| Thoroughbred Racing on NBC | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Horse racing telecasts |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Running time | 120 minutes or until race ends |
| Production company | NBC Sports |
| Original release | |
| Network | NBC |
| Release | 1949 (1949) – present |
Thoroughbred Racing on NBC is thede facto title for a series ofhorse races events whose broadcasts are produced byNBC Sports, the sports division of theNBC television network in theUnited States. NBC's relationship with theTriple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing dates back to 1949 when theNBC Red Network carried the first radio broadcast of theKentucky Derby.
As of 2023[update], race coverage is helmed by, among others, hostMike Tirico, along with analystsRandy Moss andJerry Bailey, handicappersEddie Olczyk andBritney Eurton, reportersKenny Rice,Donna Barton Brothers,Ahmed Fareed andNick Luck and track announcerLarry Collmus.
NBC's relationship with the races that comprise theTriple Crown thoroughbred racing series began in1949, when theNBC Red Network carried the first radio broadcast of theKentucky Derby. One week after ESPN signed the Breeders' Cup deal,[when?] NBC struck a five-year broadcasting deals withChurchill Downs andMagna Entertainment Corporation, the backers of the Kentucky Derby andPreakness Stakes; NBC renewed its agreement with Churchill Downs in2010, in a five-year deal through 2015.[1] In 2024, NBC extended their partnership with Churchill Downs through 2032.[2]
NBC gained the broadcast rights to theBreeders' Cup from its inception in 1984. The network ran the race until2005, whenESPN signed an eight-year television contract to broadcast the race starting in 2006. In 2012, NBC regained the broadcast rights for the Breeders' Cup. Most races are shown on the NBC Sports Network, while the Classic is broadcast on the main network.[3] NBC subsequently announced plans to also broadcast select races from theBreeders' Cup Challenge series throughout the year. In 2016, nine telecasts were made covering 16 "Win and You're In" races.[4]
In October1999, NBC Sports won the rights to broadcast the three races in the Triple Crown series (the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes andBelmont Stakes) beginning with the2001 races.
On October 4, 2004, citing a dispute about profits accrued from the deal, theNew York Racing Association agreed to move the broadcast rights to the Belmont Stakes toABC/ESPN starting with the2006 race. NBC retained rights to the Kentucky Derby andPreakness Stakes. Some believe the move was a result of the New York Racing Association's decision to break ranks with the other two tracks on a television contract. NBC Sports continued to broadcast the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes rights until 2010.Triple Crown Productions was formed in1986 with ABC; prior to that, the individual racing associations reached their own deals with television networks.
Prior to the change, on May 21, 2005,Visa, Inc. officially withdrew its sponsorship of the Triple Crown, effective with the 2006 races; this relieved the company from paying theUS$5,000,000 bonus to the owner of the horse that wins the Triple Crown. Sponsorship of the races was taken over by Triple Crown Productions in 2006.
On February 22,2011, NBC announced deals to broadcast the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes through 2015. The deals reunited all three Triple Crown races on NBC for the first time since 2005, and also included cable deals with Versus (laterNBCSN) to provide coverage of the races' Saturday undercards as well as the Kentucky Oaks and Black-Eyed Susan Stakes Friday races.[5] The deals were extended again, this time through 2022.
On January 5, 2022, it was announced thatFox Sports would acquire the media rights to the Belmont Stakes starting in2023, in a deal that lasts until 2030.[6]
In1981, NBC'sSportsWorld broadcast theArlington Million,[7] the first thoroughbred race to feature a million-dollar prize payout.Dick Enberg hosted the broadcast alongside analystMichael O'Hehir
In 2017, NBC began to carry coverage ofRoyal Ascot, the most significant meet inBritish thoroughbred racing. NBCSN carries coverage of the weekday sessions, while the Saturday session is carried by NBC.[8][9]
As of 2024, NBC, with some coverage exclusive toCNBC orPeacock, also carries coverage of theCalifornia Crown Stakes,Breeders' Cup World Championships andPegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series.[10]
Tom Hammond's tenure at NBC began in1984, when he was named as a co-host of the inaugural Breeders' Cup, alongsideDick Enberg. Hammond was intended to host that year's race, however NBC executives were so impressed with his performance, that he ended up getting a long-term contract.
On March 24, 2001, less than two months before NBC was supposed to broadcast the Kentucky Derby for the very first time, Hammond underwent an operation fordiverticulitis, a disease that affects the colon, which resulted in a portion of Hammond's colon being removed during the surgery. However, even with the short amount of time between the Derby and his operation, Hammond managed to get healthy enough to make his dream of broadcasting his home state's most famous sporting event become a reality on May 5,2001.
Hammond was not so lucky in October 2002, when he underwent open-heart surgery, causing him to miss covering that year's Breeders' Cup (the only Breeders' Cup Hammond had not been a part of);Bob Costas, who was already a part of NBC'sTriple Crown and Breeders' Cup coverage, working as mainly the "story set-up man" took Hammond's place at the hosting desk.
American Pharoah has opened up a two-length lead as they come to the top of the stretch. And Frosted has moved up into second. And they're into the stretch! And American Pharoah makes his run for glory as they come into the final furlong. Frosted is second with one-eighth of a mile to go. American Pharoah's got a two-length lead! Frosted is all out at the sixteenth pole. And here it is! The 37-year wait is over! American Pharoah is the one! American Pharoah has won the Triple Crown!
— Larry Collmus callingAmerican Pharoah's win, making him the first Triple Crown winner sinceAffirmed in 1978.
A sixteenth to go. Justify is still there. Justify fromGronkowski—he's just perfect. And now he's just immortal! Justify is the 13th Triple Crown winner!
During NBC's initial tenure as the Triple Crown broadcaster,average ratings for all three races were up by over 20%. Furthermore, the period from2002 to2004 saw the highest ratings for the Belmont Stakes.