Winners Connecticut Venues Opening Hours for the Kentucky Derby Weekend
The first weekend in May is the biggest weekend of the racing year, and our nine Winners venues across Connecticut are opening early, staying late, and running an extended schedule for Kentucky Derby Weekend. The 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby goes to post on Saturday 2 May at Churchill Downs, with the Kentucky Oaks the night before in primetime, and we want every racing fan in the state to know exactly when to walk through our doors and when the action ends.
This guide covers Friday 1 May (Oaks Day), Saturday 2 May (Derby Day), and Sunday 3 May at all nine Winners venues — the operational hours, the key cutoff times, what is and is not available for advance wagering, and how to bet online or by telephone if you cannot get to a venue. Whether you are heading to Sports Haven in East Haven, Bobby V's in Stamford or Windsor Locks, or any of our other Connecticut locations, the schedule below applies across the network.
Kentucky Derby Weekend Opening Hours at a Glance
Here is the full opening schedule for all nine Winners Connecticut venues across the weekend. Times are Eastern Time and apply to Bradley (Windsor Locks), New Britain, Hartford, Manchester, Milford, Norwalk, East Haven, Stamford, and Waterbury.
| Friday 1 May (Oaks Day) | Saturday 2 May (Derby Day) | Sunday 3 May |
|---|---|---|
| Doors open: 11:00 AM ET | Doors open: 10:00 AM ET | Doors open: 11:30 AM ET |
| First Churchill race: 12:30 PM ET | First Churchill race: 11:00 AM ET | Cashing only — no live wagering schedule changes |
| Advance wagering on Kentucky Derby (Race 12) only from 11:00 AM — no Saturday full-card advance in venue | Kentucky Derby (Race 12) post time: 6:57 PM ET | Normal Sunday opening |
| Kentucky Oaks post time: approx. 8:40 PM ET (last race of card) | All venues open at least until the official and payoff of Race 14 (post time approx. 8:33 PM ET) | Collect winnings, settle tickets, plan your next bet |
| All venues stay open until the official and payoff of the Oaks (approx. 9:00 PM ET) |
Friday 1 May: Oaks Day
Doors open at 11:00 AM ET at every Winners venue on Oaks Day. The first race at Churchill Downs goes to post at 12:30 PM ET, and the card runs through the evening with the 152nd Kentucky Oaks scheduled as the closing race at approximately 8:40 PM ET — primetime on NBC and Peacock for the first time.
Advance Wagering on the Kentucky Derby
From 11:00 AM ET on Friday, advance wagering opens at all venues on Race 12 only — the Kentucky Derby itself. Place your Derby tickets early and avoid the queues on Saturday. Important: there is no Saturday full-card advance wagering available in venue on Friday. If you want to play earlier races on the Saturday Churchill card before doors open at 10:00 AM Saturday, your only option in venue is to wait until Saturday morning — or place those wagers online at MyWinners.com (more on that below).
Late Closing for the Oaks
All venues that would ordinarily close earlier in the evening will remain open until the official and payoff of the Kentucky Oaks, which is expected at approximately 9:00 PM ET. That means full cashier service, full kiosk access, and live coverage on the screens right through the headline race of the night.
Saturday 2 May: Kentucky Derby Day
Doors open at 10:00 AM ET — an hour earlier than Friday — to handle the volume on the biggest single day of the racing calendar. The first race at Churchill Downs goes to post at 11:00 AM ET. The full Saturday card includes 14 races, with the 152nd Kentucky Derby running as Race 12 at 6:57 PM ET.
Derby Post Time and the Run for the Roses
The Kentucky Derby is scheduled for a 6:57 PM ET post on Saturday 2 May. A field of 20 three-year-old thoroughbreds will go to post for the 152nd Run for the Roses, with Renegade drawing the No. 1 post and listed as the morning-line favorite, trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. Get to your venue early — Saturday is always the busiest day of the year at every Winners location, and the cashier and kiosk queues build through the afternoon.
Late Closing After Race 14
Every Winners venue stays open at least until the official and payoff of Churchill Race 14, which has a scheduled post time of 8:33 PM ET. That gives you the Derby itself, the full undercard, and the closing two races to settle tickets, collect winnings, and watch the day play out on the screens before doors close.
Sunday 3 May: Normal Hours
Sunday returns to the standard schedule. Doors open at 11:30 AM ET for cashing and ordinary wagering on Sunday's racing programme. If you held back from cashing winning Derby tickets on Saturday night because of the queues, Sunday is a good day to call in and settle up at a quieter pace.
Friday and Saturday Closing Times by Venue
| Venue | Friday 1 May close | Saturday 2 May close |
|---|---|---|
| Winners Norwalk | 11:00 PM | 11:00 PM |
| Winners New Britain | 9:00 PM | 9:00 PM |
| Winners Hartford | 11:00 PM | 11:00 PM |
| Winners Manchester | 10:00 PM | 10:00 PM |
| Winners Milford | 9:00 PM (extended) | 9:00 PM (extended) |
| Winners Waterbury | 9:00 PM | 9:00 PM |
| MyWinners East Haven | 11:00 PM | 11:00 PM |
Betting Online or by Telephone During Derby Weekend
If you cannot get to a venue, MyWinners online wagering is available throughout the weekend at MyWinners.com — and there is one important difference between online and in-venue advance wagering you should know about.
Full Saturday Card Available Online from Friday Morning
Wagering on the full Saturday Churchill Downs card opens at MyWinners.com from Friday morning. That means you can place advance bets on every race on the Saturday programme — not just the Kentucky Derby itself — well before Saturday's first post. This is the key difference from in-venue advance wagering on Friday, which is restricted to the Derby (Race 12) only.
Telebet Service
MyWinners Telebet remains available throughout the weekend on +1 800 468 2260. Telebet is a strong option for customers who want a person on the line for placing bets, particularly on busy days when venue queues are long. Note that telebet bets are final once the call ends — no in-flight cancellations after you hang up — so confirm the wager details with the operator before closing the call.
Sports Betting Reminder
Sports betting is available exclusively in person at our Winners venues via Fanatics Sportsbook. Online wagering at MyWinners.com covers horse racing and greyhound racing only. If you want to combine a Derby visit with NBA or other sports action, Fanatics Sportsbook at any Winners venue is the place to do it.
Top Tips for a Smooth Derby Weekend at Winners
Place your Derby (Race 12) ticket Friday morning when doors open at 11:00 AM — the earlier you bet, the shorter the queue.
Use MyWinners.com from Friday morning for the full Saturday card if you want exotic bets on undercard races without queueing.
Saturday queues build sharply between 4:00 PM and 6:57 PM. Settle position and payout on earlier tickets before the Derby goes to post.
All venues stay open until at least the official of Race 14 on Saturday (post 8:33 PM) — you have time to cash winning Derby tickets after the race.
Sunday opens at 11:30 AM for cashing — a quieter alternative if you want to collect at a calmer pace.
See You at the Track
The Kentucky Derby is the cornerstone weekend of the American racing calendar, and our nine Winners venues across Connecticut are set up to give you the full experience — early doors, extended hours, live HD coverage, full cashier and kiosk service through both the Oaks and the Derby, and Fanatics Sportsbook on site for sports wagers alongside your racing action. Whether you are a long-time MyWinners customer or this is your first Derby weekend with us, every venue is ready and every member of the team is geared up for the biggest two days of the year.
Find your nearest venue at MyWinners.com, plan your visit, and we will see you at the track.
Frequently Asked Questions
Friday 1 May (Oaks Day): all branches open at 11:00 AM ET. Saturday 2 May (Derby Day): all branches open at 10:00 AM ET. Sunday 3 May: branches open at 11:30 AM ET for normal cashing and Sunday racing wagering.
The 152nd Kentucky Derby is Saturday 2 May at Churchill Downs, with a scheduled post time of 6:57 PM ET. The Kentucky Oaks is Friday 1 May with a scheduled post time of approximately 8:40 PM ET — the last race of the Oaks Day card and in primetime on NBC and Peacock for the first time.
No. In-venue advance wagering on Friday is limited to the Kentucky Derby (Race 12) only, with advance Derby wagering opening at 11:00 AM ET. There is no Saturday full-card advance wagering available in venue on Friday. If you want to bet the full Saturday programme in advance, place those wagers online at MyWinners.com from Friday morning.
Yes. MyWinners.com offers wagering on the full Saturday Churchill Downs card from Friday morning — every race on the Saturday programme, not just the Derby. Online advance wagering is the only way to get exotic bets on the Saturday undercard placed before Saturday morning.
On Friday, every venue stays open until the official and payoff of the Kentucky Oaks, expected at approximately 9:00 PM ET. On Saturday, every venue stays open at least until the official and payoff of Churchill Race 14, which has a scheduled post time of 8:33 PM ET — giving you the Derby itself, the full undercard, and time to cash tickets afterwards.
