When Is The Kentucky Derby 2020? Start Time And Channel Info
After being delayed since May, the Kentucky Derby is finally set to take place Saturday at Churchill Downs Racetrack. However, viewers should make sure they've asked the most important question: when is the Kentucky Derby? Luckily, all the details, including the start time, channel and location, are below.
The 146th running of the Kentucky Derby officially starts at 7:01 p.m. EDT on Saturday, Sept. 5, but coverage starts much earlier with Fox Sports 2 running coverage from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. EDT while NBC starts their programming at 2:30 p.m. EDT.
NBC will air the race live at 7:01 p.m. EDT, which is how most people will watch the event. While there is usually a large crowd of 170,000 spectators making fashion statements and cheering, 2020 will be different. Only the horse owners are allowed to be present at Churchill Downs due to social distancing protocols.
The Kentucky Derby usually takes place on the first Saturday in May. The global health crisis prevented this, marking the first time since 1945 that the Derby didn’t happen during the first weekend of May. In '45, the Derby was postponed a month due to World War II.
The move shifts the order of the Triple Crown. Typically, the Triple Crown falls in a certain order: the Derby first, followed by the Preakness and concluded with the Belmont. In 2020, the Belmont kicked things off in June and the Preakness will wrap up the competition on Oct. 3.
Tiz the Law won the 2020 Belmont Stakes and is the favorite to win the Kentucky Derby.
Though the event is racing ahead, protestors are encouraging a boycott of the 2020 Kentucky Derby. Churchill Downs is in Louisville, Kentucky, the city where police killed Breonna Taylor while she was sleeping in her bed.
As #JusticeForBreonnaTaylor protests continue, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer noted that there will be consequences if protests interfere with “our essential duty to preserve public safety.”
“If people are blocking traffic, creating dangerous conditions on our roadways or trespassing on private property against the wishes of the property owner, the police will cite and/or arrest them. Anyone committing violence or vandalism will be arrested,” Mayor Fischer and Louisville Metro Police said in a statement.
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