One of the biggest horse racing events of the year is right around the corner. The 2023 Kentucky Derby takes place on Saturday, May 6, 2023 with coverage starting at 12:00 PM (ET)/5:00 PM (BST) at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
Looking to stream the Kentucky Derby live? Peacock is your best bet, regardless of where you are in the world. However, you’ll need an American IP address to access the stream. You can do so in seconds with a virtual private network (VPN).
Follow this guide to stream the 2023 Kentucky Derby from anywhere:
Since Peacock is limited to American customers and European Sky and NOW subscribers, you may want to browse some of the internet’s top free sports streaming sites.
Dig your heels into the stirrups because it’s almost time for “The Run for the Roses.” The 2023 Kentucky Derby goes down on Saturday, May 6, 2023, with coverage starting at 12:00 PM (ET)/5:00 PM (BST).
Continuing a tradition started back in 1875, the most exciting two minutes in sports will be held at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The winner of the 149th Kentucky Derby will take home a whopping purse of more than $1.8 million.
Looking to stream the 2023 Kentucky Derby? It won’t be easy this year for international horseracing fans, as many broadcasters around the world won’t have coverage. We’ve researched and tested the best ways to stream the race outside the U.S.
How to Watch the Kentucky Derby 2023
This year’s Kentucky Derby is exclusive to NBC and its streaming platform Peacock TV. So, you’ll need to subscribe to Peacock Premium to watch. Since NBC has started pulling its sports channels from other streaming services, your only other option is Hulu + Live TV at the moment.
Here’s a rundown on providers and pricing.
| Service | Channels | Price | Free trial? | Do I need a VPN to watch it? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peacock TV | All NBC Sports coverage | $4.99 per month | No | Yes, if you’re not within the US. |
| Hulu + Live TV | 75+ sports channels (with NBC Sports) | $69.99 per month | 30-day free trial | Yes, if you’re not within the US. |
You’ll have to sign up for a new account with both of these services to watch the Kentucky Derby. This will also require putting down payment information, such as a credit card or PayPal.
Those looking to stream free can check out our list of the best free sports streaming sites.
How to Watch the 2023 Kentucky Derby Outside the U.S.
A VPN (short for virtual private network) is a nifty cybersecurity tool that lets you change your IP address and access content from any part of the world.
If you’re located somewhere that isn’t broadcasting the 2023 Kentucky Derby — like France, the Netherlands, or Japan — you can use Surfshark VPN to connect to a U.S. server to unblock Peacock or Hulu + Live TV.
We’ll explain how below.
Step 1: Pick up a Surfshark subscription
There are plenty of top VPNs out there that offer a large server network along with top-notch encryption to keep you safe. But, when it comes to streaming live sports, you also need a reliable VPN that offers Secretariat-inspired speeds and no lags for an uninterrupted viewing experience.
Whether it’s the Premier League, the NBA, or Formula 1 racing, Surfshark has always delivered high-quality video and no interruptions during our testing.
We connected to Surfshark’s New York server to access the Peacock website, and it delivered a smooth browsing and streaming experience. With a network of more than 600 servers in 15 cities, you can be sure you’ll find one that works for you.
To top it off, you can try out Surfshark for free using the 30-day money-back guarantee before you commit to the service. You can find the Surfshark app on all popular app stores or on the Surfshark website.
Once you’ve downloaded the app onto your device, simply power it up and type in the city or country of your choice into the search box. Select the city or country, and you’ll be connected within seconds!
Step 2: Go to Peacock TV to watch the Kentucky Derby
Next, you need to go to the streaming platform of your choice. As we’ve already discussed, Peacock TV is your most reliable bet for streaming the 2023 Kentucky Derby. Ensure that you’re connected to a US server on Surfshark before you go to the Peacock TV website.
For reference, just follow these steps:
- Connect to a US server using your VPN.
- Navigate to the Peacock TV website.
- Find the 2023 Kentucky Derby in the Horse Racing section.
How to Watch the Kentucky Derby in the U.K.
Since the 2023 Kentucky Derby is only available on NBC and Peacock, a lot of UK fans are stuck in the mud. We checked out several popular racing streams in the U.K. that carried the Kentucky Derby in the past — including Sky Sports Racing and ITV — and none of these broadcasters will carry the big race this year.
Not all is hopeless though, as fans in the U.K. can watch the Kentucky Derby on Peacock, too. Lucky for Derby fanatics, it comes free with an existing Sky or NOW subscription.
- Sky TV Membership (with Peacock): Starts at £26
- NOW Sports Month Membership: £34.99
- NOW Sports Day Membership: £11.98
If you’re traveling outside the U.K., you can access your NOW streaming platform with Surfshark VPN. Just connect to a U.K. server before streaming.
How to Watch the Kentucky Derby in Australia
Kayo Sports will be broadcasting the 2023 Kentucky Derby. Basic plans start at $25 AUD per month, while Premium is $35 AUD. However, throughout our research and testing, we’ve run into a lot of issues trying to access Kayo Sports from outside the country. It actively blocks VPNs, so it makes it difficult for Aussies to get to their accounts while traveling.
This is where a dedicated IP address comes in handy. It’s a unique, anonymous IP address set up only for you (instead of sharing anonymous IP addresses with other users), so it more successfully bypasses VPN flagging. At the moment, Surfshark only offers dedicated IP addresses on Android devices.
So if you’re interested in one for another device, you may want to check out our full review of NordVPN, as they offer dedicated IPs in Australia across multiple devices.
2023 Kentucky Derby Odds
Coverage for the Kentucky Derby starts at 12:00 PM (ET) on Saturday, May 6, with post-coverage running until about 7:30 PM at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Before the Kentucky Derby, you can catch the Kentucky Oaks race on Peacock Friday, May 5.
If you’re interested in crafting yourself a Mint Julep and placing a bet, here are the post positions and odds on this year’s race.
Forte takes the best odds at 3-1, with Tapit Trice at 5-1 and Angel of Empire at 8-1 following behind.
| Post Positions | Horse | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| No. 1 | Hit Show | 30-1 |
| No. 2 | Verifying | 15-1 |
| No. 3 | Two Phil’s | 12-1 |
| No. 4 | Confidence Game | 20-1 |
| No. 5 | Tapit Trice | 5-1 |
| No. 6 | Kingsbarns | 12-1 |
| No. 7 | Reincarnate | 50-1 |
| No. 8 | Mage | 15-1 |
| No. 9 | Skinner | 20-1 |
| No. 10 | Practical Move | 10-1 |
| No. 11 | Disarm | 30-1 |
| No. 12 | Jace’s Road | 15-1 |
| No. 13 | Sun Thunder | 30-1 |
| No. 14 | Angel of Empire | 8-1 |
| No. 15 | Forte | 3-1 |
| No. 16 | Raise Cain | 15-1 |
| No. 17 | Derma Sotogake | 10-1 |
| No. 18 | Rocket Can | 15-1 |
| No. 19 | Lord Miles | 30-1 |
| No. 20 | Continuar | 50-1 |
