surface Distance Age of Horses 1 Maiden Special Weight Maiden Dirt 6.5f 3yo+ 2 Allowance Optional Claimer Claiming Race Dirt 1m 0.5f 3yo 3 Allowance Optional Claimer Claiming Race Dirt 1m 3yo+ 4 Allowance Optional Claimer Claiming Race Turf 1m 1f 3yo+ 5 Fasig-Tipton La Troienne Stakes Grade I Dirt 1m 0.5f 4yo+ fillies & mares 6 Unbridled Sidney Stakes Grade III Turf 5.5f 3yo+ fillies & mares 7 Alysheba Stakes Grade II Dirt 1m 0.5f 4yo+ 8 Modesty Stakes Grade III Turf 1m 1f 4yo+ fillies & mares 9 Eight Belles Stakes Grade II Dirt 7f 3yo fillies 10 Edgewood Stakes Grade II Turf 1m 0.5f 3yo fillies 11 Longines Kentucky Oaks Grade I Dirt 1m 1f 3yo fillies 12 Allowance Optional Claimer Claiming Race Dirt 6.5f 3yo 13 Maiden Special Weight Maiden Dirt 1m 3yo+ Kentucky Derby Day (Saturday, May 4)
And so to the Derby race day itself. There’s a massive 14-race card with The Run for the Roses scheduled as the 12th and feature 1 ¼-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 before the meet’s centerpiece at 6:45pm 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 No Race Name Race Type Surface Distance Age of Horses 1 Maiden Special Weight Maiden Dirt 6.5f 3yo+ 2 Allowance Optional Claimer Claiming Race Dirt 1m 3yo+ 3 Allowance Optional Claimer Claiming Race Dirt 1m 0.5f 3yo 4 Knicks Go Overnight Stakes Black Type Dirt 1m 4yo+ 5 Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes Grade II Turf 5.5f 3yo+ 6 Derby City Distaff Stakes Grade I Dirt 7f 4yo+ fillies & mares 7 Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes Grade II Turf 1m 4yo+ fillies & mares 8 Pat Day Mile Stakes Grade II Dirt 1m 3yo 9 American Turf Stakes Grade II Turf 1m 0.5f 3yo 10 Churchill Downs Stakes Grade I Dirt 7f 4yo+ 11 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic Stakes Grade I Turf 1m 1f 4yo+ 12 Kentucky Derby Grade I Dirt 1m 2f 3yo 13 Allowance Optional Claimer Claiming Race Dirt 7f 3yo 14 Maiden Special Weight Maiden Dirt 1m 3yo+ FAQs
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