Kentucky Derby 2018: Full schedule for the week at Churchill Downs

Saturday will mark the 144th running of the Kentucky Derby, with three-year-old thoroughbreds flocking to Churchill Downs in Louisville for the most famous horse race in the world.

But before the first leg of the 2018 Triple Crown is run, there are several things leading up to the main event all week, including the draw, the fillies racing at the Kentucky Oaks, and the mint julep-filled festivities.

This year’s Kentucky Derby will start Saturday evening, and here are some things to remember for Derby week:

The Kentucky Derby post position draw occurred on Tuesday morning with favorites Justify, Mendelssohn, and Magnum Moon placing in the seventh, 14th, and 16th positions, respectively. Last year’s winner Always Dreaming started from the fifth post position.

The morning line odds are out and Justify is the favorite at 3-to-1. Mendelssohn at 5-to-1 odds came in just ahead of Magnum Moon at 6-to-1. Audible and Bolt d’Oro check in ay 8-to-1 odds. Here are the complete morning line odds:

If watching horses practice and waking up early is your thing, there are three days of morning action at Churchill Downs, watching horses train and the ensuing discussion each morning from Tuesday to Thursday from 6:30-8:30 a.m. ET. This is mostly for those on site in Louisville, but it might be worth following Kentucky Derby on Twitter and Instagram for these nuggets.

The race for three-year-old fillies is the main event on Friday, with a start time set for 6:12 p.m. ET. The race will be televised on NBCSN beginning at 5 p.m. and streamed online through NBC Sports Live Extra. The Kentucky Oaks undercard on Friday — which includes 10 races — will be televised on NBCSN from noon to 2:30 p.m.

The post time for the big event is at 6:46 p.m. on Saturday. The race will be televised by NBC with coverage beginning at 2:30 p.m., as well as earlier coverage (noon to 2:30 p.m.) on NBCSN. Online streaming is available through NBC Sports Live Extra.