Get out your fancy hats, dress up in your Easter finest, and pick up some mint, because it’s time for the 2017 Kentucky Derby. You can watch coverage all day thanks to NBC and NBC Sports Live Extra, and follow along at SB Nation as we keep you informed with all the fun and the latest odds.
You’ve got questions about things as you get ready for the Kentucky Derby. We’ve got the answers. So let’s get straight to it.
When is the Kentucky Derby post time?
The Kentucky Derby is scheduled to go to the post at 6:34 p.m. ET, with the race set for 6:46 p.m. “My Old Kentucky Home” will be played at 6:32 p.m.
What TV channel is the Kentucky Derby on?
NBC will begin its broadcast at 2:30 p.m., showing much of the undercard. Before that, NBCSN will show earlier undercard races beginning at noon.
How can I watch live online?
NBC Sports Live Extra will show the entire thing. In addition to that, NBC will have a mosaic featuring four camera angles, including from above, that you can watch.
Horse racing betting, explained
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A quick primer on betting terms, types of wagers, and where you can (legally!) put some money down to make the Kentucky Derby a little more interesting.
What Kentucky Derby contenders do I need to know?
Classic Empire has settled in as the favorite since receiving a favorable starting position on Wednesday during the post position draw. McCraken may be thought of as the second-best pick right now. He and Always Dreaming were both given 5-1 morning line odds, but Always Dreaming’s combative nature this week at Churchill Downs leads some to believe it’ll cost him in the race.
Behind those, you have Irish War Cry (6/1) and Gunnervera (10/1). Gunnervera is an interesting story, as he is an orphaned horse whose trainer, Antonio Sano, was kidnapped twice in his native Venezuela before coming to America.
The sentimental favorite, though, might be Patch, the one-eyed horse. He’ll be the fourth horse to run the Kentucky Derby with only half his vision. None of the three earlier horses finished in the top 10. Starting from the outside rail only compounds the difficulty, but he’ll open the day at 30/1 odds.
What are the morning line odds?
Kentucky Derby 2017
| Post | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Morning line odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Post | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Morning line odds |
| 1 | Lookin at Lee | Corey Lanerie | Steve Asmussen | 20-1 |
| 2 | Thunder Snow | Christophe Soumillon | Saeed bin Suroor | 20-1 |
| 3 | Fast and Accurate | Channing Hill | Mike Maker | 50-1 |
| 4 | Untrapped | Ricardo Santana Jr | Steve Asmussen | 30-1 |
| 5 | Always Dreaming | John Velazquez | Todd Pletcher | 5-1 |
| 6 | State of Honor | Jose Lezcano | Mark Casse | 30-1 |
| 7 | Girvin | Mike Smith | Joe Sharp | 15-1 |
| 8 | Hence | Florent Geroux | Steve Asmussen | 15-1 |
| 9 | Irap | Mario Gutierrez | Doug O'Neill | 20-1 |
| 10 | Gunnevera | Javier Castellano | Antonio Sano | 15-1 |
| 11 | Battle of Midway | Flavien Prat | Jerry Hollendorfer | 30-1 |
| 12 | Sonneteer | Kent Desormeaux | Keith Desormeaux | 50-1 |
| 13 | J Boys Echo | Luis Saez | Dale Romans | 20-1 |
| 14 | Classic Empire | Julien Leparoux | Mark Casse | 4-1 |
| 15 | McCraken | Brian Hernandez Jr | Ian Wilkes | 5-1 |
| 16 | Tapwrit | Jose Ortiz | Todd Pletcher | 20-1 |
| 17 | Irish War Cry | Rajiv Maragh | Graham Motion | 6-1 |
| 18 | Gormley | Victor Espinoza | John Shirreffs | 15-1 |
| 19 | Practical Joke | Joel Rosario | Chad Brown | 20-1 |
| 20 | Patch | Tyler Gafflione | Todd Pletcher | 30-1 |
Oh, and by the way, how do you make a mint julep?
Glad you asked!