Horse owner Frank Fletcher looks to make the most of his latest homecoming when the Arkansas Derby commences on Saturday, April 1.
The race (7:50 p.m. ET post time) will be televised on Fox Sports 2.
If you don’t have cable, you can watch a live stream on FuboTV or DirecTV Stream, which both include FS2 and come with a free trial.
Those are the two best live stream options if you’re cutting cable, but there are also some other alternatives, so here’s a full guide on the different ways to watch the 2023 Arkansas Derby streaming live online:
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 FS2 and 100-plus other live TV channels on FuboTV, which comes with a free seven-day trial:
Once signed up for FuboTV, you can watch the 2023 Arkansas Derby live on the FuboTV app or FuboTV website.
Compatible devices for the FuboTV app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, Samsung TV, LG TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You can also watch the race live on the Fox Sports app or FoxSports.com. You’ll need to sign in to a cable provider to watch this way, but you can use your FuboTV credentials to do that.
DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream has four different channel packages: “Entertainment,” “Choice,” “Ultimate” and “Premier.” FS2 is in “Ultimate” and above, but you can pick any package and any add-on you want with your free five-day trial:
Once signed up for DirecTV Stream, you can watch the 2023 Arkansas Derby live on the DirecTV Stream app or DirecTV Stream website.
Compatible devices for the DirecTV Stream app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Samsung TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You can also watch the race live on the Fox Sports app or FoxSports.com. You’ll need to sign in to a cable provider to watch this way, but you can use your DirecTV Stream credentials to do that.
Sling TV
You can watch a live stream of FS2 and 45-plus other TV channels via Sling TV’s “Sling Blue + Sports Extra” package. This option doesn’t include a free trial, but it’s the cheapest long-term streaming service with these channels, plus you can get your first month for half off:
Once signed up for Sling TV, you can watch the 2023 Arkansas Derby live on the Sling TV app or Sling TV website.
Compatible devices for the Sling TV app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, Samsung TV, LG TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), airTV Mini, Oculus, Portal, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You can also watch the race live on the Fox Sports app or FoxSports.com. You’ll need to sign in to a cable provider to watch this way, but you can use your Sling credentials to do that.
Hulu With Live TV
You can watch a live stream of FS2 and 65+ other TV channels via Hulu With Live TV, which now also includes access to both ESPN+ and Disney+ at no added cost:
Once signed up for Hulu With Live TV, you can watch the 2023 Arkansas Derby live on the Hulu app or Hulu website.
Compatible devices for the Hulu app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, PlayStation 4 or 5, Nintendo Switch, Samsung TV, LG TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You can also watch the race live on the Fox Sports app or FoxSports.com. You’ll need to sign in to a cable provider to watch this way, but you can use your Hulu credentials to log in and watch.
Vidgo
You can watch a live stream of FS2 and 65+ other TV channels on Vidgo, which does not come with a free trial:
Once signed up for Vidgo, you can watch the 2023 Arkansas Derby live on the Vidgo app or Vidgo website.
Compatible devices for the Vidgo app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV, or Firestick, Apple TV, Chromecast, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad, or Android tablet.
You can also watch the race live on the Fox Sports app or FoxSports.com. You’ll need to sign in to a cable provider to watch this way, but you can use your Vidgo credentials to do that.
Arkansas Derby 2023 Preview
Arkansas native and horse owner Frank Fletcher, 80, will have the horse Rocket Can racing in the Arkansas Derby on Saturday.
Despite Fletcher growing up in Tamo, Arkansas, he has only been involved in the derby three previous times at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs. Fletcher had a winner in 1989, a third-place finish in 2001, and a seventh-place finish in 2007.
“I love the Arkansas Derby,” Fletcher said via BloodHorse.com. “We love this race. I told Wally Hall (longtime Arkansas Democrat-Gazette sports editor) all my life that my whole life’s dream was to win the Arkansas Derby. And if I did that, I didn’t care if I ever got in the Kentucky Derby. If I were to win the Arkansas Derby, I would just probably tell Mott to go ahead and do whatever he wants to. I’m just going to stay here and get on top of this statue out front and sit there for about a week.”
“We were looking at this race and the [April 8] Blue Grass Stakes [G1] and wanted to see who was in each,” Fletcher added. “I told him I’d give anything to be in the Arkansas Derby, but if there’s a better field for us in Kentucky, I’m not going to tell you not to race there. So, it turned out OK. This is my home state. This is the track I’ve always wanted to win on. But I felt strongly that the horse needed to have every opportunity that [Bill] Mott thought he could get.”
Trained by Mott, Rocket Can has a shot to win and comes into the race off of a Fountain of Youth Stakes race at Florida’s Gulfstream Park in early March, won by Forte — a Kentucky Derby favorite. Forte will race in the Florida Derby instead of the Arkansas Derby on Saturday.
“Forte was faster than us, there’s no question,” Fletcher said via BloodHorse.com. “But he had the best trip in the world in the Fountain of Youth. He’s a very fast runner, but he never got banged or hit or anything. He’s going to be one of the top two or three favorites in the Kentucky Derby. But our horse is built, I like to say, more like a linebacker than a running back. He’s strong and he can take a bump in that first turn and he’ll keep on going.”
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Arkansas Derby 2023 Live Stream: How to Watch Online