This year’s Kentucky Derby was a “Run for the Roses” to remember. Golden Tempo found his stride in the final stretch and won by a literal neck, with jockey Jose Ortiz guiding him to a victory that made trainer Cherie DeVaux the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner.
Turns out, the audience showed up, too. The 2026 Kentucky Derby crossed the finish line with more viewers than ever before, proving once again that horse racing’s major moments know how to draw a crowd, especially to a TV screen.
For sports bars and restaurants, that momentum didn’t retire to the stable at Churchill Downs. The Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes, the next two jewels in the Triple Crown, give your business two more chances to spur that energy into big days, watch parties and new customers who may come racing back.
With reliable coverage and a unified viewing experience, DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS® helps your sports bar or restaurant capture dedicated racing fans, as well as the crowd that comes along for the ride, stays for the atmosphere and notes where they’ll be for next year’s spectacles.
Why Triple Crown Races Run Differently
Triple Crown horse racing operates on a different track than other sporting events. Coverage begins hours before post time, with fans tuning in not just for pre-race analysis and predictions, but also for the stories behind the horses, jockeys and trainers, along with spotlights on spectator fashion and tales behind the event’s longstanding traditions. The appeal strikes a chord with a far wider audience than just fans of the sport.
By the time the actual race begins, your customers are already settled in and engaged. Then those two high-stakes minutes rocket the energy to fever pitch, with the momentum carrying far past the finish line.
That’s what makes each of these race days so appealing and accessible. It’s not only about the runs. It’s also about everything leading up to it and everything that follows.
Why the Triple Crown Still Has Ground to Gain
The Kentucky Derby gets a lot of fanfare, but it’s actually only the first leg, the lead horse in a pack with momentum worth carrying forward.
This past Kentucky Derby (2026) averaged a whopping and historic 19.6 million viewers across NBC and Peacock, with viewership rising 12% from 2025 and peaking at 24.4 million during the race.
That kind of attention tells business owners something important: the audience is definitely there. And since Triple Crown coverage stretches beyond just the race itself, the opportunity for sports bars and restaurants is more than just switching the channel over for a two-minute sprint. All the buildup, commentary, fashion, cocktails and stories behind the horses join forces to turn race day into something customers can really get into, not just glance at.
The history that was made at the Kentucky Derby earlier this month has kicked up more interest than ever. The Preakness is a much-anticipated follow-up, and the Belmont Stakes gives fans one last date on the calendar to circle before the world of horse racing’s biggest three-race stretch thunders to a close.
When Are the Races and How Can You Watch Them?
Here are the dates and times of the Preakness and Belmont Stakes, the second and third legs of the Triple Crown:
The 2026 Preakness Stakes
The 151st Preakness Stakes takes place Saturday, May 16, 2026, at Laurel Park in Laurel, Maryland.
For the first time since 1909, the Preakness will be held outside Pimlico Race Course while the Baltimore track takes a rein check to undergo some long-awaited renovations.
With Golden Tempo sitting this one out—and eliminating the chance of a Secretariat-style Triple Crown sweep—Preakness becomes less of a victory lap and more of a completely fresh free-for-all with more wild cards, more to guess (or bet on) and, for many viewers, even more excitement.
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Early Coverage: Begins at 1 p.m. ET on NBCSN
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Main Coverage: Begins at 4 p.m. ET on NBC
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Post Time: Approximately 6:50 p.m. ET
The 2026 Belmont Stakes
The 158th Belmont Stakes will be held Saturday, June 6, 2026, at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York.
This is the third and final year the Belmont Stakes will be held at Saratoga while Belmont Park is in the midst of a makeover. The race will also be run at 1 1/4 miles instead of its traditional 1 1/2 miles because of Saratoga’s track configuration.
This year’s Belmont Stakes brings plenty of final-stretch intrigue, especially if the winner of Preakness faces Golden Tempo—meaning not one but two favorites could be galloping toward a two-out-of-three victory.
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Racing Festival Coverage: Runs June 3–7 on the FOX family of networks
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Main Coverage: Expected on FOX, time to be announced
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Post Time: To be announced closer to race day
For bars and restaurants, both races create a clear afternoon-to-evening programming window. Customers can come in before the main race, settle in for the undercard, cheer on that final sprint and stick around to celebrate.
How to Make the Triple Crown Go the Distance
Each race comes with built-in energy. The key is setting the scene and finding the right momentum so customers stay longer and, ultimately, keep coming back for more.
Make Your Venue Brim With Style: Derby hats do not have to disappear after Derby Day. Encourage customers to dress for the occasion during Preakness and Belmont watch parties, too. A best-dressed contest or photo wall can add a little pageantry without making things complicated.
Build a Menu That Runs All Day: Mint juleps are just the start. Train up your bar staff on other classic race day cocktails, like Oaks Lilies, Black-Eyed Susans, Belmont Jewels and bourbon sours. Or whip up a race-themed menu with themed items like Blinker Bites, Filly Cheesesteaks, Dead Heat Hot Wings, Secretariat Stir-Ups and other fun ways to add extra flavor to the experience.
Turn Your Sports Bar or Restaurant Into Race Day HQ: Use social media, email and in-venue signage to position your business as the best bet for race day coverage in your area.
Multiple Screens = VIP Viewing: From pre-race analysis to post-race coverage, multiple screens mean front-row action from every seat, keeping customers engaged, with far better views of the action than spectators could ever get from the race course infield.
Keep the Pace Up With Extra Activities: Raffles, giveaways and timed food and drink specials take the party beyond the programming itself and make being at your business the main event.
Give Your Promotions a Photo Finish with MVP: Order custom coasters, posters, banners and more to promote your business or bar with the MVP Marketing Program.
Get Your Business Off to the Races With DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS
From the Preakness to the Belmont Stakes, Triple Crown race days move fast. Your setup shouldn’t be the thing that falls behind.
DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS brings live sports, news and entertainment together in one unified system, so you can show everything your customers are there to watch without switching between devices and inputs.
With 99% worry-free signal reliability, your screens stay on when it matters most. Access to Sports Bar Finder helps horse racing fans (and potential new customers) discover your location. Standard professional installation is included at no additional cost, so you’re ready well before race day.
That matters on days like Kentucky Derby Day—and will again during the Preakness and Belmont Stakes, when your crowd is likely to include racing fans, brunch groups, first-timers and customers who came for the party but stay for the finish.
Ready to get started? Explore DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS packages today.
