184 days until the Kentucky Derby
Saturday, May 1, 2027Expected dateCounted in Louisville time. Today is not included.
In weeks, months and sleeps
Weeks and months are counted from today in Louisville time, the same way as the day count. "Sleeps" is the number of nights before the Kentucky Derby, which is the same as the days if you count tonight.
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About this countdown
The Kentucky Derby is run at Churchill Downs in Louisville on the first Saturday in May. Post time in 2026 was 6:57 pm Eastern, and this countdown is set to the same time. The day count is calendar days in Louisville; the clock counts down to the gates opening.
- The Kentucky Derby 2027 is on Saturday, May 1.
- The race is a mile and a quarter for three-year-olds, and takes about two minutes. That is where "the most exciting two minutes in sports" comes from.
- The Kentucky Oaks, for fillies, is run the day before. Together they make up Derby weekend.
- It is the first leg of the Triple Crown, followed by the Preakness Stakes two weeks later and the Belmont Stakes in June.
Questions people ask
How many days until the Kentucky Derby?
The number at the top of this page. It counts whole days in Louisville time, and the clock next to it runs down to post time.
What time does the Kentucky Derby start?
Post time is usually just before 7 pm Eastern, which is 6 pm Central and 4 pm Pacific. Churchill Downs confirms the exact time in the spring. TV coverage starts hours earlier.
Is the Derby always on the first Saturday in May?
Almost always. The exceptions were 1945, when wartime travel limits pushed it to June, and 2020, when the pandemic moved it to September.
Why is it called the Run for the Roses?
The winner is draped in a garland of more than 400 red roses, and the nickname has stuck for about a hundred years.
On your lock screen
Add this date to the Countdown app for iPhone and it reminds you before the day. With Pro, the same count sits under the clock on your Lock Screen, so you see it without unlocking the phone.
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