LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The 151st Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks are just days away. The race is run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. It’s held annually on the first Saturday in May and is the first leg of the Triple Crown.
The Kentucky Oaks vs The Kentucky Derby
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The Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby are two separate races. The key difference is what horses can qualify to compete.
The Kentucky Oaks is a gender-specific race that only allows female horses to compete. More specifically, only three-year-old Thoroughbreds can race.
The Kentucky Derby is open to male and female horses. However, it is rare for a female horse to run in the Derby. This race is also run by three-year-old Thoroughbreds.
The race lengths also differ. The Oaks is 1 1/8 miles long while the Derby is 1 1/4 miles long.
Prize money is vastly different as well.
Kentucky Oaks- Purse: $1.5 Million, First-Place Prize: $750,000
Kentucky Derby- Purse: $5 Million, First-Place Prize: $1,860,000
Kentucky Derby contenders
- Citizen Bull
- Neoequos
- Final Gambit
- Rodriguez
- American Promise
- Admire Daytona
- Luxor Cafe
- Journalism
- Burnham Square
- Grande
- Flying Mohawk
- East Avenue
- Publisher
- Tiztastic
- Render Judgement
- Coal Battle
- Sandman
- Sovereignty
- Chunk of Gold
- Owen Almighty
- Baeza
Kentucky Oaks contenders
- Early On
- Simply Joking
- Fondly
- Drexel Hill
- Quickkick
- Ballerina D’oro
- La Cara
- Five G
- Tenma
- Take Charge Milady
- Good Cheer
- Anna’s Promise
- Bless the Broken
- Quietside
Schedule for Derby Week 2025
Tuesday, April 29th
Opening night - twilight racing at 5 pm
Wednesday, April 30th
Downs after dark - evening races at 6 pm
Thursday, May 1st
Thurby (local’s day) - daytime racing at 12:45 pm
Friday, May 2nd - Kentucky Oaks Day
- Kentucky Oaks starts at 5:51 pm
Saturday, May 3rd - Kentucky Derby Day
Gates open at 8 am
First race at 10:30 am
Sunday, May 4th - Derby Wrap-Up
Closing Day Races starts at 12:45 pm
How can I watch at home?
The 151st Kentucky Derby will broadcast on Saturday, May 3rd on Local 4 starting at 2:30 pm.
