The 143rd running of the Kentucky Derby, the first leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown, is set for Saturday afternoon, The biggest race of the year will pit the best 3-year-old thoroughbreds in the world against each other at Churchill Downs in Louisville, the most famous race track in the country.

When does the race start?

The post time for the 2017 Kentucky Derby is 6:46 p.m. ET.

How can I watch the Kentucky Derby on television?

NBC will broadcast the race, with Mike Tirico added to the coverage for his first Kentucky Derby. The pre-race broadcast begins at 2:30 p.m., with five hours of coverage planned.

Larry Collmus will call the race, with analysts Randy Moss, Jerry Bailey, and Eddie Olczyk also a part of the broadcast.

Horse racing betting, explained

Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images

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.

Will the race be streamed online?

The NBC telecast will also be streamed online through NBC Sports and the NBC Sports app.

How long is the race?

The track at Churchill Downs is 1¼ miles, the second-longest of the three Triple Crown races. The Kentucky Derby is often referred to as “the fastest two minutes in sports.” The 2016 winner, Nyquist, won with a time of 2:01.31. Secretariat holds the Kentucky Derby record, winning the 1973 race in 1:59.4 en route to the Triple Crown.

Quotable

“Six fillies in the Oaks and eight in the Kentucky Derby have never set foot in a race on a wet track. But if you like past performances of horses that have won, Classic Empire is the only horse in the field that has won on a wet track at this particular track. The first race he ever ran, his maiden race, he won here at Churchill Downs in the slop. So if you’re a Classic Empire fan, then if it’s wet and rainy, go to the windows.”

—NBC analyst and two-time Kentucky Derby winner Jerry Bailey, on a potentially rainy Saturday.