Thoroughbred Racing on ABC

Last updated

ABC's coverage of Thoroughbred racing currently consists of a portion of the Breeders Cup. Previously, ABC's coverage also included the Kentucky Derby (1975 [1] –2000 [2] ), the Preakness Stakes (1977 [3] –2000 [2] ), and the Belmont Stakes (1986 [4] –2000, [2] [5] 2006 [5] –2010 [6] ).

Contents

Contract history

In 1977, ABC was awarded the contract to televise the Preakness. Triple Crown Productions was formed in 1985 after CBS terminated its contract with NYRA. ABC Sports won the rights to broadcast all three races, as well as many prep races. Ratings went up after the package was centralized. Other than the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes were considered the two "other" races. ABC Sports, which had broadcast the Derby since 1975, wanted to televise all the races as a three race package. CBS Sports, which showed the other two races, had much lower ratings for them, with the possible exceptions of years in which the Crown was at stake like 1973, 1977, and 1978.

Combined broadcast arrangements with ABC continued until 2001, when NBC Sports took over. Under NBC, ratings continued to go up, by as much as 20 percent in some years. It did not hurt that many horses, like Funny Cide and Smarty Jones, were making Triple Crown runs during those years (although all of them failed). From 2002 to 2004, the Belmont had the highest ratings of any horse race on television.

After the 2004 Belmont race, the New York Racing Association ended its deal with NBC, citing a conflict over profit-sharing arrangements. ABC won the rights to the Belmont, and Triple Crown Productions was effectively dissolved related to bonuses and broadcast rights. The only function that Triple Crown Production still oversees is joint nomination fees and a small joint marketing effort.

In 2011, NBC Sports once again became the broadcaster of all three Triple Crown races in separate broadcast deals; including an extension to its existing rights to the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, plus establishing a new 5-year deal to broadcast the Belmont Stakes after ABC and ESPN declined to renew their previous contract. All three deals last through 2015, and include supplementary coverage on NBC Sports Network for all three races. The additional coverage included 14-1/2 hours of Kentucky Derby pre-race coverage including an hour and a half live special for the Kentucky Oaks and six and a half hours of Preakness Stakes pre-race coverage including a one-hour live special on the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes both carried on NBC Sports Network. [7] [8]

See also

Personalities

Jim McKay missed the 1995 Preakness and Belmont Stakes, electing to undergo heart bypass surgery. [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Baffert</span> American horse owner and trainer

Robert A. Baffert is an American racehorse trainer who trained the 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah and 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify. Baffert's horses have won a record six Kentucky Derbies, eight Preakness Stakes, three Belmont Stakes, and three Kentucky Oaks.

Triple Crown Productions was an ad hoc production company that produced the series of Triple Crown races for thoroughbred horses.

Dave Johnson is an American announcer and sportscaster, best known for his work in horse racing with ABC and NBC Sports and at various race tracks in New York and New Jersey. His signature line — "And down the stretch they come!" — is instantly recognizable throughout the sport, and is often imitated by comedians, notably David Letterman.

Thoroughbred Racing on NBC is the de facto title for a series of horse races events whose broadcasts are produced by NBC Sports, the sports division of the NBC television network in the United States. Race coverage is currently helmed by, among others, host Mike Tirico, along with analysts Randy Moss and Jerry Bailey, handicappers Eddie Olczyk and Britney Eurton, reporters Kenny Rice, Donna Barton Brothers, Ahmed Fareed and Nick Luck and track announcer Larry Collmus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United States)</span> American Thoroughbred horse racing honor for winning three specific stakes races as a three-year-old

In the United States, the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, commonly known as the Triple Crown, is a series of horse races for three-year-old Thoroughbreds, consisting of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. The three races were inaugurated in different years, the last being the Kentucky Derby in 1875. The Triple Crown Trophy, commissioned in 1950 but awarded to all previous winners as well as those after 1950, is awarded to a horse who wins all three races and is thereafter designated as a Triple Crown winner. The races are traditionally run in May and early June of each year, although global events have resulted in schedule adjustments, such as in 1945 and 2020.

ESPN and ESPN2's coverage of Thoroughbred racing consisted of NTRA Racing to the Kentucky Derby., Road To The World Thoroughbred Championships/NTRA Racing to the Breeders' Cup, a series of prep races for the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships, the post position draw for the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes undercard races, the Kentucky Oaks and Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, NTRA 2Day At the Races, Racing Across America, the Preakness undercard races, the Eclipse Awards show, and Long John Silver's Wire to Wire, a weekly thoroughbred racing magazine show. They also had Triple Crown morning shows such as Breakfast at Churchill Downs and Breakfast at Pimlico. ESPN also broadcast NTRA Super Saturdays as well.

Donna Barton Brothers is a former jockey who won over 1,100 horse races and now covers horse racing and other equestrian sports for NBC Sports and USA Network. She is probably most recognizable for her interviews with the winning jockeys from horseback after the Triple Crown and Breeders' Cup races. She is one of the most decorated female jockeys of her time, retiring in 1998 with 1,130 career wins and still ranks second on the money list. Brothers hails from a family of riders, including both of her siblings, as well as her mother who was, in 1969, one of the first women to be licensed as a jockey. She resides in Louisville, Kentucky.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 Preakness Stakes</span> 138th running of the Preakness Stakes

The 2013 Preakness Stakes was the 138th running of the Preakness Stakes thoroughbred horse race. The race was held on May 18, 2013, and was televised on NBC. The race was won by Oxbow. The post time of the race was 6:18 p.m. EDT. The race was the 12th race on a card of 13 races. The Maryland Jockey Club reported total attendance of 117,203, the second highest attendance for American thoroughbred racing events in North America during 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Belmont Stakes</span> 146th running of the Belmont Stakes

The 2014 Belmont Stakes was the 146th running of the Belmont Stakes. It was run on June 7, 2014, and was televised on NBC. California Chrome had a chance to complete the third leg of the Triple Crown after his victories in the 2014 Kentucky Derby and the 2014 Preakness Stakes. However, it was Tonalist who won the race. Commissioner placed second and Medal Count took third. California Chrome finished in a tie for fourth with Wicked Strong.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Preakness Stakes</span> 140th running of the Preakness Stakes

The 2015 Preakness Stakes,, was the 140th running of the Preakness Stakes, promoted as the "middle jewel" of thoroughbred horse racing's traditional Triple Crown, held two weeks after the Kentucky Derby and three weeks before the Belmont Stakes. The race was held at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland, on May 16, 2015, and was televised on NBC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Belmont Stakes</span> 147th running of the Belmont Stakes

The 2015 Belmont Stakes was the 147th in the Belmont Stakes series. The 1+1⁄2-mile (2,400 m) race, known as the "test of the champion" and sometimes called the "final jewel" in thoroughbred horse racing's traditional Triple Crown series, was held on June 6, 2015, three weeks after the Preakness Stakes and five weeks after the Kentucky Derby. The Belmont Stakes was the 11th race of a 13 race card which included 10 stakes races. Post time for race 11 was 6:52 pm EDT.

<i>Thoroughbred Racing on CBS</i> American TV series or program

Thoroughbred Racing on CBS is the de facto title for a series of horse races events whose broadcasts are produced by CBS Sports, the sports division of the CBS television network in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Belmont Stakes</span> 148th running of the Belmont Stakes

The 2016 Belmont Stakes was the 148th running of the Belmont Stakes. The 1+1⁄2-mile (2,400 m) race, known as the "test of the champion", is the final jewel in Thoroughbred horse racing's American Triple Crown series, and was held on June 11, 2016, three weeks after the Preakness Stakes and five weeks after the Kentucky Derby. The race, which had no Triple Crown at stake, was broadcast by NBC beginning at 5:00 p.m. EDT, with pre-race coverage on NBCSN starting at 3:00 p.m. The race was won by Creator by a nose over Destin. 2016 Preakness Stakes winner Exaggerator finished eleventh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Slam of Thoroughbred racing</span> The four major races thoroughbred races

The Grand Slam of Thoroughbred racing is an informal name for winning four major Thoroughbred horse races in one season in the United States. The term has been applied to two configurations of races, both of which include the races of the Triple Crown—the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes—and either the Travers Stakes or the Breeders' Cup Classic as the final race.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Preakness Stakes</span> 143rd running of the Preakness Stakes

The 2018 Preakness Stakes was the 143rd running of the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the American Triple Crown. It was a Grade I stakes race with a purse of $1.5 million for three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of 1+3⁄16 miles (1.9 km). It was held on May 19, 2018, at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland and was broadcast on NBC from 5:00 pm to 7:15 pm EDT with coverage of the undercard on NBCSN starting at 2:30 pm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Preakness Stakes</span> 145th running Preakness Stakes

The 2020 Preakness Stakes was the 145th Preakness Stakes, a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of 1+3⁄16 miles. The race is one leg of the American Triple Crown and is held annually at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Belmont Stakes</span> 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes

The 2021 Belmont Stakes was the 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes and the 110th time the event took place at Belmont Park. The 1+1⁄2-mile (2,400 m) race, known as the "test of the champion", is the final leg in the American Triple Crown, open to three-year-old Thoroughbreds. The race was won by Essential Quality.

References

  1. ↑ Bob, Ruf (May 2, 1975). "ABC Corrals Derby Coverage". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Retrieved 12 July 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 Fendrich, Howard (June 9, 2000). "Final Triple Crown race won't be ratings bonanza for ABC". Associated Press. Retrieved 12 July 2011.
  3. ↑ "Kentucky Derby on ABC-TV". Southeast Missourian (Cape Girardeau, MO). April 30, 1976. Retrieved 12 July 2011.
  4. ↑ McDonald, Tim (March 21, 1986). "ABC will televise Belmont Stakes, giving network entire Triple Crown". Evening Independent (St. Petersburg, FL). Retrieved 12 July 2011.
  5. 1 2 Hiestand, Michael (May 19, 2006). "Talking horses, all day Saturday". USA Today. Retrieved 12 July 2011.
  6. ↑ Drape, Joe (February 22, 2011). "NBC to Broadcast All Three Triple Crown Races". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 July 2011.
  7. ↑ Sharrow, Ryan (February 22, 2011). "NBC re-ups deal to carry Preakness through 2015".
  8. ↑ Murphy, Jim. "NBC Signs Five Year Deal To Televise Belmont Stakes". belmontstakes.org. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
  9. ↑ "FURTHERMORE". highbeam.com. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.