KENTUCKY DERBY 2026: Race favorites, celebrity buzz and fashion trends take over Churchill Downs (Horses to post at about 6:55pm ET on NBC)

Fox News ^ | 05/02/2026 | Brie Stimson, Ryan Canfield

[Az Joe]

The first leg of horse racing's famous Triple Crown, the Kentucky Derby brings out the top horses, owners and jockeys, celebrity appearances and bold fashion statements. Here's a look at the favorites and longshots, and who showed up to Churchill Downs in Louisville for the 152nd running of the "fastest two minutes in sports."

[gloryblaze]

The Derby is the 12th race of the day idiot

What is a "race idiot?"

Twelfth or not, the schedule has changed at CD in recent years. https://www.southernliving.com/kentucky-oaks-post-time-changed-11961129

[MtnClimber]

I am not seeing transgenders in big hats. All normals.

[Varda]

Thanks for the reminder.
I always like this race. I had a friend who used to train off the track thoroughbreds for dressage. The biggest thing was to convince them that we we weren’t racing anymore. They’d try to take off with you when cantering counter clockwise!

[rktman]

😴😴😴😴😴😴

[dfwgator]

Another event ruined by celebrities.

[Az Joe]

Oh, the sun shines bright on my old Kentucky home
‘Tis summer, the people are gay
The corn tops rise and the meadows all in bloom
While the birds make sweet music all the day
The young folks roll on the little cabin floor
All merry and happy and bright
By and by hard times come a-knockin’ at the door

To my old Kentucky home, goodnight
Weep no more, my lady
Oh, weep no more today
We will sing one song for my old Kentucky home
For my old Kentucky home far away

[hole_n_one]

1.Golden Tempo 23-1

2.Renegade 6-1

3.Ocelli 70-1

[cowboyusa]

Golden Tempo comes from the back!

[Jamestown1630]

Amazing race.

[Az Joe]

I lose $10

[yldstrk]

Any horse need to be put down after the race?

[Vigilanteman]

90 minutes of hype, two minutes of race. I do like the Stephen Foster melody for putting a finger into the eye of the PC moonbat crowd.

He was one of our Pittsburgh boys who made good alongside Josh Groban, Roberto Clemente, Fred Rogers, Franco Harris, Honus Wagner, Arnold Palmer and the guys that invented the banana split and Big Mac, just to name a few.

[Dr. Sivana]

90 minutes of hype, two minutes of race.

Well, the Super Bowl is two weeks of hype, and 3 1/2 hours of game (at most).

[Vigilanteman]

Nothing tops the Stupor Bowl in terms of hype vs. action. And the television commercials are usually more exciting than the game.

[Freee-dame]

Start to finish of the Super Bowl might be 3 1/2 hours but time where there’s any action is a lot less

[dfwgator]

What about Feetlebaum?

[hole_n_one]

I miss the synchronized bouncing ball atop the lyrics graphic as the song was sung.

Somebody always has to make changes just for the sake of change. I guess it is done to justify their miserable existence.

Don’t get me started on the singer change that was made to One Shining Moment at the NCAA B-Ball final.

[Red6]

Kentucky derby parties are the best.

[Red6]

The wife won.

Enough for another cruise.

I’ll play ignorant and try to forget what we lost the year before, and the years before that.... LOL

[broken_clock]

The trifecta hit big. I thought it was 11k on two bucks!