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Kentucky Derby day is not only a day for the biggest race in America, but it’s also a two-day feast of excellent stakes action at Churchill Downs on Oaks Day (Friday) and the Derby undercard. Post time for the 2012 Kentucky Derby is scheduled for 6:24pm Eastern/3:24pm Pacific. The Kentucky Oaks is scheduled to run at 5:45pm Eastern/2:45pm Pacific on Friday, May 4th.
The Derby undercard will feature the traditional all-stakes Pick 6, along with a Pick 4 that includes the G2-Churchill Distaff Turf Mile, G2-Churchill Downs, G1-Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, and G1-Kentucky Derby. The Pick 6 includes the G3-Twin Spires Turf Sprint (ugh, a turf sprint!), and the G1-Humana Distaff.
Six stakes races are scheduled for Oaks Day, including the ungraded Edgewood, G2-Eight Belles, G2-La Troienne, G2-Alysheba, G2-American Turf, and G1-Kentucky Oaks.
Below is the tentative race schedule and post times for the complete 2012 Kentucky Derby and 2012 Kentucky Oaks day cards (based on the Churchill Downs Spring Condition Book #1; all times Eastern). Some of the maiden and allowance races may be swapped out for alternate races depending on the entries for each.
| Race Schedule and Conditions | |||||||
| Day | Race# | Post Time | TV | Race | Age/Sex | Distance | Surface |
| 4-May | 1 | 10:30 | HRTV | MdSpWt | 3up, f&m | 6.0 | Dirt |
| 4-May | 2 | 11:00 | HRTV | MdSpWt | 3up, f&m | 8.0 | Dirt |
| 4-May | 3 | 11:30 | HRTV | MdSpWt | 3up | 8.0 | Turf |
| 4-May | 4 | 12:05 | HRTV | OC $75k/N1X | 3yo,f | 7.0 | Dirt |
| 4-May | 5 | 12:43 | HRTV | OC $75k/N1X | 3yo, f | 8.5 | Dirt |
| 4-May | 6 | 1:26 | HRTV | Edgewood | 3yo, f | 8.5 | Turf |
| 4-May | 7 | 2:08 | HRTV | G2-Eight Belles | 3yo, f | 7.0 | Dirt |
| 4-May | 8 | 3:02 | HRTV | G2-La Troienne | 3up, f&m | 8.5 | Dirt |
| 4-May | 9 | 3:52 | HRTV | G2-Alysheba | 4up | 8.5 | Dirt |
| 4-May | 10 | 4:44 | HRTV | G2-American Turf | 3yo | 8.5 | Turf |
| 4-May | 11 | 5:45 | NBCSN | G1-Kentucky Oaks | 3yo, f | 9.0 | Dirt |
| 4-May | 12 | 6:21 | HRTV | OC $80k/N3$ | 3up, f&m | 8.0 | Turf |
| Day | Race# | Post Time | TV | Race | Age/Sex | Distance | Surface |
| 5-May | 1 | 10:30 | HRTV | MdSpWt | 3up | 6.0 | Dirt |
| 5-May | 2 | 11:00 | HRTV | MdSpWt | 3up | 8.0 | Dirt |
| 5-May | 3 | 11:30 | NBCSN | OC $75k/N1X | 3yo | 8.5 | Dirt |
| 5-May | 4 | 12:04 | NBCSN | OC $75k/N1X | 3yo | 7.0 | Dirt |
| 5-May | 5 | 12:38 | NBCSN | OC $100k/N2X | 3yo | 8.5 | Dirt |
| 5-May | 6 | 1:19 | NBCSN | G3-Twin Spires Sprint | 4up | 5.0 | Turf |
| 5-May | 7 | 2:08 | NBCSN | G1-Humana Distaff | 4up, f&m | 7.0 | Dirt |
| 5-May | 8 | 2:59 | NBCSN | G2-Churchill Distaff Turf Mile | 4up, f&m | 8.0 | Turf |
| 5-May | 9 | 3:51 | NBCSN | G2-Churchill Donws | 4up | 7.0 | Dirt |
| 5-May | 10 | 4:46 | NBC | G1-Woodford Turf Classic | 4up | 9.0 | Turf |
| 5-May | 11 | 6:24 | NBC | G1-Kentucky Derby | 3yo | 10.0 | Dirt |
| 5-May | 12 | 7:20 | HRTV | OC $80k/N3$ | 3up | 8.5 | Turf |
| 5-May | 13 | 7:50 | HRTV | Allowance N2$ | 3up | 6.5 | Dirt |
And here's a look at the TV schedule from NBC, NBCSN and HRTV. Let's hope NBC shows the Woodford Turf this year. (Should we take bets on that?)
| 2012 Kentucky Derby TV Schedule | |||
| Date | Time | TV | Event |
| 2-May | 4:00pm | NBCSN | Kentucky Derby Classics |
| 5:00pm | NBCSN | 2012 Kentucky Derby Post Position Draw | |
| 3-May | 4:00pm | NBCSN | Kentucky Derby Classics |
| 5:00pm | NBCSN | Kentucky Derby Access | |
| 4-May | 9:30am | HRTV | Kentucky Oaks Day Coverage |
| 4:00pm | NBCSN | Kentucky Derby Classics | |
| 5:00pm | NBCSN | 2012 Kentucky Oaks | |
| 5-May | 9:30am | HRTV | Kentucky Derby Undercard |
| 11:00am | NBCSN | Kentucky Derby Undercard | |
| 4:00pm | NBC | Access at the Kentucky Derby/Red Carpet Special | |
| 5:00pm | NBC | 2012 Kentucky Derby | |