The 150th Kentucky Derby is set to take place at Churchill Downs, with twenty horses vying for victory in front of a roaring crowd of 150,000 spectators. The race is scheduled to start at 6:57 p.m. EDT on Saturday, with a weather forecast predicting 81 degrees Fahrenheit and a 60% chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms, potentially favoring horses with experience on muddy tracks.
Six contenders in the field have previously excelled in such conditions, including early favorites Fierceness and Sierra Leone. Fierceness, ridden by jockey John Velazquez, will start from the No. 17 post, historically not a winning position. Sierra Leone, the most expensive colt in the race at $2.3 million, is owned by a group expressing gratitude for his journey to the Derby.
