PETA Condemns Anyone Who Watched Kentucky Derby Saturday

The 2026 running of the Kentucky Derby came and went on Saturday afternoon, with Golden Tempo - an underdog - taking home the victory.

The race was a thrilling one, with several horses being neck-and-neck toward the finish. Golden Tempo, who entered the race as a mid-tier horse, ended up pulling away at the finish line, snagging the victory.

Millions tuned into the race on NBC, with more than 150,000 fans watching in person at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.

PETA is not happy with those who watched.

The animal rights organization spoke out on social media, urging all sports fans - and, really, Americans - to stay away from the Kentucky Derby, as well as all other horse races in America.

PETA speaks out against Kentucky Derby viewers

PETA pointed to the past deaths of horses at Churchill Downs, along with other things, as reason to not watch the race.

Billions of dollars are bet on the Kentucky Derby every year, too. PETA cautioned against that, as well.

"Churchill Downs is one of the deadliest racetracks. Will there be another victim in the Kentucky Derby? Don't watch or bet on racing while horses are dying 💔," PETA shared to its 1 million followers on X on Saturday.

PETA added: "Humans push them beyond their limits, often subjecting them to cocktails of legal and illegal drugs intended to mask injuries and artificially enhance performance."

The racing continues, of course, as two more big races - The Preakness and the Belmont - are coming up later this spring and summer.

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