Hallmark Channel & Churchill Downs Releasing Kentucky Derby Rom-Com

Calling all rom-com lovers in the Bluegrass state and beyond! A brand new movie is set to premiere on one of the most important days of the year. Derby Day, of course!

Churchill Downs and THE Hallmark Channel have announced they collaborated on a new movie. Kentucky Roses, filmed at the historic horse park. Starring Andrew Walker ("Three Wisest Men") and Odette Annable ("Supergirl," "Walker") Ally Ledford ("His Nerd"), Peyton Meyer ("Girl Meets World," "Days of Our Lives"), Brynn Thayer ("Fatal Attraction," "Suits"), and Gregg Henry ("Gilmore Girls," "Guardians of the Galaxy").

Here is the description of the movie shared by The Today Show:

The film’s storyline will take place across two timelines. Sadie Moore, played by Annable, will be at the center of the story in present day. She works at a Churchill Downs greenhouse and dreams of becoming a florist and following in her great-grandmother’s (Ledford) footsteps by supplying the Derby with a display of roses. Sadie then meets Ash Taylor, Walker’s character, who is the son of the Churchill Downs CEO (Henry). Ash has to repair one of the racetrack’s iconic Twin Spires after it is damaged in a storm. Sadie and Ash develop a connection, but it could be cut short after they discover “a bittersweet love story from the past that threatens to repeat itself.”

The lead actor, Andrew Walker, made the announcement yesterday:

While he pronounced "Louisville" wrong, we'll give him a pass for now. Hopefully, it isn't in any of his lines in the movie! The movie will air on the Hallmark Channel on May 2nd, and then it will be available for streaming the next day on Hallmark+.

A "Kentucky Roses" line of jewelry inspired by the movie will also be sold at Hallmark Gold Crown stores.