2016 Kentucky Derby: What time is the Kentucky Derby?

The first Saturday in May is upon us. You’re getting ready to make your annual batch of Mint Juleps, all the while wondering why anyone actually drinks this concoction. You’ve got plenty of time on your hands if you are a friend of L.A. hockey, or watch live hockey in Canada.

But even if you are busy, figure you can probably carve out about two minutes to watch one of the greatest spectacles in sports.

But you’ve got to get the timing right, especially because it’s two minutes.

So, what time is the Kentucky Derby?

If you’re at Churchill Downs or its environs, post time is scheduled for 6:34 p.m. In Chicago that means 5:34, or in Boulder that’s 4:34, or here in L.A. it’s 3:34.

Now that time is just an approximation, but it’s rarely more than five minutes later than that and it’s never earlier. They have to make sure most of the mutuel windows have finished taking bets.

Early television is handled by TVG and NBCSN. The early races, which start at 10:30 a.m. in Louisville and way too early L.A. will mostly be on TVG until NBCSN take over and then it’s finally handed off to the big NBC at 4 p.m. EDT.

Lady Antebellum is scheduled to sing the national anthem around 5:05 p.m. in Louisville. The horses will be led from the barn area to the paddock somewhere around 6 p.m..

At 6:25 p.m., the jockey get on their horses and start heading for the track.

A couple minutes later is the traditional singing of “My Old Kentucky Home.”

Then it’s race time.

Twitter: @jcherwa