The 141st Kentucky Derby takes place Saturday, May 2, from Churchill Downs in Louisville, for the first leg of horse racing’s elusive Triple Crown (sweeping the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes). Top contenders are American Pharoah, Dortmund, Carpe Diem and Materiality. NBCSN has prerace coverage beginning at 12pm ET. Race coverage on NBC Saturday begins at 4pm ET, with the race scheduled for 5pm ET. NBC, NBCSN and several other NBCUniversal networks have coverage related to the Kentucky Derby. The race will also air live on NBC Sports Live Extra.
Bob Costas hosts the coverage with commentator Tom Hammond, analysts Randy Moss and Jerry Bailey, and analysts/handicappers Mike Battaglia and Eddie Olczyk. Additional reporters include Laffit Pincay III, Kenny Rice, Donna Brothers and Jay Privman. Larry Collmus calls the race. Josh Elliott and Carolyn Manno provide features and interviews at Churchill Downs, and NBC figure skating analysts Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski again serve as fashion and lifestyle experts.
“All of us are more excited this year than normal because this has the potential of being one of the great Derbies of all time,” Hammond says. “I don’t think anybody here would argue with this. I don’t remember a field as deep in talent as it is this year. There are eight to nine horses in there that wouldn’t shock us if they were to win the race. And Bob Baffert, the trainer of the two favorites, has a powerful one two punch in American Pharoah, the favorite, and Dortmund, the second choice.”
2015 Kentucky Derby Field/Odds
1. Ocho Ocho Ocho 50-1
2. Carpe Diem Todd 8-1
3. Materiality 12-1
4. Tencendur 30-1
5. Danzig Moon 30-1
6. Mubtaahij 20-1
7. El Kabeir 30-1
8. Dortmund 3-1
9. Bolo 30-1
10. Firing Line 12-1
11. International Star 20-1
12. Itsaknockout 30-1
13. Keen Ice 50-1
14. Frosted 15-1
15. War Story 50-1
16. Mr. Z 50-1
17. American Pharoah 5-2
18. Upstart 15-1
19. Far Right 30-1
20. Frammento 50-1
