Thunderstorms make for sloppy track the day before the 151st Kentucky Derby
Currently, FOX Weather's exclusive Risk of Weather Impact forecast, ROWI, has been increased to "high" for the Derby itself.
Thunderstorms cause weather delay at Churchill Downs
Showers and thunderstorms caused a brief weather delay on Friday at Churchill Downs ahead of the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby.
CHURCHILL DOWNS, Ky. – Showers and thunderstorms moved through Kentucky a day before the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby, creating a sloppy track for America's premier horse-racing event.
The first leg of horse racing's coveted Triple Crown is set to start on Saturday at 6:57 p.m. ET, but celebrations have been ongoing for more than a week.
Showers and thunderstorms on Friday caused fans to run for shelter and a brief delay at Churchill Downs.
Kentucky Oaks attendees scramble as storm moves in
A storm front sent Kentucky Oaks attendees scrambling on Friday in Churchill Downs, Kentucky.
And Friday's afternoon rain was likely not the end of the threat of wet weather, with scattered showers in the forecast through the first half of the weekend.
Warning boxes are color coded as: Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in yellow, Tornado Warnings in red, Tornado Warnings with confirmed tornado in purple, Flash Flood Warnings in green, and Flash Flood Emergencies in pink.
(FOX Weather)
The last five derbies have been run on fast tracks. The last sloppy track was in 2019, when Country House won following the disqualification of Maximum Security for interference.
(FOX Weather)
If storms are able to clear out a little earlier in the day, the ROWI would be reduced to "medium" but the damp conditions will very likely impact races earlier in the day.
This year's favorite is Journalism, a colt out of Kentucky who won the Santa Anita Derby earlier in April. Journalism is running out of the No. 8 post position.
Showers could create wet track for 151st Kentucky Derby
Will it be a wet sealed or a sloppy track for the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby? Trainer Larry Rivelli discusses how the conditions might impact the horses.
The storms come after places near Louisville tallied nearly a foot of rain since the beginning of April.
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg launched a multi-million-dollar cleanup effort to prepare the city for race festivities.
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Image 1 of 8LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - APRIL 29: Journalism walks on the track during the morning training in preparation for the 151th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on April 29, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) ( )
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Image 2 of 8Kentucky Derby 151 hopeful Chunk of Gold runs at Churchill Downs on April 28, 2025, in Louisville, Kentucky. (Ryan C. Hermens/Lexington Herald-Leader/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) ( )
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Image 3 of 8LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - APRIL 27: Journalism runs on the track during the morning training in preparation for the 151th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on April 25, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky. ( )
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Image 4 of 8LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - APRIL 27: Sandman runs on the track during the morning training in preparation for the 151th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on April 25, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky. ( )
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Image 5 of 8Trainer Kenneth McPeek celebrates winning the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby after Mystik Dan and Brian Hernandez Jr. were victorious at Churchill Downs on May 4, 2024. (Silas Walker/Lexington Herald-Leader/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) ( )
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Image 6 of 8LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - MAY 04: Mystik Dan #3 ridden by jockey Brian J. Hernandez Jr. crosses the finish line ahead of Sierra Leone #2 with jockey Tyler Gaffalione up and Forever Young #11 and jockey Ryusei Sakai to win the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 04, 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky. ( )
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Image 7 of 8LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - MAY 04: Jockey Brian J. Hernandez Jr. rides Mystik Dan #3 to the finish line to win the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 04, 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) ( )
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Image 8 of 8LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - MAY 04: An interior view of Churchill Downs during the Kentucky Derby 150 at Churchill Downs on May 04, 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky. ( )
Greenberg said the early April flood event was the eighth-largest flood in the city's history. He credited flood walls and levees with preventing more damage and saving lives.