The 152nd Kentucky Derby shattered viewership records, averaging 19.6 million viewers—the highest since modern tracking began in 1988.
NBC and Peacock drew an average audience of 19.6 million for Saturday's race, according to preliminary data from Nielsen and Adobe Analytics. This marks an 11% increase over 2025 and surpasses the previous record of 18.5 million set by Sunday Silence's 1989 victory on ABC.
The audience peaked at 24.4 million between 7:00 and 7:15 p.m. EDT, with post time at 7:03 p.m. EDT.
Race Highlights
- Jose Ortiz rode Golden Tempo from 12th position to victory, winning by a neck over Renegade.
- Cherie DeVaux made history as the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner.
Streaming and Broadcast Milestones
- Streaming on Peacock reached 1.3 million viewers, a 36% increase from 2025 and nearly double the 2024 figure of 714,000.
- NBC has broadcast the Derby since 2001. The increase is partly attributed to Nielsen's use of its Big Data + Panel methodology for all events since September 2025.
Kentucky Oaks Viewership
- NBC reported that Friday's Kentucky Oaks averaged 2.4 million viewers, the first time the race was held in primetime on network television.