NBC and Peacock have got you covered with another action-packed weekend of horse racing. The $1 million Blue Grass Stakes (G1) and $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (G1) take place this Saturday, April 8 at 4 PM ET. The Blue Grass Stakes will take place at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky and the Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Both events, which will award a total of 200 Kentucky Derby qualification points, are key races leading into the 2023 Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 6.
2023 Tampa Bay Derby (G3) winner Tapit Trice, a $1.3 million auction purchase who closed as the third-favorite in last weekend’s final Kentucky Derby future pool, will be making his Grade 1 debut. Tapit Trice and 2023 Gotham Stakes (G3) winner Raise Cain are expected to lead the 11-horse field in the Blue Grass Stakes.
National Treasure, who finished third in the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), and Practical Move, the winner of the 2023 San Felipe Stakes (G2), are expected to be top contenders in the Santa Anita Derby.
RELATED: Road to the Kentucky Derby - Blue Grass Stakes a major test for Tapit Trice
How to Watch Horse Racing on NBC Sports this Weekend
- Key Races on the Road to the Kentucky Derby: Blue Grass Stakes and Santa Anita Derby
- Date: Saturday, April 8
- Time: 4:00 PM ET
- TV Network: NBC
- Streaming: Peacock, NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app
Upcoming Horse Racing on NBC Sports
- May 5th and 6th: Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby
- May 20th: Preakness Stakes
What is the Road to the Kentucky Derby?
There are twenty slots at the starting gate in the Kentucky Derby. To get there, horses need to accumulate points by bagging a top-four finish at other qualified races. The twenty horses with the most points have a shot at the most exciting two minutes in sports.
The Road to the Kentucky Derby includes races in the U.S., Europe, and Japan beginning in September. The Louisiana Derby, the Florida Derby, Blue Grass Stakes, and the Santa Anita Derby are four of the final stops on the Road to the Kentucky Derby—the last chance for jockeys and thoroughbreds to prove themselves worthy of Churchill Downs.
When is the 2023 Kentucky Derby?
The 2023 Kentucky Derby is scheduled for Saturday, May 6th, and will air across the networks of NBC Sports and Peacock.
How can I watch horse racing on Peacock?
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For more horse racing coverage and the latest on the road to the Kentucky Derby, visit nbcsports.com.