September 3, 2010

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SIRIUS XM Radio To Launch New Harness Racing Series

May 17, 2010 By admin

SIRIUS XM RADIO TO LAUNCH NEW HARNESS RACING SERIES

“Saturday Night at the Races” debuts May 29 and runs 11 weeks

Listeners nationwide get access to some of harness racing’s biggest events

NEW YORK – May 12, 2010 – SIRIUS XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI) announced today that it will offer live coverage of some of harness racing’s biggest events on a new horse racing series set to debut Saturday, May 29.  Saturday Night at the Races will air Saturday for 11 consecutive weeks and will offer listeners nationwide wire-to-wire coverage of some of the biggest races of the summer including the Meadowlands Pace, the North America Cup, the Yonkers Trot, the Art Rooney, the Maple Leaf Trot, the Dan Patch and the James Lynch Memorial.

The series will kick off Saturday, May 29 (10:00 pm ET on SIRIUS channel 126 and XM channel 243) and will feature races from The Meadowlands in East Rutherford, NJ, Hoosier Park in Anderson, IN, and Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs in Wilkes-Barre, PA.  Please visit http://www.sirius.com/horseracing for a schedule of races, including post times and venues.

Acclaimed track announcer Dave Johnson and journalist Bill Finley, who also host SIRIUS XM’s award-winning Down The Stretch program, will host Saturday Night at the Races.  Johnson is best known as the “Voice of the Kentucky Derby,” a title he earned after calling the race for 24 years. An expert in both thoroughbred and harness racing, Johnson has called thousands of harness races throughout a career that spans four decades.  His signature phrase – “And down the stretch they come!” – is instantly recognized throughout the sport.  Finley has covered harness racing for more than two decades and currently writes for the New York Times and ESPN.com.  Johnson’s and Finley’s work on SIRIUS XM has been honored with an Eclipse Award, one of the highest honors in thoroughbred racing.

“Saturday Night at the Races will give SIRIUS and XM listeners from coast to coast access to the best, richest and most important harness races held this summer,” said Johnson.  “These upcoming 11 weeks feature dozens of big events and give us the chance to showcase harness racing at its very best.”

Stan Bergstein, the executive vice president of Harness Tracks of America and one of the most prominent names in the sport, will be a regular contributor to the series, offering insight into the history of the races and tracks.  Peter Kleinhans, who owns and trains harness horses and has also worked as a track announcer, will be the analyst.

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Filed Under: Horse Racing, Sirius/XM

MOST WATCHED KENTUCKY DERBY IN 21 YEARS

May 4, 2010 By admin

16.5 Million Viewers Watch Super Saver and Calvin Borel Win, Topping Last Year’s Derby (16.3 Million)

In 10 Years the Kentucky Derby is Now Seen By 7 Million More Viewers

**16.5 Million in 2010 on NBC vs. 9.1 Million in 2000 on ABC**

“You didn’t have to be a horse racing fan to thoroughly enjoy NBC’s Kentucky Derby coverage and, when you think about it, that’s the sign of a tremendous production.” – St. Petersburg Times, May 2, 2010

NEW YORK – May 4, 2010 – NBC Sports’ coverage of Saturday’s Kentucky Derby was the most viewed Kentucky Derby in 21 years according to data provided by The Nielsen Company.  The race averaged 16.5 million viewers, topping last year’s 16.3 million and two million more than the 14.2 million in 2008.  Saturday’s race was the most watched Kentucky Derby since 1989 when Sunday Silence won the Derby (18.5 million).

NBC Sports coverage of the Kentucky Derby now reaches more than seven million more viewers than the last Kentucky Derby broadcast by ABC in 2000 (16.5 million vs.9.1 million, up 51 percent).

KENTUCKY DERBY VIEWERSHIP

2010    16.5 million   NBC            Super Saver

2009    16.3 million   NBC            Mine That Bird

2008    14.2 million   NBC            Big Brown

2007    13.8 million   NBC            Street Sense

2006    12.9 million   NBC            Barbaro

2005    13.6 million   NBC            Giacomo

2004    14.6 million   NBC            Smarty Jones

2003    11.8 million   NBC            Funny Cide

2002    12.8 million   NBC            War Emblem

2001    13.8 million   NBC            Monarchos

2000      9.1 million   ABC            Fusaichi Pegasus

1999      9.9 million   ABC            Charismatic

1998      9.5 million   ABC            Real Quiet

1997    11.3 million   ABC            Silver Charm

1996    11.0 million   ABC            Grindestone

1995      9.3 million   ABC            Thunder Gulch

1994    12.1 million   ABC            Go For Gin

1993    11.5 million   ABC            Sea Hero

1992    13.7 million   ABC            Lil E Tee

1991    13.4 million   ABC            Strike The Gold

1990    15.6 million   ABC            Unbridled

1989    18.5 million   ABC            Sunday Silence

“In this time of a fragmented television landscape amassing this large audience is a real accomplishment, a testament to the vision of Bob Evans and his team at Churchill Downs to reach the broadest possible audience and to help make this great American tradition even bigger,” said Ken Schanzer, President, NBC Sports.

Saturday’s race coverage notched a 9.8 national rating and a 23 share, tying last year’s Kentucky Derby as the highest rating in 18 years (1992 won by Lil E Tee, 10.3/30), and an 11 percent increase over 2008 (8.8/21) fueled by the hype of “Super Horse” Big Brown.

PREAKNESS STAKES ON NBC SPORTS, MAY 15: In two weeks, Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver with jockey Calvin Borel, who has won three of the last four Kentucky Derby’s, will take one more step to try to become the first horse to win the Triple Crown in 32 years, since Affirmed in 1978. NBC Sports’ coverage of The Preakness Stakes from Pimlico Racecourse in Baltimore, Md., begins Saturday, May 15 at 4:30 p.m. ET.

After the race, Borel told NBC Sports reporter Donna Brothers, “You know what? I’m gonna win the Triple Crown this year.”

$900,000 KENTUCKY DERBY DREAMBET: Glen Fullerton of Houston, Texas won $900,000 in the Kentucky Derby DreamBet Sweepstakes. Churchill Downs’ partnership with CNBC through its ‘Call the Close’ $100,000 Derby DreamBet Sweepstakes gave Fullerton the chance to place a $100,000 win bet on the Kentucky Derby.  His wager on Super Saver earned him a life-changing payout of $900,000, while NBC Sports’ coverage of his reaction as Super Saver brought home the roses made for a truly great television moment.

After the race, Fullerton said to NBC Sports reporter Kenny Rice, “”Super Saver had been good on the dirt track before, in mud and Calvin Borel had an outstanding day today and an outstanding weekend and I couldn’t go wrong with that.  The favorite had the rail and I had a feeling that not having to deal with that pressure that Super Saver was the horse to pick.”

CRITICS PRAISE NBC’S KENTUCKY DERBY COVERAGE:

“NBC’s Kentucky Derby coverage represents a triumph of packaging. It transforms a sports event that lasts about two minutes into a three-hour TV show and creates story lines around athletes who literally aren’t quotable…and it scores at the TV box office.”

- USA Today

“NBC’s broadcast had a little something for everyone, from the diehard horse racing enthusiast to the casual observer who tunes in just to watch celebrities in silly hats sipping mint juleps. There were compelling features on owners, horses and jockeys that were interesting, informative and entertaining, even to those who watch this one horse race a year.  Host Bob Costas did his usual masterful job running things, while reporter Donna Brothers was the star of the broadcast with her reports, mostly from horseback. You didn’t have to be a horse racing fan to thoroughly enjoy NBC’s Kentucky Derby coverage and, when you think about it, that’s the sign of a tremendous production.”

- St. Petersburg Times

“NBC had some very good stuff. A feature on the 25 regular Joes (and at least one Josephine) who shared the $10,000 purchase of Noble’s Promise was particularly good.  At the piece’s end, NBC analyst and ex-jockey Gary Stevens provided some neat gift wrap, reminding us that working stiffs don’t own NFL or MLB teams, but they can own a horse in the Kentucky Derby.”
- New York Post

Filed Under: Horse Racing, NBC, Ratings

Best Kentucky Derby Overnight Rating in 18 Years

May 3, 2010 By admin

NEW YORK – May 2, 2010 – NBC Sports’ coverage of Saturday’s Kentucky Derby earned the highest overnight rating for the race in 18 years since Lil E Tee won the Derby in 1992 (10.9/23 on ABC), according to data provided today from The Nielsen Company.  The 10.3 overnight rating and 23 share of yesterday’s Kentucky Derby race showed a gain of one percent over last year’s race (10.2/22) and is up seven percent from 2008’s 9.5/21 rating that was fueled by the hype of super horse Big Brown.

These are preliminary overnight ratings.  When the final viewership and national ratings are made available on Tuesday, the viewership for yesterday’s race should rival last year’s 16.3 million viewers that was the most-watched Kentucky Derby in 20 years.
NBC’S STRATEGIC ‘BIG EVENT’ MARKETING PAYS OFF, FIRST HOUR OF COVERAGE UP 21%: NBC Sports once again utilized used its strategic ‘Big Event’ approach to promote the Kentucky Derby to assemble the broadest possible audience.  The broad-based promotion again proved successful with the first hour of coverage, that contained a mix of entertainment and horse racing elements, up 21 percent over last year.  The 4-5 p.m. ET hour earned a 3.4 overnight rating vs. a 2.8 for that hour last year.
PREAKNESS STAKES ON NBC SPORTS, MAY 15: In two weeks, Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver with jockey Calvin Borel, who has won three of the last four Kentucky Derby’s, will take one more step to try to become the first horse to win the Triple Crown in 32 years, since Affirmed in 1978. NBC Sports’ coverage of The Preakness Stakes from Pimlico Racecourse in Baltimore, Md., begins Saturday, May 15 at 4:30 p.m. ET.

After the race, Borel told NBC Sports reporter Donna Brothers, “You know what? I’m gonna win the triple crown this year.”

GLEN FULLERTON OF HOUSTON, TX WINS $900,000 IN KENTUCKY DERBY DREAMBET: Churchill Downs’ partnership with CNBC through its ‘Call the Close’ $100,000 Derby DreamBet Sweepstakes gave winner Glen Fullerton the chance to place a $100,000 win bet on the Kentucky Derby.  Glen’s wager on Super Saver earned him a life-changing payout of $900,000, while NBC Sports’ coverage of his reaction as Super Saver brought home the roses made for a truly great television moment.

After the race, Fullerton said to NBC Sports reporter Kenny Rice, “”Super Saver had been good on the dirt track before, in mud and Calvin Borel had an outstanding day today and an outstanding weekend and I couldn’t go wrong with that.  The favorite had the rail and I had a feeling that not having to deal with that pressure that Super Saver was the horse to pick.”

Filed Under: Horse Racing, NBC, Ratings

“Of the 20 horses, I could make a strong case for about 16 of them in this race.” – NBC’s Gary Stevens on the Kentucky Derby Field

April 29, 2010 By admin

NBC SPORTS PRESENTS UNPRECEDENTED COVERAGE OF THE 136th RUNNING OF THE KENTUCKY DERBY THIS SATURDAY AT 4 PM ET

“It’s an incredible piece of Americana.” – NBC’s Costas

“Of the 20 horses, I could make a strong case for about 16 of them in this race.” – NBC’s Stevens

“We could be primed for another huge upset.” – NBC’s Battaglia

“There is already a lot of drama involved in this years Derby.” – NBC’s Hammond

LOUISVILLE, KY – April 29, 2010 – NBC Sports broadcasts exclusive coverage of the 136th Kentucky Derby this Saturday starting at 4 p.m. ET. NBC Sports’ broadcast will bring the spectacle of the Kentucky Derby, the oldest continuous sporting event in the U.S. which has been contested annually since 1875, home to viewers with behind-the-scenes access, celebrities and fashion surrounding the legendary Run for the Roses. A Red Carpet will feature celebrity interviews as the stars arrive to Churchill Downs to enjoy the greatest day in horse racing.

Costas, who this week won his 21st Emmy Award, and Hammond co-host the Derby alongside Stevens, a three-time Derby winner.  NBC Sports’ broadcast team also includes race-caller Tom Durkin; contributing analysts/handicappers Mike Battaglia and Bob Neumeier; reporter Kenny Rice and on-track reporter Donna Brothers.  The Kentucky Derby on NBC Sports is produced by Sam Flood and directed by David Michaels.  Additionally, the TODAY Show’s Natalie Morales will contribute reports and interview celebrities as they arrive on the red carpet.  Derby weekend coverage begins Friday with Ladies First: Bravo at the Kentucky Derby at 5 p.m. ET/PT.

NBC Sports conducted a conference call today with Costas, Hammond, Stevens, Neumeier, Battaglia, Flood and Michaels.  For a complete replay of the call dial 719-457-0820 and enter passcode 4281972.  Below are quotes from NBC’s talent and production staff about the Kentucky Derby and NBC’s coverage:

COSTAS ON THE BIG EVENT FEEL OF THE DERBY: “As always it’s my job to set the stage in broad strokes, do a few interviews and then turn things over to Tom Hammond and the rest of the crew which have more expertise about horse racing than I do. I’ve grown to love this event since I’ve started to be a part of our coverage in 2002. It’s an incredible piece of Americana. I don’t know what the weather is going to be on Saturday, but generally speaking it’s a beautiful piece of panorama. It’s just a magnificent piece of television even more so these days if you have HD.

STEVENS ON THIS YEAR’S DERBY: “This is one of the most wide-open Kentucky Derbys I’ve not only covered, but witnessed.  It’s my job to tear this race apart, analyze it, prior to the gates opening and it’s a difficult job to do this year. It’s going to be just as difficult for the jockeys that are involved in this race.  Of the 20 horses, I could make a strong case for about 16 of them in this race.  With Lookin at Lucky drawing down on the inside, (jockey) Derek Gomez, who is as good a tactician in the game as there is, has got his work cut out for him.  This race is really going to turn into a jockey’s race.”

BATTAGLIA ON DERBY FIELD: “Lookin at Lucky threw the rail and I do think it changed the complexion of the whole race, although there is still a lot of early speed in here.  A lot of horses want to get out there and go on that front end. The pace is going to be very quick.  I don’t think we’re going to be able to see a horse go out there in front and steal this race.  Now, it’s going to really set up for the stalkers and for the closers.  So I’m kind of looking forward to it.  The favorite down the rail, the second choice on the outside, we could be primed for another huge upset.”

HAMMOND ON LONG SHOTS WINNING THE DERBY: “When the 50-1 shot wins, like Mine that Bird did last year, it encourages everyone to take a shot at the Kentucky Derby. What that means is sometimes the best horse doesn’t win because you have to be able to overcome adversity with so many horses in a race. It seems like every year we say it’s wide open. This year it seemed like it was going to be different because Eskendereya was going to be a solid favorite and then was injured last week and taken out of the Derby so it opens it up again.  This will be our tenth Kentucky Derby broadcast.  It’s one of the greatest sporting events in the country and it’s one we look forward to every year.”

FLOOD ON THE BROAD AUDIENCE THAT WATCHES THE DERBY: “The Derby is it’s much more than a horse race.  It’s the biggest event to kickoff spring and we are going to capture all of the elements to make this such a special day that draws 150 plus thousand people to this racetrack and millions more to the television.  It was interesting for me to learn that the Derby is one of only three major sporting events that draws more female viewers than men.  The Winter Olympics and Summer Olympics are the other two.  So we’re making sure we cater to a broader audience.”

FLOOD ON THE DERBY BROADCAST: “When we come on the air at 4 p.m. we’re going to be capturing all of the blend of racing, the spectacle, the pageantry and, as we get closer to race time, we transition more into traditional horse stories.  There are plenty of stories of owners and trainers that will make you care beyond just the horses on the track, and we’ll take advantage of that.”

COSTAS ON INTERVIEW WITH JOE TORRE: “One thing that will be an element of the telecast that I’ll be involved in is we’ll do an interview with Joe Torre, who owns a piece of Homeboykris. He’ll be in the Dodger clubhouse around 2:30 PT and we’ll hook up with him and talk about his love of horse racing. Even though Homeboykris is a long shot, Mine that Bird and Giacomo are a part of recent history and long shots have come in at Churchill Downs so you never know.”

HAMMOND ON FAVORITE LOOKIN AT LUCKY IN NO. 1 POST: “Lookin at Lucky drew the No. 1 post position, which is a tough post position to go a mile and a quarter in the Kentucky Derby if you don’t break out of the gate with some alacrity you’re going to get shut off and maybe lose all chance to win the race. On the other bookend, Sidney’s Candy, one of the favorites, one of the front-runners, is on the outside No. 20 post position. There is already a lot of drama involved in this years Derby. You can bet the opinions of who will win are going to be widely dispersed between maybe 15 or 16 of the 20 horses. Only a couple horses seem to be ranked outsiders.”

NEUMEIER ON THE FILLY DEVIL MAY CARE: “We have a filly in this year, called Devil May Care, that I rank in my top 5 selections and would not be particularly surprised if she won this race, essentially repeating what Rachel Alexandra did.  Meaning a filly beating the boys, which happens very rarely.  Now, Gary Stevens knows very well because he rode one in Winning Colors.  His trainer that year was D. Wayne Lukas and he’s in the race as well with Dublin.  The irony of that would be that Todd Pletcher, who is 0 for 24 and has been preeminent trainer in the country in the last five years, still looking for his first Derby win, saddles Devil May Care.  She wouldn’t have been in if Eskendereya had been in the race.  So imagine that scenario, if she had won, and Pletcher’s first Derby winner would be a filly, that wouldn’t have entered the race had Eskendereya been injured.”

NEUMEIER ON HIS CONVERSATION WITH BOB BAFFERT ON THE TRACK SURFACES: “Something I asked Bob Baffert the other day because I grew up, like most of us, on dirt and turf in following racing. I asked him flat out, ‘Do you know when you make the transition from synthetic to dirt that your horse will run as good or better’ and he looked at me and said ‘I’m just guessing. We’re all just guessing.’ That was his response to the question and that’s Bob Baffert who has won three Kentucky Derbys.”

STEVENS ON ALTERING THE NUMBER OF HORSES ALLOWED TO ENTER INTO THE DERBY: “I’m a purist when it comes to the Kentucky Derby. If you change it, you’re changing history. There have been suggestions that the race should be shortened up. The Kentucky Derby cannot be touched.”

HAMMOND ON ALTERING THE NUMBER OF HORSES ALLOWED TO ENTER INTO THE DERBY: “You might want to tweak the graded earnings part. A lot of times two-year-old graded earnings factor into it and some horses get into the race that perhaps haven’t done much lately. Perhaps make it a three-year-old graded earnings and tweak the criteria. So many people want to run their horse in the Kentucky Derby. It’s such a great event. It’s America’s race. It’s produced so many great upset stories that you should leave it at 20.”

STEVENS ON THE JOCKEYS AND A MUDDY TRACK: “Realistically you can see these jockey’s wearing up to 10 pairs of goggles. When you’ve got that many layers of goggles stacked up, everything becomes very distorted. Your vision is impaired significantly. Front-runners are definitely going to have an advantage with a sloppy type of racetrack and there is already an over abundance of speed in this race. There are six or seven horses that are confirmed front-runners but some of these horses are going to be taking mud for the first time and kick back for the first time.”

FLOOD ON POSSIBLE WEATHER PROBLEMS: “The Weather Channel’s Jim Cantore has been called out of the bullpen.  It looks to be coming into the area for Saturday, so Mr. Cantore will make sure we have the right knowledge on what might happen weather-wise. Some are saying that 3-5 inches of rain might come on Saturday but these horses run on the mud and it could make for an interesting spectacle if it all comes down that way.  The weather does add some production challenges.  In fact, we’ve put an airplane on hold for the blimp.  Normally the blimp is above us.  Last year at the Preakness we had some weather and they scrambled an airplane up for us for the overhead shot so we’ve got that plan B in place.”

MICHAELS ON THE WEATHER CHALLENGES: “It’ll be unique if the lightning comes and it kind of harkens back to what happened in 2004, when I was producing the event. My No. 1 memory was Tom Hammond jumping off the announce platform and taking shelter underneath while the rain and lightning came.  We took the format for that show and basically ripped it up and just moved into a sports news operation. You have animals running on dirt, you have mud everywhere, you have cameramen who are holding pointers to the sky that are nothing more than high-tech lightening rods, so the potential for chaos is there and we run through a lot of scenarios.  We have all kinds of contingency plans and one of the interesting things was the fact that now that they have the lights here at Churchill Downs they could run a race at any time, so the track assures us that the Kentucky Derby will be run on Saturday.  That we know.”

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KENTUCKY DERBY DREAM BET

If you had the chance to make a $100,000 wager on one horse to win the 136th Kentucky Derby, who would you pick?  That’s the lucky dilemma facing Glen Fullerton of the Houston, Texas, area, as the winner of the first-ever $100,000 Derby DreamBet Sweepstakes sponsored by Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ: CHDN) and presented in partnership with CNBC.  For the first time ever, a national television audience will watch Fullerton make his selection and have his $100,000 DreamBet placed on one horse to win in the Derby during NBC Sports’ live coverage of Kentucky Derby 136.

Fullerton’s name was drawn from more than 67,000 entries.  He won a VIP trip to Kentucky Derby 136, including the opportunity for a free $100,000 “win” wager on one horse in the Kentucky Derby race.

Fullerton was ecstatic when told he was coming to Kentucky with the chance to make a life-changing wager on America’s premier horse race. “This VIP trip to the Kentucky Derby is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me,” said Fullerton. “Everybody keeps asking me who I’m going to bet on, long-shot or favorite. I’m just thrilled to be heading to Louisville where my mom lives, and while I haven’t made up my mind yet about which horse to bet the $100,000 on, I’m sure I’ll get lots of advice.”

The CNBC “Call the Close” $100,000 Derby DreamBet Sweepstakes was the featured wagering promotion within Churchill Downs Incorporated’s and NBC Universal’s “Road to the Kentucky Derby” television series.  The three-part series provided live coverage of six important Kentucky Derby prep races where the equine winners earned a coveted spot in the Derby’s 20-horse starting gate. During each telecast, a DreamBet winner selected at the broadcast host site and was given the chance for a free $10,000 “win” wager on the featured Derby prep race of the telecast.

Based on final odds for Kentucky Derby 135 on May 2, 2009, a $100,000 DreamBet placed on 2009 winner Mine That Bird would have returned more than $5 million.

LADIES FIRST: BRAVO AT THE KENTUCKY DERBY

Bravo celebrates the Kentucky Derby with the second annual “Ladies First: Bravo at the Kentucky Derby” special live from Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., airing this Friday, 5 p.m. ET/PT. This one-hour special, produced by NBC Sports and hosted by Bravo’s Andy Cohen, celebrates the very best in food, fashion and the celebrity experience associated with the 136th running of the Kentucky Oaks. Dina Manzo from ‘The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” and Jeff Lewis and Jenni Pulos from “Flipping Out” join Andy to celebrate a day for women and to give viewers a history on the fashion and festivities before and after the Oaks race. Isaac Mizrahi, renowned designer and host of Bravo’s “The Fashion Show” will dress “Today” show correspondent Natalie Morales for the festivities, and “Top Chef” stars Michael Voltaggio, Jennifer Carroll and Eli Kirshtein will be cooking from the Infield Club.

Kentucky Oaks 136, the companion event to the annual Kentucky Derby, will feature a day of events to raise money and awareness for Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, the world’s largest breast cancer organization, which leads the global movement for breast cancer research, education, advocacy and community support. Churchill Downs Racetrack, host of the Kentucky Derby® and the Kentucky Oaks®, and Komen, formed a partnership to raise funds to aid in breast cancer awareness and research.

NBC SPORTS DIGITAL AT THE DERBY

PLAY FOR A CHANCE TO WIN THE DERBY DREAMTRIP:  Viewers at home can pick a horse they think will win and be entered for a chance at the Derby DreamTrip, including $10,000 and a VIP trip to the 2011 Kentucky Derby.  Fans can play online at NBCSports.com or text their vote during the broadcast on Saturday.

SEE THE DERBY ON YOUR MOBILE PHONE: Users on the go can watch the Kentucky Derby live on their mobile phones exclusively through NBC Sports Mobile and NBC 2Go.  Plus, fans can watch exclusive video and race highlights on NBC Sports Mobile (http://m.nbcsports.com).

KENTUCKY DERBY A RATINGS SUCCESS

The shared vision of Churchill Downs and NBC Sports’ successful ‘Big Event Strategy’ to assemble the broadest possible audience led to the 2009 Kentucky Derby being the most-watched Kentucky Derby in 20 years.  Last year’s Derby averaged 16.3 million viewers, two million more than 2008’s 14.2 million (up 15 percent) and the most since 1989 when Sunday Silence won the Derby (18.5 million).  NBC Sports’ coverage of the Kentucky Derby now reaches seven million more viewers than the last Kentucky Derby broadcast by ABC in 2000 (16.3 million vs. 9.1 million, up 51 percent).

Filed Under: Horse Racing, NBC

SIRIUS XM Radio To Broadcast 136th Running of the Kentucky Derby

April 28, 2010 By admin

SIRIUS XM RADIO TO BROADCAST THE 136th RUNNING OF THE KENTUCKY DERBY

Live race broadcast will air on SIRIUS channel 120 and XM channel 140

Special editions of SIRIUS XM talk shows “At The Races” and “Down The Stretch” to provide horse racing fans with the latest news and analysis

NEW YORK – April 28, 2010 – SIRIUS XM Radio will offer comprehensive coverage of the first jewel of thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown, the Kentucky Derby, this Saturday, May 1.

SIRIUS and XM listeners around the country will hear the live race call of the 136th “Run for the Roses” (5:00 pm ET) on SIRIUS channel 120 and XM channel 140.

Prior to the race broadcast and throughout the week, SIRIUS XM’s exclusive horse racing talk shows will provide listeners with the latest news and analysis leading up to horse racing’s most celebrated day.

Every weekday afternoon At The Races with Steve Byk (4:00 – 7:00 pm ET on SIRIUS channel 126 and on XM channel 243) will air live from Churchill Downs in Kentucky.  Byk will talk with handicapping experts and Derby trainers each day to give his audience and expert look at the field.

On Saturday a special pre-Derby edition of Down The Stretch, hosted by Dave Johnson and Bill Finley, will air live from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm ET on SIRIUS channel 126 and XM channel 243.  Johnson, the acclaimed track announcer who called the Derby for 24 years, and Finley will discuss all the stakes races happening that day at Churchill Downs, provide the latest Derby news and pre-race analysis, and interview drivers, trainers and owners.

SIRIUS XM offers horse racing fans around the country comprehensive coverage of the Sport of Kings throughout the year, providing live coverage of top races from around the country plus the racing talk shows Down The Stretch (Saturdays, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm ET, SIRIUS channel 126 and XM channel 243) and At The Races with Steve Byk (weekdays, 4:00 – 7:00 pm ET, SIRIUS channel 126 and XM channel 243).  Visit www.sirius.com for more information.

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Filed Under: Horse Racing, Sirius/XM

NBC Sports Partners With Daily Racing Form

April 26, 2010 By admin

NBC SPORTS PARTNERS WITH DAILY RACING FORM

New York, NY, April 26, 2010 — NBC Sports Digital and Daily Racing Form today announced they have finalized an agreement which will enlist “America’s Turf Authority” to provide digital content in a co-branded online venture to support NBC Sports’ Thoroughbred racing coverage, including the just completed “Road to the Kentucky Derby” television series, the 136th running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 1, and the Preakness Stakes, the middle jewel of the Triple Crown, on May 15.
The 115-year-old Daily Racing Form, the foremost news and handicapping authority covering Thoroughbred racing, will host and program a customized digital horseracing section at NBCSports.com (http://drf.nbcsports.com), and provide content, tools, news coverage, including race previews, entries, results, original video analysis, race replays, past performances and access to complete profiles of all Triple Crown contenders.  Powered by DRF.com, the co-branded site will also include expert selections and analysis from DRF’s award-winning team of correspondents and nationally-recognized handicapping experts.

In addition to its firmly-established reputation as the unquestioned authority for the core horseplayer and racing fan, Daily Racing Form’s development of the NBC Sports horse racing site will incorporate beginner level content to introduce, entertain and educate new fans to the nuances of the exciting world of Thoroughbred racing.

NBCSports.com racing fans can look forward to the following, powered by Daily Racing Form:

  • A High-Tech Real-Time Results Application for all NBC Sports Thoroughbred racing broadcasts featuring entries, pre-race analysis including predictions and real-time results of the races.
  • In-Depth Analysis and Features in the new co-branded NBCSports.com’s Horse Racing Section powered by Daily Racing Form.
  • Free past performances from Daily Racing Form including exclusive Beyer Speed Figures available to all NBCSports.com Horse Racing Section visitors for Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes.
  • Video features from DRF experts on everything from how to place a bet, instructional ticket making to terminology of horse racing.

“NBC Sports is always looking to align itself with the best brands in sports that we broadcast and the Daily Racing Form certainly fits,” said Rick Cordella, Vice President/GM, NBC Sports Digital.  “Partnering with the leading news organization in Thoroughbred racing guarantees that our viewers will have the most in-depth Thoroughbred racing coverage available to compliment NBC Sports’ storytelling through online and on-air coverage of horse racing.”

“It’s a privilege for our 115-year-old brand to partner with the award-winning team at NBC Sports,” stated John Hartig, chief executive officer for Daily Racing Form.  “DRF’s content and interactive tools offer a first-class digital experience around two of racing’s most historic days, and NBC Sports’ efforts to entertain and introduce new fans to the sport will be supported by all of our expert multi-media assets.”

ABOUT NBC SPORTS

NBC Sports is synonymous with superior production that elevates the event, broad promotion, and mutually beneficial partnerships. Known as America’s Olympic Network, NBC has broadcast 12 Olympic Games, more than any other network. Its ability to amass large audiences with broad promotion, particularly for the Olympics, has resulted in NBC Sports broadcasting nine of the top 10 most-watched events in U.S. television history, including the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games that stands at No. 1 all time with 215 million viewers. In 2009, NBC Sports won the prestigious Peabody Award for its production of the Beijing Games and was named ‘Best in Sports Television’ at the Sports Business Awards.

NBC Sports partners with numerous leagues and governing bodies to broadcast some of the most prestigious properties in sports, including: ‘NBC Sunday Night Football,’ which is the premier primetime NFL game of the week; ‘Football Night in America,’ which is the most-watched NFL studio program; Notre Dame football; the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes; the U.S. Open Championship, THE PLAYERS Championship, and the Ryder Cup; the NHL Winter Classic, NHL ‘Game of the Week,’ and NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs and Final; and Wimbledon and the French Open.

ABOUT DAILY RACING FORM
Daily Racing Form, “America’s Turf Authority since 1894” for Thoroughbred racing horseplayers and professionals throughout North America, is the Thoroughbred industry’s dominant multi-channel media company.  Launched in Chicago on November 17, 1894, Daily Racing Form is the only daily newspaper in the U.S. dedicated solely to the coverage of a single sport, publishing up to 2,000 unique pages of statistical and editorial copy every day, in as many as 30 daily editions, 364 days a year (with the exception of Christmas Day).  Its companion website, www.drf.com, is the most heavily trafficked horseracing destination PORTAL, providing players with THE MOST EXTENSIVE SUITE OF interactive past performances and exclusive handicapping and wagering tools TO SERVE HORSE RACING FANS.

Filed Under: Horse Racing, NBC

“It’s the last big weekend of prep races before the Kentucky Derby.” – NBC’s Stevens

April 8, 2010 By admin

“ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY” SERIES CONTINUES THIS SATURDAY LIVE ON NBC SPORTS

Blue Grass Stakes and Arkansas Derby Horses Look for Chance to Make Kentucky Derby Field

“It’s the last big weekend of prep races before the Kentucky Derby.” – NBC’s Stevens

NEW YORK – April 8, 2010 - NBC Sports’ “Road to the Kentucky Derby” continues this Saturday with two graded stakes races featuring Thoroughbred horses vying for a spot in the Kentucky Derby (Saturday, May 1, 4 p.m. ET on NBC Sports).  Live action from the Blue Grass Stakes in Lexington, Ky., and the Arkansas Derby in Hot Springs, Ark., begins Saturday at 5 p.m. ET on NBC Sports.

The hour-long broadcast will originate from Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Ky., and is hosted by Lexington’s Tom Hammond alongside three-time Kentucky Derby winner Gary Stevens, who twice won the Arkansas Derby (1985 – Tank’s Prospect; 1990 – Silver Ending) and won the 1998 Blue Grass Stakes aboard Halory Hunter.  The NBC Sports broadcast team also includes handicapper Mike Battaglia, reporters Kenny Rice and Donna Brothers from Keeneland. NBC Sports handicapper/reporter Bob Neumeier provides additional coverage and analysis live from the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark.

A total of 19 horses that have run in the Blue Grass Stakes went on to win the Kentucky Derby, with Street Sense in 2007 the most recent.  Smarty Jones won the 2004 Arkansas Derby on his way to winning the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes that year before placing second to Birdstone at the Belmont Stakes.

STEVENS ON SATURDAY’S PREP RACES: “They are both great races with great history behind them that have both produced multiple winners for the Kentucky Derby.  I have been fortunate to win the Arkansas Derby twice and the Blue Grass one time.  For me, it’s the last real weekend of prep racing prior to the Kentucky Derby.”

STEVENS ON ARKANSAS DERBY: “I love Noble’s Promise in this race.  He’s been a bridesmaid to Lookin at Lucky the last couple times out but doesn’t have to face him on this trip.  A good effort here by him will put him in my “Super Seven” of Derby horses.  Others to watch are Super Saver, the favorite, while D. Wayne Lukas is double loaded with Dublin and Northern Giant.”

STEVENS ON BLUE GRASS STAKES: “I was surprised to see Pleasant Prince in this race because I think it makes it an even better race.  Others to look for are Interactif, who finished second to Santa Anita winner Sidney’s Candy in the San Felipe, and Make Music for Me.  All he’s done is break his maiden in a stakes race his last time out.”

ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY
The newly launched “Road to the Kentucky Derby” television series, produced in partnership by NBC Sports and Churchill Downs Incorporated, began Saturday, March 27 with the Louisiana Derby and Lane’s End Stakes and continued last Saturday with the Santa Anita Derby and Wood Memorial.  These Derby prep races are key competitions to earn a coveted spot in the Kentucky Derby’s 20-horse starting gate.

The series also gives viewers at home a sense of the spectacle surrounding a day at the races, including snapshots of the fashion, food, famous faces and racing’s real “characters” – the fans – to draw viewers into the social scene that makes racetracks the ultimate source for entertainment.  The shared vision of Churchill Downs and NBC Sports’ successful ‘Big Event Strategy’ led to the 2009 Kentucky Derby being the most viewed Derby in two decades with a 26 percent increase in viewers since this strategy was launched in 2007.

KENTUCKY DERBY DREAM BET

“CALL THE CLOSE” AND YOU MIGHT BE OFF TO THE RACES: Each day, CNBC viewers compete and test their stock market expertise by playing “Call the Close,” a popular interactive game on CNBC.com and on CNBC Mobile in which participants guess where the Dow Jones Industrial Average will close. Starting today, “Call the Close” participants will have the chance to enter for a chance to win a trip for two to the 2010 Kentucky Derby and a $100,000 Derby DreamBet.

To play the daily “Call the Close” Game and be entered into the “Call the Close” $100,000 Derby DreamBet Sweepstakes, participants must register online or on a mobile device and submit their “call” from 4:30 pm ET until 1:00 pm ET the following Trading Day. Contestants can enter once daily through Wednesday, April 21, 2010. Each day, a Game winner will be selected and at the end of the promotion period one Sweepstakes winner will be selected at random.

The Sweepstakes winner will receive a trip for two to the 136th Kentucky Derby. The Sweepstakes winner will also have the opportunity to direct the placement of a $100,000 win wager on the horse they think will win the Derby and keep any resulting winnings. The DreamBet is sponsored by Churchill Downs Incorporated. NBC Sports may even feature the Sweepstakes winner and their DreamBet in NBC Sports’ exclusive coverage of the 136th Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 1 starting at 4 p.m. ET.

To play the daily “Call the Close” Game participants can utilize CNBC.com’s vast financial resources such as extended after-hour quotes, charts and news for all 30 stocks in the Dow to help make the best prediction and see what’s moving the markets. Throughout each Game, the leader board is recalculated every five minutes as Dow pricing changes. The daily Game winner is the one who makes the ‘call’ closest to the .00 decimal. In the event of a tie, Game winners are determined by whoever comes closest to guessing the S&P 500. Each daily Game winner will have his/her name published online and/or on-air.  Participants have the ability to track their daily history and gauge their performance against the index.

Registration in both the “Call the Close” Game and the $100,000 Derby DreamBet Sweepstakes is free and can be accessed at http://calltheclose.cnbc.com. For official sweepstakes rules, and alternate method of entry for the Sweepstakes visit  http://calltheclose.cnbc.com/rules.html.

“ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY” DREAM BET: While viewers take in the action at home, on-track fans will have the chance to enjoy the “DreamBet” of a lifetime. Churchill Downs Incorporated will sponsor a special promotion at each of the broadcast host tracks for the “Road to the Kentucky Derby” series, allowing on-track patrons to enter a drawing for the opportunity for a free $10,000 wager on the broadcast host track’s race. A winning fan will be drawn at random during the course of the racing program at each broadcast host track.  Churchill Downs will then place a $10,000 “win” wager on the horse the winning contestant at each host site selects in the following races:

  • Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland Race Course this Saturday.

Viewers at home can watch to see if the contestant wins big as the race unfolds.  For more information and to review official rules for each “DreamBet,” Sweepstakes visit www.KentuckyDerby.com/dreambet

Filed Under: Horse Racing, NBC

“Road To The Kentucky Derby” Series Continues This Saturday From Los Angeles And New York

April 1, 2010 By admin

“ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY” SERIES CONTINUES THIS SATURDAY FROM LOS ANGELES AND NEW YORK

Santa Anita Derby and Wood Memorial to Air Live on NBC Sports

New Televised Kentucky Derby Prep Race Series Continues Over the Next Two Saturdays on NBC Sports

Play CNBC’s “Call the Close” for a Chance to Win a Trip for Two to the 2010 Kentucky Derby and a $100,000 Derby DreamBet

NEW YORK – April 1, 2010 – NBC Sports’ “Road to the Kentucky Derby” continues this Saturday with two graded stakes races featuring Thoroughbred horses vying for a spot in the Kentucky Derby (Saturday, May 1, 4 p.m. ET on NBC Sports).  Live action from the Santa Anita Derby in Arcadia, Calif., and the Wood Memorial in Jamaica, NY, begins Saturday at 5 p.m. ET on NBC Sports.

The hour-long broadcast will originate from Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., and is hosted by Tom Hammond alongside three-time Derby winner Gary Stevens, who won the Santa Anita Derby a record nine times.  The NBC Sports broadcast team also includes handicapper Mike Battaglia, reporters Kenny Rice and Donna Brothers from Santa Anita. NBC Sports handicapper Bob Neumeier and horse racing analyst Jessica Pacheco provide additional coverage and analysis live from the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct Racetrack in Jamaica, NY.

STEVENS ON SANTA ANITA DERBY: “Looking at Lucky is the obvious pick, but it was interesting listening to Bob Baffert this week saying that he just wants to get through this race and that the horse (Looking at Lucky) is much better on dirt than synthetic.  It almost sounds like if he gets beat that he is not worried about it.  He’s looking forward to the Kentucky Derby.  Having said that, Sydney’s Candy is a speed horse who can actually take it wire-to-wire.  I also like the gelding Caracortado.  He’s only lost one race.”

STEVENS ON HIS RECORD NINE WINS AT SANTA ANITA: “It’s huge for me to have won nine times at Santa Anita.  I never would have thought that possible.  When I was tied with the great Bill Shoemaker with eight wins apiece I was pretty happy with that.  But to be able to break his record is something that I am very proud of.”

STEVENS ON WOOD MEMORIAL: “Eskendereya is an absolute standout.  If there is going to be an upset Schoolyard Dreams could possibly do it but it’s going to be tough to beat Eskendereya.”

ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY
The newly launched “Road to the Kentucky Derby” television series, produced in partnership by NBC Sports and Churchill Downs Incorporated, began last Saturday with the Louisiana Derby and Lane’s End Stakes and continues the next two consecutive Saturdays with live coverage of four more Derby prep races, key competitions to earn a coveted spot in the Kentucky Derby’s 20-horse starting gate.

The series will also give viewers at home a sense of the spectacle surrounding a day at the races, including snapshots of the fashion, food, famous faces and racing’s real “characters” – the fans – to draw viewers into the social scene that makes racetracks the ultimate source for entertainment.  The shared vision of Churchill Downs and NBC Sports’ successful ‘Big Event Strategy’ led to the 2009 Kentucky Derby being the most viewed Derby in two decades with a 26 percent increase in viewers since this strategy was launched in 2007.

The remaining broadcast schedule for the “Road to the Kentucky Derby” series is as follows:

THIS SATURDAY (NBC Sports, Santa Anita, 5-6 p.m. ET):

  • Santa Anita Derby, 1 1/8 miles, Santa Anita
  • Wood Memorial, 1 1/8 miles, Aqueduct

SATURDAY, APRIL 10 (NBC Sports, Keeneland, 5-6 p.m. ET):

  • Arkansas Derby, 1 1/8 miles, Oaklawn Park
  • Blue Grass Stakes, 1 1/8 miles, Keeneland

KENTUCKY DERBY DREAM BET

“CALL THE CLOSE” AND YOU MIGHT BE OFF TO THE RACES: Each day, CNBC viewers compete and test their stock market expertise by playing “Call the Close,” a popular interactive game on CNBC.com and on CNBC Mobile in which participants guess where the Dow Jones Industrial Average will close. Starting today, “Call the Close” participants will have the chance to enter for a chance to win a trip for two to the 2010 Kentucky Derby and a $100,000 Derby DreamBet.

To play the daily “Call the Close” Game and be entered into the “Call the Close” $100,000 Derby DreamBet Sweepstakes, participants must register online or on a mobile device and submit their “call” from 4:30 pm ET until 1:00 pm ET the following Trading Day. Contestants can enter once daily through Wednesday, April 21, 2010. Each day, a Game winner will be selected and at the end of the promotion period one Sweepstakes winner will be selected at random.

The Sweepstakes winner will receive a trip for two to the 136th Kentucky Derby. The Sweepstakes winner will also have the opportunity to direct the placement of a $100,000 win wager on the horse they think will win the Derby and keep any resulting winnings. The DreamBet is sponsored by Churchill Downs Incorporated. NBC Sports may even feature the Sweepstakes winner and their DreamBet in NBC Sports’ exclusive coverage of the 136th Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 1 starting at 4 p.m. ET.

To play the daily “Call the Close” Game participants can utilize CNBC.com’s vast financial resources such as extended after-hour quotes, charts and news for all 30 stocks in the Dow to help make the best prediction and see what’s moving the markets. Throughout each Game, the leader board is recalculated every five minutes as Dow pricing changes. The daily Game winner is the one who makes the ‘call’ closest to the .00 decimal. In the event of a tie, Game winners are determined by whoever comes closest to guessing the S&P 500. Each daily Game winner will have his/her name published online and/or on-air.  Participants have the ability to track their daily history and gauge their performance against the index.

Registration in both the “Call the Close” Game and the $100,000 Derby DreamBet Sweepstakes is free and can be accessed at http://calltheclose.cnbc.com. For official sweepstakes rules, and alternate method of entry for the Sweepstakes visit  http://calltheclose.cnbc.com/rules.html.

“ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY” DREAM BET: While viewers take in the action at home, on-track fans will have the chance to enjoy the “DreamBet” of a lifetime. Churchill Downs Incorporated will sponsor a special promotion at each of the broadcast host tracks for the “Road to the Kentucky Derby” series, allowing on-track patrons to enter a drawing for the opportunity for a free $10,000 wager on the broadcast host track’s race. A winning fan will be drawn at random during the course of the racing program at each broadcast host track.  Churchill Downs will then place a $10,000 “win” wager on the horse the winning contestant at each host site selects in the following races:

  • Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita Park this Saturday.
  • Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland Race Course on April 10.

Viewers at home can watch to see if the contestant wins big as the race unfolds.  For more information and to review official rules for each “DreamBet,” Sweepstakes visit www.KentuckyDerby.com/dreambet

.
Filed Under: Horse Racing, NBC

“Road To The Kentucky Derby” Series Begins This Saturday

March 25, 2010 By admin

“ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY” SERIES BEGINS THIS SATURDAY

Louisiana Derby and Lane’s End Stakes to Air Live on USA

New Televised Kentucky Derby Prep Race Series to Air Over the Next Three Saturdays on USA Network and NBC

Sweepstakes Offers Fans Opportunity for a Free $10,000 ‘DreamBet’ on Three Derby Preps

NEW YORK – March 24, 2010 – NBC Sports’ “Road to the Kentucky Derby” enters the starting gate this Saturday with two graded stakes races featuring Thoroughbred horses vying for a spot in the Kentucky Derby (Saturday, May 1, 4 p.m. ET on NBC Sports).  Live action from the Louisiana Derby in New Orleans, La., and the Lane’s End Stakes in Florence, Ky., begins Saturday at 5 p.m. ET on USA.

The hour-long broadcast will originate from Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in New Orleans and is hosted by Tom Hammond alongside three-time Derby winner Gary Stevens.  The NBC Sports broadcast team also includes reporters Kenny Rice and Donna Brothers from New Orleans with NBC Sports handicapper Mike Battaglia and horse racing analyst Jill Byrne providing additional coverage and analysis live from Turfway Park in Northern Kentucky.

Saturday’s coverage will include a special feature on well-known jockey – and Louisiana native – Robby Albarado, who, along with Donna Brothers, will take viewers to his favorite “Big Easy” haunts for a look inside New Orleans’ famed culinary scene.

STEVENS ON LOUISIANA DERBY: “Discreetly Mine is definitely a quality horse.  He is coming off a huge run in the Risen Star and the Louisiana Derby will say a lot about his capabilities of going a mile-and-a-quarter.  I also like Ron The Greek and think that he is a horse that is definitely going to move forward.  He looks like he is just now getting set and is a horse that is on the rise.”

ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: The newly launched “Road to the Kentucky Derby” television series, produced in partnership by NBC Sports and Churchill Downs Incorporated, will air the next three consecutive Saturdays with live coverage of six Derby prep races, key competitions that contenders must win to earn a coveted spot in the Kentucky Derby’s 20-horse starting gate.

The series will also give viewers at home a sense of the spectacle surrounding a day at the races, including snapshots of the fashion, food, famous faces and racing’s real “characters” – the fans – to draw viewers into the social scene that makes racetracks the ultimate source for entertainment.  The shared vision of Churchill Downs and NBC Sports’ successful ‘Big Event Strategy’ led to the 2009 Kentucky Derby being the most viewed Derby in two decades with a 26 percent increase in viewers since this strategy was launched in 2007.

The broadcast schedule for the “Road to the Kentucky Derby” series is as follows:

SATURDAY, MARCH 27 (USA Network, Fair Grounds, 5-6 p.m. ET):

  • Louisiana Derby, 1 1/8 miles, Fair Grounds
  • Lane’s End Stakes, 1 1/8 miles, Turfway Park

SATURDAY, APRIL 3 (NBC Sports, Santa Anita, 5-6 p.m. ET):

  • Santa Anita Derby, 1 1/8 miles, Santa Anita
  • Wood Memorial, 1 1/8 miles, Aqueduct

SATURDAY, APRIL 10 (NBC Sports, Keeneland, 5-6 p.m. ET):

  • Arkansas Derby, 1 1/8 miles, Oaklawn Park
  • Blue Grass Stakes, 1 1/8 miles, Keeneland

While viewers take in the action at home, on-track fans will have the chance to enjoy the “DreamBet” of a lifetime. Churchill Downs Incorporated will sponsor a special promotion at each of the broadcast host tracks for the “Road to the Kentucky Derby” series, allowing on-track patrons to enter a drawing for the opportunity for a free $10,000 wager on the broadcast host track’s race. A winning fan will be drawn at random during the course of the racing program at each broadcast host track.  Churchill Downs will then place a $10,000 “win” wager on the horse the winning contestant at each host site selects in the following races:

  • Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots on March 27
  • Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita Park on April 3
  • Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland Race Course on April 10.

Viewers at home can watch to see if the contestant wins big as the race unfolds.  For more information and to review official rules for each “DreamBet,” Sweepstakes visit www.KentuckyDerby.com/dreambet

.
Filed Under: Horse Racing, NBC

Churchill Downs & NBC Sports Partner For “Road To The Kentucky Derby” Series

January 11, 2010 By admin

CHURCHILL DOWNS & NBC SPORTS PARTNER FOR “ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY” SERIES

Three Broadcasts Encompassing Six Derby Prep Races Airing on
NBC Sports & USA Network This Spring

Broadcasts to Include Racing and Lifestyle Elements Designed to Build Interest in the Kentucky Derby and Thoroughbred Racing

New York and Louisville, Ky – January 11, 2010 – Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ:  CHDN) and NBC Sports today announced a partnership to present three broadcasts featuring six Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown prep races this spring leading up to the Kentucky Derby on NBC Sports on Saturday, May 1.  The three one-hour broadcasts, two on NBC and one on USA Network, will include the Louisiana Derby, Lane’s End Stakes, Santa Anita Derby, Wood Memorial, Toyota Bluegrass Stakes and Arkansas Derby.  The announcement was made today by Bob Evans, President and CEO, Churchill Downs Incorporated and Ken Schanzer, President, NBC Sports.

The shared vision of Churchill Downs and NBC Sports’ successful ‘Big Event Strategy’ led to the 2009 Kentucky Derby being the most viewed Derby in two decades with a 26% increase in viewers since this strategy was launched in 2007.  Each of the three, one-hour “Road to the Kentucky Derby” broadcasts will feature the races and handicapping segments in addition to lifestyle elements designed to broaden the audience for these races and to drive viewership of the Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown.

“This approach has been effective in bringing new fans to racing, and we hope to see similar success with the “Road to the Kentucky Derby” series,” said Evans.  “The key difference is that we promote racing to both men and women by focusing on the fan’s entire experience of racing, not just the race itself.  This includes food, fashion and celebrity.”

“We value the relationship we have with Churchill Downs immensely,” said Schanzer.  “Adding the broadcasts of these important Derby prep races allows us to introduce key storylines that continue to build the broadest possible audience for the Kentucky Derby and the sport of Thoroughbred racing.”

ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY:
SATURDAY, MARCH 27, USA Network – Louisiana Derby – Broadcast from Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, La.  Coverage will also include the Lane’s End Stakes from Turfway Park in Florence, Ky.

SATURDAY, APRIL 3, NBC Sports – Santa Anita Derby – Broadcast hosted from Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif.  Coverage will also include the Wood Memorial from Aqueduct Race Track in Jamaica, N.Y.

SATURDAY, APRIL 10, NBC Sports – Toyota Bluegrass Stakes – Broadcast hosted from Keeneland in Lexington Ky.  Coverage will also include the Arkansas Derby from Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark.

Filed Under: Horse Racing, NBC
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