Kentucky Derby 2025: How to Watch The 151st Horse-Racing Event Online Without Cable

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, The Hollywood Reporter may receive an affiliate commission.

It’s derby time! The 151st running of the Kentucky Derby features 20 horses and jockeys participating in the first race of the Triple Crown at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.

At a Glance: How to Watch Kentucky Derby 2025 Online

The horse-racing event takes place on Saturday, May 3, with post time for the main event at 3:57 p.m. PT/6:57 p.m. ET. However, coverage starts at 11:30 a.m. PT/2:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

Keep reading to find out how to watch the Kentucky Derby with and without a cable subscription, including options to watch the horse-racing event for free.

How to Watch Kentucky Derby 2025 Without Cable

Since Kentucky Derby 2025 broadcasts on NBC, it can also be streamed with services, like Peacock, DirecTV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV and Sling, some of which even offer free trials. If you act fast and sign up now, you can watch it online for free.

Editors’ Choice

Peacock

If you want to watch the Kentucky Derby, the horse-racing event is available to stream at home on Peacock.

Not a Peacock subscriber? You can sign up for just $7.99 per month, or $79.99 for an annual subscription for the ad-supported plan — an 18 percent savings. To go ad-free, a subscription goes for $13.99 per month, or $139.99 yearly for nearly 20 percent off an annual subscription.

Aside from Kentucky Derby, you’ll also get access to originals like Poker Face, The Traitors, We Are Lady Parts, The Day of the Jackal and others; hit movies like Wicked, Wolf Man, The Wild Robot, Nosferatu and others; live sports and entertainment from NBC Sports and WWE; and more than 50 “always-on” streaming channels.

best streaming service

DirecTV

Watch the Kentucky Derby on DirecTV. The cable alternative’s packages offer NBC, along with more than 20 other channels for sports — such as ABC, Fox, ESPN, Fox Sports, NBA TV and much more.

The streamer also has a free five-day trial available, but that’s more than enough time to watch the Kentucky Derby. Afterward, you can either cancel the service or keep watching, with prices starting as low as $69.99 per month for the “MySports” genre pack.

Watch the Kentucky Derby on NBC, as well as more than 225 other news, entertainment and sports channels with a subscription to Fubo — which starts at $64.99 for the first month of service ($84.99 per month afterward). The online TV streaming service also offers a seven-day trial for new subscribers, so you can watch the Kentucky Derby on NBC online for free during that time.

best streaming bundle

Hulu + Live TV

To watch the Kentucky Derby on NBC, a subscription to Hulu + Live TV is another fantastic option. The streaming service has access to more than 90 other live channels — like BET, CNN, ESPN, Food Network and more — starting at $82.99 per month and comes with Hulu’s entire streaming library, as well as Disney+ and ESPN+. The streaming service offers a three-day free trial.

Best Wallet-Friendly

Sling

Sling might be a good fit to watch the Kentucky Derby on NBC — and the live TV streaming service is on sale for half off your first month of service. With Sling Blue, which includes NBC, you can begin watching for $25.50 for your first month (reg. $50.99 per month).

Additionally, Sling Blue also has ABC, Bravo, Discovery Channel, NFL Network, National Geographic and other channels.

Please note: Pricing and channel availability varies by TV market. Learn more about Sling here.

How to Watch Kentucky Derby 2025 With Cable

The Kentucky Derby broadcasts on NBC. You can watch through your cable TV provider; on NBCSports.com or NBC Sports mobile apps with your cable TV account login.

Who Is Racing During Kentucky Derby 2025

For the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby, there are 20 horses with jockeys racing during Saturday’s event. Below, you’ll find a list of horse competing to the win the Kentucky Derby Trophy.

Where to Buy Kentucky Derby 2025 Tickets Online

Want to attend the Kentucky Derby in person? Last-minute tickets are available at StubHub, Ticket Liquidator, Ticket Network, Ticketmaster and GameTime, prices depend on where you’d like to sit at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. For more info, visit KentuckyDerby.com.

Some of the best deals on tickets are at Vivid Seats, where you can save $20 with code THR30; or at SeatGeek where you can use promo code HOLLYWOOD10 to save $10 on eligible purchases of $250 and up. Click here for last-minute tickets.