The Kentucky Derby is one of the most historic and famous horse races in the world. Known as “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports”, the Derby welcomes some of the planet’s finest thoroughbred racehorses to Churchill Downs, Louisville as they battle to join the great champions of the past.
With the 2022 Kentucky Derby fast approaching, here is all the information you need about the race, including dates, the horses set to compete, and where to watch all the action unfold.
What is the Kentucky Derby?
The Kentucky Derby is an annual horse race involving three-year-old thoroughbreds and is raced over one-and-a-quarter miles (2km), with 20 horses competing. Having first been staged in 1875, it is one of the oldest and most prestigious races in the United States.
The Derby is the first of the three American Triple races, which also comprises the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes. A horse must win all three races to win the Triple Crown (it has only been achieved 13 times).
The 2022 Derby will be the 148th edition.
Where is the Kentucky Derby held?
The race is staged at Churchill Downs Racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky, and has been held at the same venue ever since its inauguration in 1875.
When is the 2022 Kentucky Derby?
This year’s race will be held on Saturday, May 7. As is tradition, the Derby is always raced on the first Saturday of May and acts as the conclusion of the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival.
Only twice has the race been moved from its usual place on the calendar: first in 1945 during the Second World War, and in 2020 in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Where can the 2022 Kentucky Derby be watched?
For race fans interested in attending the Derby, tickets can be purchased through the Churchill Downs website, with various ticket options and experiences available – from general admission up to VIP and Hospitality.
If attending the Derby in person is not possible, then NBC is covering the event in the United States, across its television channel, website, and app.
For international viewers, the Kentucky Derby will be broadcast on Sky Sports in the UK, while various betting apps that have the rights to stream the race will do so on their websites and apps.
Who is racing in the 2022 Kentucky Derby?
The line-up for the 2022 Kentucky Derby isn’t yet complete but there are already a few horses confirmed for the ‘Run of the Roses’.
Among the early bookies favorites include Smile Happy, who is priced at around 6/1, Forbidden Kingdom (7/1), Epicenter (8/1), and Morello (10/1). Meanwhile, Mo Donegal, Simplification, and Zandon are all priced at 12/1, and White Abarrio, Classic Causeway, and Emmanuel all boast odds of 15/1.
Bear in mind that odds for the 2022 Kentucky Derby are all prone to fluctuate right up until minutes before the start of the race.
Odds can change based on a number of factors, based on race conditions, prep race form, and the amount of money wagered on certain horses. Check Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 5 to find some sleepers pick that might be profitable when the race happens.
Who won the 2021 Kentucky Derby?
The 2021 race was shrouded in controversy after winner Medina Spirit was subsequently disqualified for testing positive for a banned substance.
Trainer Bob Baffert, who had won a record seventh Derby before it was stripped, has since threatened to sue Churchill Downs after the organization handed him a suspension for his involvement in the scandal.
Runner-up Mandaloun was upgraded to the winner of the 2021 Derby after the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission made its final decision to disqualify Medina Spirit in February following various appeals.
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