The road to Churchill Downs runs through Arcadia this weekend, as the 2025 Santa Anita Derby unfolds on Saturday, April 5, at the iconic Santa Anita Park in California.
With just five contenders lining up, the race will offer 75 percent of the maximum Kentucky Derby qualifying points. The distribution stands at 75 points to the winner, followed by 37.5, 18.75, 11.25, and 7.5 for the next four finishers. Should one of the five horses scratch, reducing the field to four, the points will be awarded on a reduced 50-25-12.5-7.5 scale.
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will be double-handed in the gate, saddling Citizen Bull, last year's Eclipse Award-winning juvenile, and stablemate Barnes. While Citizen Bull has already punched his ticket to Louisville with 60 points in the bag, Barnes will need to place first or second to stay in the Derby conversation.
All eyes will also be on Journalism, the Michael McCarthy-trained colt who stamped his class in the Grade 2 San Felipe by outdueling Barnes. A high-priced $825,000 purchase, Journalism enters the Derby prep season as the likely frontrunner for Kentucky Derby favoritism.
Check below for details on how to watch and live stream the 2025 Santa Anita Derby.
2025 Santa Anita Derby: Date, Time & venue
Dates | Saturday, April 5, 2025 |
Time | 7:00 pm ET/ 4:00 pm PT |
Venue | Santa Anita Park |
Location | Arcadia, California |
Purse | $500,000 |
The 2025 Santa Anita Derby will be held at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.
How to watch 2025 Santa Anita Derby
- TV channel: CNBC
- Live streaming: Peacock
NBC Sports will carry the action live on CNBC and stream it on Peacock. Coverage begins at 7 pm ET and runs through 8 pm, with post time for the Santa Anita Derby set for 7:30 pm.
NBC Sports remains the go-to destination for some of horse racing’s most prestigious and highly anticipated events, serving as the exclusive broadcaster for the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Royal Ascot, and the Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series.
Santa Anita Derby post positions, odds, full field
- Purse: $500,000 | Grade: 1 | Distance: 1 ⅛ miles | Jockey weight: 124 pounds | Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 75 for first place, 37.5 for second place, 18.75 for third place, 11.25 for fourth place, 7.5 for fifth place
PP | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Journalism | U Rispoli | M W McCarthy | 6-5 |
2 | Citizen Bull | M Garcia | B Baffert | 9-5 |
3 | Westwood | T J Pereira | J A Shirreffs | 20-1 |
4 | Barnes | J J Hernandez | B Baffert | 3-1 |
5 | Baeza | H I Berrios | J A Shirreffs | 6-1 |