Churchill Downs News Release: Action-Packed Wagering Lineup for Kentucky Derby Week Revealed

Apr 22, 2025

Kentucky Derby Week kicks off Saturday night as Churchill Downs opens its 43-day Spring Meet, offering massive pools and the chance at huge paydays.

Kentucky Derby Day features 14 races, including seven stakes contests, with a betting menu that includes six Pick 5s, five Pick 4s and a mandatory payout in the 20-cent Derby City 6 Jackpot.

In 2024, those wagers generated blockbuster returns:

The Pick 5 ending in the Kentucky Derby handled $4.4 million and returned a stunning $188,958.
The Pick 4 ending in the Kentucky Derby handled $3.2 million and paid $18,300.
The Derby City 6 Jackpot handled $2.3 million, with a payout of $345,074.
Kentucky Oaks Day also delivers a full lineup of wagering action with five Pick 5s and four Pick 4s. Two-day bets also begin on Friday, including:

The 50-cent Oaks/Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic/Kentucky Derby Pick 3 (2024 handle $686,061; payout $432).
The $1 two-day Pick 6 (2024 handle $508,919; payout $81,109), tying together six Grade I races across both days with a mandatory payout and low 15% takeout.
The races for the two-day Pick 6 will be finalized on entry day (Saturday, April 26), with seven potential Grade I events eligible for inclusion, including Friday’s $1 million Fasig-Tipton La Troienne and $1.5 million Longines Kentucky Oaks; and Saturday’s $1 million Churchill Downs presented by Ford, $1 million Derby City Distaff presented by Kendall-Jackson Winery, $1 million American Turf, the $1 million Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic and the $5 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve

Additional wagers for Derby Week include:

The $1 minimum Oaks/Derby Double (2024 handle $3 million; payout $118).
The 50-cent All Dirt Pick 5 (2024 handle $409,571; payout $87,025).
The $3 All 3-Year-Old Pick 3 (2024 handle $359,603; payout $18,207).
Superfectas will be offered at a $1 minimum on Oaks and Derby Days and 10 cents on all other days.

For the full wagering menu and list of daily post times, visit: https://www.churchilldowns.com/come-to-the-track/visiting-information/event-information/