FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, March 29th, 2012
THE “ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY™ ” SERIES CONTINUES THIS WEEKEND WITH THE FLORIDA DERBY
NEW YORK – March 29, 2012 – Live coverage of the Road to the Kentucky Derby™, a series of major prep races for the 2012 Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands, continues with the Florida Derby from Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Fla., this Saturday, 5-6 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network. The Road to the Kentucky Derby™ is a collaboration of The Jockey Club and the NBC Sports Group.
In addition to the Florida Derby, which was has produced 21 Kentucky Derby winners, NBC Sports Network will present the Gulfstream Oaks, a race for fillies that is an important prep race for the Kentucky Oaks.
Tom Hammond will host NBC Sports Network’s coverage this Saturday from Gulfstream Park. He will be joined by analysts Gary Stevens and Randy Moss; and reporters Bob Neumeier, Kenny Rice and Christina Olivares. Larry Collmus, NBC’s Triple Crown race-caller will call both races on Saturday.
ABOUT THE BROADCAST: In addition to the two graded stakes races, NBC Sports Network coverage will include a feature on trainer Todd Pletcher, and the unique relationship he shares with his father, J.J. Pletcher, who saddles El Padrino in the Florida Derby, has won four straight Eclipse Awards and trained 2010 Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver.
STEVENS ON THE FLORIDA DERBY: “This is a three horse race with Take Charge Indy, El Padrino, and Union Rags. I’m looking for one of these horses to take one more step forward leading up to the Kentucky Derby. It is important that they continue to move forward and show improvement.
“I’d expect to see Take Charge Indy forwardly placed early on with Union Rags just stalking him. Union Rags showed that he does have gate speed in winning the Fountain of Youth Stakes and does not need to lead. He can sit patiently. I saw a whole new dimension of Union Rags than what we saw as a two year old. He’s definitely moved forward and I expect him to take another step forward. I would be very surprised if he doesn’t.
“El Padrino ran a gutty race at the Risen Star. He also has moved forward in his three-year-old year. I expect him to move forward again. I would expect these three horses to be battling it out through the stretch.”
The Road to the Kentucky Derby™ series began last weekend with the Spiral Stakes, and continues Saturday, April 7 at 4:30 p.m. ET with a 90-minute live broadcast on NBC featuring the Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita Park, the Resorts World Casino New York City Wood Memorial at Aqueduct and the Central Bank Ashland Stakes for fillies from Keeneland Race Course. The series concludes with coverage of the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes from Keeneland Race Course and the Arkansas Derby from Oaklawn Park, which will air on CNBC on Saturday, April 14 from 6-7 p.m. ET.
REMAINING ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY COVERAGE (All Times ET)
Saturday, March 31, 2012, 5-6 p.m. (NBC Sports Network)
Florida Derby and Gulfstream Oaks (Gulfstream Park)
Host: Tom Hammond
Analysts: Gary Stevens, Randy Moss
Reporters: Bob Neumeier, Kenny Rice, Christina Olivares
Track Announcer: Larry Collmus
Saturday, April 7, 2012, 4:30-6 p.m. (NBC)
Resorts World Casino New York City Wood Memorial (Aqueduct Racetrack) and Santa Anita Derby (Santa Anita Park), Central Bank Ashland Stakes (Keeneland Race Course)
Host: Tom Hammond
Analysts: Gary Stevens, Randy Moss
Reporters: Kenny Rice, Donna Brothers, Laffit Pincay, III, Mike Battaglia (from Keeneland), Bob Neumeier (from Aqueduct)
Saturday, April 14, 2012, 6-7 p.m. ET (CNBC)
Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (Keeneland Race Course) and Arkansas Derby (Oaklawn Park)
Host: Tom Hammond
Analysts: Gary Stevens, Randy Moss
Reporters: Mike Battaglia, Kenny Rice, Katie Mikolay, Jay Privman (from Oaklawn)
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NBC SPORTS GROUP AND HORSE RACING: The NBC Sports Group is the exclusive home to the most important and prestigious events in horse racing, including the Triple Crown and the Breeders’ Cup, which was broadcast on NBC from 1984-2005. Last year marked the first time that all three Triple Crown races appeared on one network since NBC last aired the Triple Crown in 2005. NBC has been the exclusive home of the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes since 2001. This year, the NBC Sports Group will present 27 hours of Triple Crown coverage across NBC and NBC Sports Network.
NBC Sports Group is also the home to Summer at Saratoga, Autumn at Keeneland, and, in collaboration with The Jockey Club, the Road to the Kentucky Derby series that will provide live coverage of six major prep races for the 2012 Kentucky Derby.
CNBC: With CNBC in the U.S., CNBC in Asia Pacific, CNBC in Europe, Middle East and Africa, CNBC World and CNBC HD+, CNBC is the recognized world leader in business news providing real-time data, analysis and information to more than 390 million homes worldwide. The network’s 16 live hours a day of business programming in North America (weekdays from 4:00 a.m.- 8:00 p.m.) is produced at CNBC’s global headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., and includes reports from CNBC News bureaus worldwide. CNBC.com and CNBC Mobile Web (mobile.cnbc.com) offer real-time stock quotes, charts, analysis and streaming video.
THE JOCKEY CLUB: The Jockey Club, founded in 1894 and dedicated to the improvement of Thoroughbred racing and breeding, is the breed registry for North American Thoroughbreds. In fulfillment of its mission, The Jockey Club provides support and leadership on a wide range of important industry initiatives and it serves the information and technology needs of owners, breeders, media, fans and farms, among others. Additional information is available at jockeyclub.com.
Kentucky Derby and The Road to the Kentucky Derby are registered trademarks of Churchill Downs Incorporated.
