From the Churchill Downs Media Team / Darren Rogers:

NBCUNIVERSAL SURROUNDS 152ND KENTUCKY DERBY WITH COVERAGE ACROSS TODAY, WATCH WHAT HAPPENS LIVE, AND MORE

U.S. Olympians to Pick Kentucky Derby Winners During NBC Sports’ Coverage

NBC Sports’ Coverage of 152nd Kentucky Derby on NBC and Peacock this Saturday Beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET — Marks NBC Sports’ 26th Presentation of the Kentucky Derby

Telemundo Deportes to Present Coverage of the “Run for the Roses” Saturday at 6:30 p.m. ET on Universo

All Coverage on Friday and Saturday Streams Live on Peacock

STAMFORD, Conn. – April 29, 2026 – NBCUniversal presents a comprehensive slate of content and promotion ahead of and during the 152nd Kentucky Derby this Saturday, May 2, at 2:30 p.m. ET (NBC and Peacock), live from iconic Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. The 2026 “Run for the Roses” marks NBC Sports’ 26th presentation of the Kentucky Derby. For full Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks coverage details, click here.

In preparation for the 152nd “Run for the Roses,” NBC Sports and NBCUniversal personalities are promoting NBCU’s Derby coverage leading up to and on Derby day. Chief data analyst for NBC News and NBC Sports Steve Kornacki (who returns as insights analyst for his sixth Derby) and more will be featured throughout coverage.

Ahead of Derby day, NBC Sports asked a number of Olympians for their race picks, including Matthew Tkachuk, Connor Hellebuyck, Rai Benjamin, Gretchen and Alex Walsh, and more. Their picks will be revealed during Derby coverage this Saturday on NBC and Peacock.

Also highlighted this weekend:

  • Just prior to the horses approaching the starting gate for Friday night’s primetime Kentucky Oaks, American singer and songwriter Chaka Khan narrates the story of the disco ball’s unfamiliar origin and its relationship to the iconic event.

A wide range of NBCUniversal properties will join NBC Sports in celebrating the cultural and entertainment spectacle that is the Kentucky Derby. A summary of Kentucky Derby week activities and activations are below:

TODAY: Leadup coverage of the Derby began Tuesday and will run through Saturday, highlighted by multiple live hits from Churchill Downs on Friday and Saturday featuring NBC News’ Dylan Dreyer(who returns for her eighth Kentucky Derby), TODAY style consultant Zanna Roberts Rassi, NBC Sports’ Mike Tirico, NBC News’ and NBC Sports’ Steve Kornacki, and Derby-at-Home partner Caroline Chambers.

NBC NEWS NOW: In addition to TODAY, Tirico and Dreyer will join NBC News NOW on Friday morning.

WATCH WHAT HAPPENS LIVE: Watch What Happens Live will welcome Derby partner influencer Griffin Johnson as the bartender for Wednesday night’s show.

UNIVERSAL DESTINATIONS & EXPERIENCES: NBC Sports Grill & Brew at Universal Orlando Resort will host a Kentucky Derby viewing party on Saturday.

ACCESS: Access’ Lauren Herbert will be on-site at the Derby red carpet to provide coverage of the event.

XFINITY: Xfinity ran three members-only sweepstakes, including a grand prize trip to the event. Together with Access Hollywood, Xfinity will showcase the magic of being on site at the Derby.

PREMIER LEAGUE LIVE: For the third consecutive year, Rebecca Lowe, Robbie Earle, Robbie Mustoe, and Tim Howard will host Premier League Live, Premier League Mornings and Goal Zone live on-site from Churchill Downs on Friday and Saturday across NBC, Peacock, NBCSN and USA Network.

FANTASY FOOTBALL HAPPY HOUR: A special edition of Fantasy Football Happy Hour co-hosted by Matthew Berry, Drew Dinsick, and Lawrence Jackson will stream live on Peacock from Churchill Downs tomorrow, Thursday, April 30 at Noon ET. Kornacki will be a guest on the show.

WNBA ON NBC AND PEACOCK: WNBA on NBC and Peacock analyst Sue Bird will be interviewed during the Kentucky Derby broadcast. At the Kentucky Derby, NBC Sports is inviting Derby attendees to step onto the court to get their photo taken within the high-end WNBA on NBC and Peacock-branded photo-op fan experience.

SUNDAY NIGHT BASEBALL ON NBC AND PEACOCK: Also at the Derby, NBC Sports is inviting attendees to step into a high-end, Sunday Night Baseball on NBC and Peacock-branded “Velocity Stable” experience, where fans can test the speed of their fastballs against the speed of Derby thoroughbreds.

NBC AFFILIATES, OWNED STATIONS AND NBC SPORTS REGIONAL NETWORKS: Kentucky Derby promotions will air throughout the week on NBC Affiliates, Owned Stations and NBC Sports Regional Networks across the country, with Derby at-home chef Caroline Chambers appearing on New York Live, and analysis and commentary from NBC Sports’ horse racing team on local newscasts.

EVERY PLATFORM, EVERY MOMENT: NBC Sports will be everywhere on every social media platform during Derby Week. Follow @NBCSports on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for content around Churchill Downs during this once-in-a-lifetime event. Click here to access NBC Sport’s Derby hub, providing prep race highlights, analysis, lifestyle, and features. Additionally, every race from Churchill Downs will be posted on the site, plus “Collmus Cam,” which will show race caller Larry Collmus as he calls the 152nd Kentucky Derby.

NBC SPORTS RADIO KENTUCKY DERBY COVERAGE: NBC Sports Radio (channel 85 on SiriusXM and the SiriusXM app) will present a full day of live Kentucky Derby coverage on Saturday, May 2, with a four-hour special edition of Down the Stretch beginning at 10 a.m. ET. A three-hour pre-race show, hosted by Steve Byk live from Churchill Downs, begins at 2 p.m. ET, leading into NBC Sports’ coverage of the 152nd “Run for the Roses” from 5-7:30 p.m. ET with Larry Collmus handling the live race calls. The race broadcast will be simulcast on SiriusXM Mad Dog Sports Radio (channel 82). This is the fifth consecutive year NBC Sports and SiriusXM have teamed to produce audio coverage of the Kentucky Derby.

PEACOCK: Peacock will live stream all 12.5 hours of Friday’s and Saturday’s coverage. Peacock’s expansive sports programming features live coverage  of the NFL including Sunday Night Football, the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Big Ten Football and Basketball, Notre Dame Football, Premier League, NASCAR, golf, NBA, MLB, the WNBA beginning this spring, La Copa Mundial de la FIFA 2026, BIG EAST basketball, Big 12 basketball, and much more. Peacock also offers daily sports programming on the NBC Sports channel. Click here for more information.

 

NBC SPORTS AND HORSE RACING: NBC Sports is the exclusive home to the most important and prestigious events in horse racing, including the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Royal Ascot, and Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series.

–NBC SPORTS–