No horse has won from that slot since Ferdinand in 1986
Cada primer sábado de mayo, Churchill Downs convoca al mundo a presenciar lo que el tiempo ha convertido en algo más que una carrera: un ritual de velocidad, historia y esperanza comprimidos en dos minutos. En la 152.ª edición del Kentucky Derby, celebrada el 2 de mayo de 2026, América Latina observa con atención particular, pues dos de los suyos —el venezolano Junior Alvarado y el chileno Héctor Berrios— compiten en el escenario más exigente del turf norteamericano. La pregunta que siempre plantea esta carrera no es solo quién ganará, sino qué nos dirá sobre el peso de la historia y la audacia de intentar repetirla.
- Junior Alvarado regresa como campeón defensor montando a Chief Wallabee, buscando una hazaña que muy pocos jinetes han logrado: ganar el Derby dos veces consecutivas.
- Renegade lidera las apuestas con cuotas de 4 a 1, pero carga con una maldición estadística: ningún caballo ha ganado desde la posición uno del cajón de salida desde 1986.
- El chileno Héctor Berrios, sobre Intrepido, suma una segunda bandera latinoamericana a la carrera, elevando el interés regional en una transmisión que alcanza diecisiete países por ESPN y Disney+ Premium.
- Un campo repleto de contendientes serios —So Happy, The Puma, Further Ado y otros— convierte la carrera en un tablero abierto donde la historia y la lógica compiten con la incertidumbre.
- La cobertura se fragmenta entre NBC, Peacock, DirecTV y plataformas de streaming, reflejando cómo una tradición centenaria navega el ecosistema mediático del siglo XXI.
La 152.ª edición del Kentucky Derby se disputó este sábado 2 de mayo en Churchill Downs, Louisville, con la largada programada para las 6:57 p.m. hora del Este. La carrera, primera joya de la Triple Corona estadounidense, convocó este año una atención especial desde América del Sur: dos jinetes del continente se midieron contra la élite mundial del turf.
Junior Alvarado, venezolano y campeón del año anterior con Sovereignty bajo la lluvia, volvió al mítico óvalo montando a Chief Wallabee con la ambición de repetir un título que pocos han conquistado dos veces. A su lado, el chileno Héctor Berrios piloteó a Intrepido, sumando una segunda representación latinoamericana que encendió el interés de aficionados desde México hasta Argentina, donde la carrera se transmitió por ESPN y Disney+ Premium.
El favorito de las apuestas fue Renegade, ganador del Arkansas Derby, con cuotas de 4 a 1. Sin embargo, el caballo partió desde el cajón número uno —una posición que no ha producido un ganador desde que Ferdinand lo logró en 1986. La historia también pesa sobre su doble condición: solo tres caballos han ganado el Arkansas Derby y el Kentucky Derby en el mismo año, siendo el último American Pharoah en 2015. So Happy (6 a 1), The Puma y Further Ado (ambos a 7 a 1) completaron el grupo de favoritos en un campo amplio y competitivo.
En Estados Unidos, NBC transmitió la carrera en abierto con opción de streaming por Peacock, mientras que suscriptores de DirecTV, Sling y Hulu + Live TV también tuvieron acceso. Los horarios en Latinoamérica variaron según la zona: las 5:57 p.m. en Perú, Colombia y México; las 6:57 p.m. en Chile y Venezuela; y las 7:57 p.m. en Argentina y Brasil.
Churchill Downs recibió una multitud a la altura de su leyenda. En esos dos minutos que el mundo lleva más de un siglo llamando los más emocionantes del deporte, la historia, la estadística y el instante puro volvieron a disputarse el mismo tramo de 1¼ millas.
The 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby arrives this Saturday, May 2nd, at Churchill Downs in Louisville—a race that has held its place as the first jewel of American horse racing's Triple Crown for more than a century. The main event breaks from the gate at 6:57 p.m. Eastern Time, and this year's edition carries particular weight across South America, where two jockeys from the continent will be testing themselves against the sport's elite.
Junior Alvarado of Venezuela returns as the defending champion, having won last year's running aboard Sovereignty in wet conditions that tested every competitor on the track. He comes back this time with Chief Wallabee, hoping to repeat what few have managed—a second Derby victory. Alongside him rides Héctor Berrios from Chile, piloting Intrepido. Their presence has generated substantial interest throughout Latin America, where the race will be broadcast on ESPN and Disney+ Premium across seventeen countries, from Mexico to Argentina.
But Alvarado faces a formidable field. Renegade, the winner of the Arkansas Derby, sits as the betting favorite at 4-to-1 odds. The horse drew the number one post position in the starting gate—a placement that carries its own burden of history. No horse has won from that slot since Ferdinand accomplished it in 1986, four decades ago. The record books offer little comfort to those backing Renegade: only three horses have ever won both the Arkansas Derby and the Kentucky Derby in the same year, and the most recent was American Pharoah, whose 2015 victory ended a thirty-seven-year drought in Triple Crown winners.
So Happy, at 6-to-1, and The Puma and Further Ado, both at 7-to-1, round out the favorites. The field itself reads like a catalog of serious contenders: Albus, Litmus Test, Right to Party, and Commandment all bring credentials earned on the track. The race is billed, as it always is, as the two most exciting minutes in sports—a phrase that has endured because it captures something true about the compressed intensity of these 1¼ miles.
For viewers across North America, NBC will carry the race in the clear, with streaming available through Peacock. Those with cable access can also watch through DirecTV, Sling, or Hulu + Live TV. The broadcast times vary by region: 6:57 p.m. Eastern, 5:57 p.m. Central, 4:57 p.m. Mountain, and 3:57 p.m. Pacific for American viewers. In Latin America, the race airs at 5:57 p.m. in Mexico and Central America, 5:57 p.m. in Peru and Colombia, 6:57 p.m. in Chile and Venezuela, and 7:57 p.m. in Argentina and Brazil.
Churchill Downs expects a substantial crowd—the kind of attendance that fills the grandstands and infield with the energy that has made this race an American institution. Alvarado will be looking to become only the second jockey in recent memory to win back-to-back Derbies. Whether he can overcome the weight of history, the strength of the competition, and the unpredictability that has always defined this race remains the question that will be answered in those two minutes on Saturday evening.
Citas Notables
Only three horses have ever won both the Arkansas Derby and the Kentucky Derby in the same year, the most recent being American Pharoah in 2015— Historical racing record
La Conversación del Hearth Otra perspectiva de la historia
Why does a horse race in Kentucky matter so much to people in Peru or Venezuela?
Because it's the most prestigious race in the sport, and when someone from your country wins it, you've proven you belong at the highest level. Alvarado won last year—that's not luck, that's skill recognized globally. For a jockey from Venezuela or Chile, that's everything.
But Renegade is favored. Why would anyone bet against the favorite?
Because the favorite has drawn the worst post position. Gate one hasn't produced a winner since 1986. And the Arkansas Derby winner has only converted to a Kentucky Derby win three times in history. The odds reflect that—4-to-1 means the betting market thinks there's real risk.
So Alvarado has a genuine chance to repeat?
He does. He proved he can win it once. The question is whether Chief Wallabee is as good as Sovereignty was, and whether he can navigate a stronger field this time. The rain won't be there to level things out like it was last year.
How many people are actually watching this from Latin America?
Enough that ESPN and Disney+ are broadcasting it in seventeen countries. That's not a small audience. For horse racing fans in those regions, this is the event of the year.
What happens if Renegade wins despite the post position?
Then he breaks a forty-year curse and becomes part of the small group that's won both the Arkansas and Kentucky Derbies in the same year. That's the kind of thing that gets remembered.