About 122 or 123 seconds after 18 colts break from the gates at Churchill Downs at 5:57 p.m. CDT Saturday, the one that could win U.S. thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown in 2023 will be known. That’s because the horse will be the winner of the 149th Kentucky Derby in Louisville, Kentucky.

Then it will be off to the Preakness Stakes on May 20. Another victory at Pimlico Race Course, and the Belmont Stakes would await on June 10 with the chance to become the 14th Triple Crown winner.

The Triple Crown hopeful will not be the morning-line favorite for the Kentucky Derby, Forte. The Florida Derby winner was scratched on Saturday morning.

The Triple Crown winners are Sir Barton in 1919, Gallant Fox in 1930, Omaha in 1935, War Admiral in 1937, Whirlaway in 1941, Count Fleet in 1943, Assault in 1946, Citation in 1948, Secretariat in 1973, Seattle Slew in 1977, Affirmed in 1978, American Pharoah in 2015 and Justify in 2018.

NBC will televise the Kentucky Derby, starting coverage at 11 a.m. Saturday.

The Kentucky Derby is the 12th of 14 races scheduled at Churchill Downs on Saturday, including seven other graded-stakes races.

KENTUCKY DERBY 2023: MEET THE CONTENDERS AND WATCH THEM RUN

The field for the Kentucky Derby, including post positions and morning-line odds, includes:

1. Hit Show 30-1

2. Verifying 15-1

3. Two Phil’s 12-1

4. Confidence Game 20-1

5. Tapit Trice 5-1

6. Kingsbarns 12-1

7. Reincarnate 50-1

8. Mage 15-1

9. Disarm 30-1

10. Jace’s Road 50-1

11. Sun Thunder 50-1

12. Angel of Empire 8-1

13. Raise Cain 50-1

14. Derma Sotogake 10-1

15. Rocket Can 30-1

16. Cyclone Mischief 30-1

17. Mandarin Hero 20-1

18. King Russell 50-1

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.