What time is the 2017 Kentucky Derby?

By NBCSports.comApr 26, 2017, 9:36 AM EDT

The 2017 Kentucky Derby will mark the 143th running of the first leg of the Triple Crown and will take place on Saturday, May 6, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

Coverage of “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports” is set to begin at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC with the post time scheduled for 6:34 p.m. ET.

Classic Empire, Always Dreaming and McCracken headline the 20-horse field.

Check out the full broadcast schedule for the 2017 Kentucky Derby below:

Thursday, May 4 – Kentucky Derby Access, 4-6 p.m. ET on NBCSN

Friday, May 5 – Kentucky Oaks, 12-6:15 p.m. ET on NBCSN

Saturday, May 6 – Kentucky Derby Undercard, 12-2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN

Saturday, May 6 – 143rd Kentucky Derby, 2:30-7:15 p.m. ET on NBC

Taiba wins $1 million Pennsylvania Derby for Baffert

Associated PressSep 24, 2022, 11:28 PM EDT

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BENSALEM, Pa. – Taiba won the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby by three lengths for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.

Ridden by Mike Smith, Taiba ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.67 and paid $4.80, $3 and $2.60.

It was Baffert’s fourth win in the Grade 1 event at Parx Racing. He also won in 2014, 2017 and 2018. Smith won the race for the third time, all aboard Baffert horses.

Zandon returned $3.80 and $2.60. Cyberknife was another 3 3/4 lengths back in third and paid $3 to show.

Taiba was coming off a second-place finish in the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth in July. The colt was 12th in the Kentucky Derby under Tim Yakteen, who took over training him while Baffert was serving a 90-day suspension.

“He had a little bit of a rough trip in the Haskell, but we had some time to get him ready for this one,” Baffert said from his base in California. “He proved today he is a good horse. He is getting better and better.”

Baffert Taiba will be pointed toward the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic in November. The colt has three wins in five starts this year.

Kentucky Derby modifies qualifying, elevates prep races

Associated PressSep 16, 2022, 9:37 PM EDT

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Churchill Downs has modified paths to the Kentucky Derby and Oaks, awarding points to the top five finishers in qualifying races and increasing significance for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and late prep season events.

Most Derby prep races during the qualifying series for 3-year-olds will award points on a 10-4-3-2-1 sliding scale after using a 10-4-2-1 system since 2013. The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, run during the season-ending championships on Nov. 4 at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky, will increase points from 20-8-4-2 to 30-12-9-6-3 to differentiate the Grade I event from others during prep season.

Select prep races for the 20-horse Derby field have elevated points from a 10-4-2-1 scale to 20-8-6-4-2 to increase their importance and motivate hopefuls to begin their 3-year-old campaigns earlier in the season, track officials stated in a release.

“We believe these modifications adhere to and amplify our goal of assembling the finest group of 3-year-olds in the starting gate for a race at the classic distance of 1\ miles on the first Saturday in May,” Churchill Downs vice president/general manager Mike Ziegler said.

The 149th Kentucky Derby and Oaks for fillies will be held on May 5-6, 2023. Derby qualifying season begins with Saturday’s $300,000, Grade III Iroquois for 2-year-olds at Churchill Downs.

The point changes apply to Oaks qualifiers.

Elevated Derby preps include the Lecomte at Fair Grounds in Louisiana; Southwest at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas; Withers at Aqueduct in New York; Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park in Florida; Robert B. Lewis at Santa Anita in California; Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs; and John Battaglia Memorial at Turfway Park in Kentucky.