Rain is in our forecast for Derby Day at Churchill Downs Saturday. If you'regoing, pack the rain slicker. The weather pattern will favor rounds of the wetstuff throughout the day. While the odds of downpours typically increase laterin the day and during the first part of the evening, several episodes ofsoaking showers are expected throughout the day. There may not be significantdrying time between periods of rain.Since 1875, rain of 0.01 of an inch or more fell on approximately 50 racedays, just shy of 40 percent.
Muddy to sloppy track conditions are almost a certainty for the race, asepisodes of rain have fallen, and will continue to do so today. There ispotential for 0.50 to 1.00 inch of rain from today through race time Saturdayat Churchill Downs. Based on this, some horses will struggle and may tirebefore the final stretch.
The favored horse, I Want Revenge, worked in the mud for the first time everearlier this week. Of the six horses that have run on a wet track before,Desert Party and Friesan Fire are the only two horses entered that have won inthe same conditions.
Conditions for training Thursday, despite rain showers, were rated as faston the main track and firm on the turf course. Nearly an inch of rain hasfallen on the Louisville, Ky. area from Tuesday through early this morning.
For details of the wind, temperature and rainfall on Derby Day and the daysleading up to the event, check out the forecast for Louisville, Ky.. Get the latest breaking weather
forecast for the Louisville area.
Story by AccuWeather.com Expert Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.
