KSR Today: One Week till Kentucky Derby 151

The countdown is officially on. One week from today, the eyes of the world will look upon the Commonwealth of Kentucky to watch the 151st Run for the Roses beneath the Twin Spires at Churchill Downs.

The traditional kickoff to Kentucky Derby season in Louisville, Thunder Over Louisville, was canceled by high floodwaters on the Ohio River. It left a void, one that is being filled today. Runners are currently filling the streets for the Mini Marathon, while Hot Air Balloons race across the city (actually, weather delayed the event until 5:30 PM ET and Bowman Field).

The focus turns to Central Avenue when races resume tonight with Opening Night at Churchill Downs. The first post of the 10-race card is at 5 PM, with the action concluding just after 10 o’clock. In between races 5-6, horsemen will fill the Paddock for the Kentucky Oaks and Derby post position draw. You can see where the horses will break from the starting gate by tuning into the live stream at 7 PM.

We’ll spend the next week helping you catch the Derby fever. If that doesn’t float your boat, there’s still plenty happening around Big Blue Nation.

Kentucky Baseball Doubleheader

Rain forced the Bat Cats to wait another day to take a swing at South Carolina. The Gamecocks have the second-worst record in the SEC. Kentucky is riding a wave of momentum. Today is a great opportunity to keep the good vibes rolling with a series win.

Kentucky will host a double-header at Kentucky Proud Park against the Gamecocks. The action begins at 2:30 PM ET and can be streamed on SECN+. The series finale is set for Sunday at 1 PM.

Kentucky Wildcats still waiting in the NFL Draft

This time a year ago, Deone Walker looked like a first round draft pick. Now the former Kentucky defensive lineman is playing the waiting game into day three of the NFL Draft.

We learned in the pre-draft process that Deone played most of his junior season with a fracture in his back. It limited his production, forcing his stock to fall. His testing numbers didn’t help much either. After not hearing his name called Friday night, he will be one of the top prospects available on day three.

Deone’s slide is unfortunate, but it’s nothing compared to what we’ve seen from Shedeur Sanders. There was a thought that he could be a first-round pick. On Friday, he watched Tyler Shough, Jalen Milroe, and Dillon Gabriel go off the board. He’s still playing the waiting game, fueling Hot Takes for weeks to come.

Sanders will dominate headlines on day three. We’re a little more focused on the Cats. In addition to Deone, we’ll be keeping a close eye on Eli Cox and Jamon Dumas-Johnson, who could go off the board late in the day. The broadcast from Green Bay will begin on ESPN and the NFL Network at Noon ET.

The College Football Transfer Portal is Officially Closed

The brief spring transfer portal period has reached a conclusion. Eight Kentucky Wildcats entered free agency. A couple of offensive linemen, Wallace Unamba and Marc Nave, landed at Virginia and Purdue, respectively.

Players can no longer enter the portal, but programs can continue recruiting players. Kentucky added three — Seth McGowan, Lorenzo Cowan, and Hardley Gilmore — and they have enough room to add four more. I’m not bullish on the Cats’ chances of filling in all of the spots, but you never know what’s going to happen in free agency.

The New Kentucky Basketball Team is in Town

Things move quickly in the transfer portal. That’s why none of Mark Pope’s additions from the transfer portal had a chance to visit Kentucky during the recruiting process. This is the weekend they’re all coming together to get to know each other.

Denzel Aberdeen, Mouhamed Dioubate, Jaland Lowe, and Kam Williams are all taking official visits to Lexington this weekend. Jayden Quaintance is sticking with his rehab plan, rather than making the trip to Kentucky. It’s unclear exactly what they’ll do during their visit, but the guys already on campus are getting in work at the Joe Craft Center.

April work 💪 pic.twitter.com/Yz1yy6pwgj

— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) April 25, 2025

Four NBA Playoff Games

Our first playoff series could conclude on Saturday. Two others are at a critical juncture. Can the Nuggets even up the series on the road against the Clippers? Will the Warriors get a leg up over the Rockets at home? It should be an exciting Saturday of basketball.

1:00 | Cavs (-5.5) at Heat | TNT | CLE leads series 2-0
3:30 | Thunder (-15.5) at Grizzlies | TNT | OKC leads 3-0
6:00 | Nuggets (+6) at Clippers | TNT | LAC leads 2-1
8:30 | Rockets (+3) at Warriors | ESPN | Series tied 1-1

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Drew Franklin: Thespian

You heard him on the radio. Now see him on stage. Drew Franklin made his acting debut in the Lexington Children’s Theatre’s presentation of Romeo and Juliet.

@DrewFranklinKSR a star is born pic.twitter.com/fWvQOUaK2F

— Grace (@Leadwithgrace2) April 26, 2025