FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, January 25th, 2017

CALIFORNIA CHROME HEADLINES $12 MILLION PEGASUS WORLD CUP INVITATIONAL – THE WORLD’S RICHEST HORSE RACE – LIVE THIS SAT., JAN. 28, AT 4:30 PM ET ON NBC

Host Mike Tirico Joined by Jerry Bailey, Randy Moss, Eddie Olczyk, Laffit Pincay III, and Donna Brothers

E! News’ Maria Menounos Serves as Co-Host of the Event

Tirico, Bailey, Moss & Olczyk Available on a Conference Call Tomorrow, Thurs., Jan. 26, at 3 p.m. ET

Coverage Streamed Live on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app

STAMFORD, Conn. – January 25, 2017California Chrome, winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes in 2014 and the winningest North American horse in career prize money, headlines a star-studded field in the debut of the $12 Million Pegasus World Cup Invitational, the world’s richest horse race, from Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., this Saturday, Jan. 28, live at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

California Chrome has seven victories in his last eight starts. He faces competition from Arrogate, who won five races last year including a tight victory over California Chrome in the Breeders’ Cup Classic in November. Keen Ice, who upset Triple Crown winner American Pharoah at the 2015 Travers Stakes, will also run in the race.

Mike Tirico hosts the show, alongside Hall-of-Fame jockey and analyst Jerry Bailey; analyst Randy Moss; analyst/handicapper Eddie Olczyk; host/reporter Laffit Pincay, III; and reporter Donna Brothers. E! News’ Maria Menounos joins the telecast as a co-host, covering the pageantry, celebrities, and fashion at the event.

Coverage will include a feature on California Chrome, who was bred for just $10,500 and has won more than $14 million on the racetrack. If he wins the Pegasus World Cup Invitational, he will have more career earnings than any horse in the history of worldwide thoroughbred racing.

NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app – NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs – will stream coverage of the Pegasus World Cup Invitational. The NBC Sports app will stream coverage via “TV Everywhere,” giving consumers additional value to their subscription service, and making high-quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms. Powered by Playmaker Media, the NBC Sports app is available on Apple iOS, Android and select Samsung devices, as well as on Amazon Fire, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Win10, and Xbox.

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PEGASUS WORLD CUP INVITATIONAL CONFERENCE CALL

NBC Sports Group will conduct a media conference call tomorrow, Thurs., Jan. 26, at 3 p.m. ET with Tirico, Bailey, Moss, Olczyk, and coordinating producer Rob Hyland.

Dial 785-830-7977 to participate

Conference ID: 7712605

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The innovative Pegasus World Cup Invitational, to be contested at 1 1/8 miles on the dirt, is restricted to 12 horses and is the first event of its kind in horse racing. Twelve owners have reserved a spot in the starting gate for $1 million each. They can race, lease, share a starter, or sell their place in the gate.  The stakeholders will share equally in the net income from betting, media rights and sponsorships. The winner of the race will earn a world-record $7 million USD.

NBC SPORTS GROUP AND HORSE RACING: In addition to the Pegasus World Cup Invitational, NBC Sports Group is the exclusive home to the most important and prestigious events in horse racing, including the Triple Crown, Breeders’ Cup, and for the first time this year, The Royal Ascot. NBC has been the exclusive home of the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes since 2001, and the Belmont Stakes since 2011, when the NBC Sports Group reassembled the Triple Crown.

–NBC SPORTS GROUP–