Kentucky Derby drew 19.6 million, its largest TV audience ever

Golden Tempo’s victory in Saturday’s 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby averaged 19.6 million on NBC and Peacock, making it the most-viewed Run for the Roses on record since Nielsen began tracking average audiences in 1988.

According to preliminary data from Nielsen and Adobe Analytics, the audience peaked at 24.4 million from 6-6:15 p.m. Post time for the race was 6:03 p.m. 

Jose Ortiz rallied Golden Tempo from 12th as they approached the stretch to win by a neck over Renegade, and made Cherie DeVaux the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner.

It is the Derby’s largest audience since Sunday Silence’s 1989 victory averaged 18.5 million on ABC. This year’s Derby audience also was an 11% increase over last year. 

NBC began carrying the race in 2001.

NBC also announced that Friday night’s Kentucky Oaks averaged 2.4 million. It was the first time the race was contested in primetime and on network television.


(AP Photo Jeff Roberson)