Andy Lyons/Getty Images The 2021 Kentucky Derby morning-line favorite, Essential Quality
The “Run for the Roses” returns to its traditional May timeslot this year, as the highly-anticipated 147th running of the Kentucky Derby takes place on Saturday at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
The Derby Day undercard races will be televised on NBC Sports Network (Noon-2:30 p.m. ET) and NBC (2:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. ET), while the Kentucky Derby will be on NBC (6:57 p.m. ET post time).
But if you don’t have cable, here are several different ways you can watch a live stream of the Kentucky Derby and all the Derby Day undercard races online for free:
Note: Heavy may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up via a link on this page
FuboTV
You can watch a live stream of NBC (live in most markets), NBC Sports Network and 100-plus other TV channels on FuboTV, which comes with a free seven-day trial:
Once signed up for FuboTV, you can watch the 2021 Kentucky Derby Day races live on the FuboTV app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, Samsung Smart TV, Android TV, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet. Or you can watch on your computer via the FuboTV website.
If you can’t watch live, FuboTV also comes with 250 hours of cloud DVR space.
AT&T TV
AT&T TV has four different channel packages: “Entertainment”, “Choice”, “Ultimate” and “Premier.” NBC (live in most markets) and NBC Sports Network are included in every package, but you can pick any package and any add-on you want with your free 14-day trial.
Note that the free trial isn’t advertised as such, but your “due today” amount will be $0 when signing up. If you watch on your computer, phone or tablet, you won’t be charged for 14 days. If you watch on a streaming device on your TV (Roku, Fire Stick, Apple TV, etc.), you will be charged for the first month, but you can get still get a full refund if you cancel before 14 days:
Once signed up for AT&T TV, you can watch the 2021 Kentucky Derby Day races live on the AT&T TV app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Samsung Smart TV, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet. Or you can watch on your computer via the AT&T TV website.
If you can’t watch live, AT&T TV also comes with 20 hours of Cloud DVR storage (with the ability to upgrade to unlimited hours).
Sling TV
You can watch a live stream of NBC (live in select markets), NBC Sports Network and 40-plus other TV channels via Sling TV’s “Sling Blue” channel bundle. This option doesn’t include a free trial, but you can get $10 off your first month and get Showtime, Starz and Epix included for free:
Once signed up for Sling TV, you can watch the 2021 Kentucky Derby Day races live on the Sling TV app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, Samsung Smart TV, LG Smart TV, Android TV, airTV Mini, Oculus, Portal, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet. Or you can watch on your computer via the Sling TV website.
If you can’t watch live, Sling TV comes included with 50 hours of cloud DVR.
Hulu With Live TV
You can watch a live stream of NBC (live in most markets), NBC Sports Network and 65+ other TV channels via Hulu With Live TV, which you can try out for free with a seven-day trial:
Once signed up for Hulu With Live TV, you can watch the 2021 Kentucky Derby Day races live on the Hulu app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Samsung Smart TV, LG Smart TV, Android TV, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet. Or you can watch on your computer via the Hulu website.
If you can’t watch live, Hulu with Live TV also comes with 50 hours of Cloud DVR storage (with the ability to upgrade to “Enhanced Cloud DVR,” which gives you 200 hours of DVR space and the ability to fast forward through commercials).
Kentucky Derby 2021 Preview
The 147th running of the Kentucky Derby will be a welcomed return to normalcy for sports and horse racing fans this year. The “Run for the Roses” is back in its traditional calendar slot of the first Saturday of May, a year after it was held outside the month of May for the first time since the race was affected by World War II in 1945.
The 2020 rendition was held in September after it was postponed due to the Coronavirus pandemic. In a year that was uniquely strange across the sports world, the Derby was no different, as no fans were on hand when Authentic raced to victory on a fall afternoon. It was a historic result for Authentic’s trainer Bob Baffert, who tied the record for most Kentucky Derby victories, with his sixth.
Twenty horses will be in the field this year as fans make their way back to Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Mint juleps will be flowing as 15,000 fans will be permitted in the infield and 40-60% capacity will be allowed to attend in the grandstand.
This year’s morning-line favorite is an undefeated grey colt named Essential Quality (2-1). The champion two-year-old of 2020 is a perfect 5-for-5 including wins in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 3. Essential Quality, who is trained by Brad Cox and ridden by jockey Luis Saez, will be starting from the 14th position. The last time a horse won the Derby from the 14th slot was in 1961 (Carry Back).
Essential Quality is expected to be tested by a crop of talented horses including Rock Your World (5-1), Known Agenda (6-1), Hot Rod Charlie (8-1) and Highly Motivated (10-1).
The second-ranked favorite, Rock Your World, won the Santa Anita Derby on April 3 by 4 1/4 lengths, where he recorded a 100 Beyer Speed figure (the only horse to hit that number in the Derby field). Like Essential Quality, Rock Your World is undefeated, winning all three of his starts.
Known Agenda is trained by the two-time Derby winner, Todd Pletcher. The son of former Preakness Stakes and Breeder’s Cup Classic winner Curlin, Known Agenda won the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park on March 27 by 2 3/4 lengths. In addition to Known Agenda, Pletcher will bring three more horses to Saturday’s Derby including Dynamic One, Bournbonic and Sainthood.
Two-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Doug O’Neill will be looking for another trip to the winner’s circle with Hot Rod Charlie. The product of former Preakness winner Oxbow finished runner-up to Essential Quality in the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile in November and won the Louisiana Derby in March.
Highly Motivated is the only horse in the field to go toe-to-toe with Essential Quality, losing to him in the final stretch in the Blue Grass Stakes. Trained by Chad C. Brown and ridden by jockey Javier Castellano, Highly Motivated has finished in the money in all five of his career starts.
Bob Baffert, looking to break the record for most Kentucky Derby wins for a trainer, will bring Medina Spirit (15-1) to Churchill Downs. Medina Spirit has a win in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes and two second-place finishes in 2021.
This year’s Kentucky Derby returns to its regularly scheduled place as the first leg of the Triple Crown, after serving behind the Belmont Stakes in 2020. The second leg – the Preakness Stakes – will be held on Saturday, May 15 and the final leg – the Belmont Stakes – will take place on Saturday, June 5.