Photos from the 152nd Kentucky Derby: the best day in horse racing, the 'Sport of Kings'

Once again, tens of thousands flocked to Churchill Downs, dressed to the nines, to partake in one of the grandest spectacles in sport and, perhaps, travel back in time. Spectators enjoying the lead up to the 152th Kentucky Derby, as the Twin Spires of Churchill Downs look on.Steph Chambers / Getty ImagesMay 2, 2026, 4:57 PM EDT / Updated May 2, 2026, 5:06 PM EDTEvery year, the Kentucky Derby produces some of the best visuals in sports, horses galloping around a dirt track, the stands filled with spectators dressed in linen suits, gaudy dresses, and even gaudier hats, the twin spires of Churchill Downs looking on from above. The Derby has gone on like this for more than 150 years. Long ago, horse racing was referred to as the “sport of kings,” for its connection to nobility and high-class society. The Derby offers us all a chance to play dress-up, celebrate this historic sport, and travel back in time.Follow along for live updatesThe sights, the sounds, the grandeur — it’s almost as important as which horse wins, at the end of the day. Grace Hollars / USA Today Network via Imagn ImagesJeff Faughender / USA Today Network via Imagn Images