Christa Marrillia, Keeneland Racecourse Vice President, discusses how racehorses are preparing for the Derby season and what’s the best weather for them to race in.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The countdown is on for the 151st Kentucky Derby, and the city of Louisville is buzzing with anticipation for the annual Run for the Roses.
Derby week festivities began on Saturday with Opening Night at Churchill Downs and will conclude with the Kentucky Derby itself on Saturday, May 3.
While the pageantry surrounding the events appears unaffected, it was a race against the clock for officials in the Bluegrass State to make the region presentable after major flooding.
Rounds of severe storms in early April dumped 10 to 20 inches of rain across parts of the Ohio and Mississippi Valleys, causing rivers and streams to swell to levels not seen in decades.
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Flooding around Jefferson County, Kentucky
(Louisville Metro Emergency Services) -
Water floods fields, roads and structures near the Bluegrass Parkway in Nelson County, Kentucky, on Monday, April 7, 2025.
(Ryan C. Hermens/Lexington Herald-Leader/Tribune News Service) -
Flooding reaches the sign for River Road BBQ and other businesses on River Road in Louisville.
(River Road BBQ) -
River Road BBQ in Louisville filled with floodwater.
(River Road BBQ) -
Photo taken on April 7, 2025 shows a waterlogged area in Frankfort, Kentucky, the United States. At least 21 people have been killed amid fierce storms battering parts of the U.S. Midwest and South with major flooding and powerful tornadoes since Wednesday, according to local media reports on Monday. Overall, the death toll stood at 10 in Tennessee, three in Missouri, two each in Kentucky, Georgia and Indiana, and one each in Arkansas and Mississippi.
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Aerial footage of the significant flooding situation in Louisville, Kentucky.
(Louisville Metro Police Department)
According to a water level gauge along the Ohio River in Louisville, the waterway crested at nearly 37 feet, making the event one of the 10 highest crests in city history.
Preliminary data shows that the river’s crest of 36.63 feet ranked as the eighth-highest water level in modern history, falling short of the historic 1997 flood and the all-time record of 52.15 feet set on Jan. 27, 1937.
Dozens of water rescues took place in low-lying areas, and many riverfront parks and roadways were closed while the river remained above flood stage.
Following the height of the flooding, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg launched a multi-million-dollar cleanup effort to prepare the city for the arrival of thousands of spectators.
HOW WEATHER PLAYS A ROLE IN THE KENTUCKY DERBY
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY – MAY 06: The field heads into the first turn during the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 06, 2023 in Louisville, Kentucky.
(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images / Getty Images)
Despite the extreme weather, the stage appears to be set for the 18 horses competing in what is known as “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports.”
The official post time for the Kentucky Derby is 6:57 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 3, and will feature horses such as Journalism, Sandman, Sovereignty and Rodriguez.
The marquee event is likely to go off without a hitch, with near-room temperatures and plenty of sunshine in the forecast.
However, celebrations and races earlier in the week may have to contend with some rain, especially from Tuesday through Thursday, as showers and thunderstorms move into the commonwealth from the west.
Expected rainfall into the first weekend of May.
(FOX Weather)
LOUISVILLE LAUNCHES MULTI-MILLION-DOLLAR FLOOD CLEANUP EFFORT AHEAD OF KENTUCKY DERBY
Over the years, weather has played a memorable role in Derby races, from the 94-degree heat in 1959 to as much as 3.15 inches of rain in 2018.
According to National Weather Service historical records, out of the last 150 Derby Days, 48% have experienced rain at some point during the day, often making the one-mile track at Churchill Downs sloppy.
The Kentucky Derby has never been canceled due to weather, though it has been postponed because of events such as war and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The race is the most-watched horse racing event of the year and marks the first leg of the coveted Triple Crown.
Following the Kentucky Derby, much of the same field will compete in Maryland’s Preakness Stakes, followed by New York’s Belmont Stakes in early June.
