FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, September 4th, 2020

“TIZ THE LAW LOOKS LIKE HE’S ALMOST INVINCIBLE” – HALL OF FAME JOCKEY JERRY BAILEY ON THE KENTUCKY DERBY, LIVE TOMORROW, SATURDAY, SEPT. 5 AT 2:30 PM ET ON NBC

“Watching Tiz the Law win the Travers Stakes, to me, was reminiscent of some of American Pharoah’s best races.” – Randy Moss

“This will be as unique a telecast as we’re all a part of.” – Mike Tirico

Live Five-Hour Kentucky Derby Show on NBC on “The First Saturday in September” Follows Today’s Live Three-Hour Kentucky Oaks Show on NBCSN at 3 p.m. ET

STAMFORD, Conn. – Sept. 4, 2020 – NBC Sports presents the 146th Kentucky Derby tomorrow Saturday, Sept. 5 at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC live from Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, as Belmont Stakes winner Tiz the Law aims to continue his run towards a most unique Triple Crown.

The NBC Sports’ team covering the “Run for the Roses” discussed the race and the broadcast on a conference call earlier this week. Following are highlights:

Hall of Fame Jockey and two-time Kentucky Derby winner Jerry Bailey: “Tiz the Law, the favorite at post 17, is one of those uniquely special horses. He’s already won the Belmont. He looks like he’s almost invincible going into the Kentucky Derby. Never is, but he’s a heavy favorite, deservedly so. He has no tactical weaknesses. He doesn’t have the crowd to contend with, and he’s already answered the question of the distance by winning the Travers at 1¼ miles. He’s checked all those boxes, and I believe he very well could win the Triple Crown this year.”

Randy Moss, who is covering his 40th Kentucky Derby: “Watching Tiz the Law win the Travers Stakes, to me, was reminiscent of some of American Pharoah’s best races. When you think back on American Pharoah in the Haskell, after he swept the Triple Crown, he gave you that quick burst of acceleration to just break a race wide open. He gave you that wow factor, and then he just completely sort of eased up the last part of the race and won with something left. That’s exactly what Tiz the Law did in the Travers, and his Belmont Stakes was pretty darn good too. So I think he’s a very special horse.”

Host Mike Tirico: “This will be as unique a telecast as we’re all a part of given everything that’s gone on in our country, in the sport, and the fact that the Derby is usually this big celebration that just has a very different feel, as everything does this year. We’ll do our best to cover the sport, cover the things that are going on around us, cover everything that’s going on around Louisville as well, and try to balance it.”

Handicapper Eddie Olczyk: “If you can get 3-to-5 on Tiz the Law right now, would that be something I’d be willing to jump in on? Probably, because I think he’s going to be a little bit lower than that from the value aspect of it. But will he be my pick? You’ll have to tune in on Saturday. I don’t know if I’ll want to pick a 2-to-5 or a 3-to-5 in an 18-horse field. It’s hard to look past Honor A.P. and Tiz the Law and Authentic and Ny Traffic. But one horse I’m zeroing in on will be the 3 horse, Enforceable. I believe there’s a little more speed in this race than some people maybe would think.”

Race caller Larry Collmus: “It certainly is going to be different for me calling the race. Normally, I’m surrounded by 160,000 or so of my best friends watching this thing together. It’s going to be a little bit different this year with no spectators there… another difference, for me, as far as the race call goes this year, is the fact that there is such an overwhelming favorite in Tiz the Law that there has to be some additional focus on him in the race call, just because everybody is going to be wanting to know where he is. He’s the story of the 18 horses.”

Coordinating producer Rob Hyland: “For the past 145 years, the Kentucky Derby has combined atmosphere, tradition, and competition as much as any other major sporting event. Over the years, the backdrop for the television broadcast has relied on a heavy dose of atmosphere that includes hats, mint juleps, long lines at the betting windows, and large crowds taking in a great American sports event.  This year’s Derby will have a very different feeling without crowds. I think, as sports television has evolved as a result of the global pandemic, so has this week’s Derby production plan. Our cameras and audio will be based in Louisville, Kentucky, with approximately 30 cameras in Louisville, but the production will be done in Stamford, Connecticut, utilizing a series of mobile units in our parking lot here at our world headquarters.”

For the full transcript, click here.

Live coverage begins today, Friday, Sept. 4 at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN with the Kentucky Oaks. In addition, NBCSN presents encore showings of NBC Sports Films’ American Pharoah documentary “Born to Run” today (Friday, Sept. 4) at 2 p.m. ET and midnight ET, and tomorrow (Saturday, Sept. 5) at 1:30 p.m. ET. For more information on “Born to Run,” click here.

Beginning at Noon ET tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 5 with NASCAR Xfinity Series racing from Darlington, S.C., and culminating with NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Second Round Islanders-Flyers Game 7 at 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC will broadcast 10 consecutive hours of live sports action (Noon-10 p.m. ET).

THIS WEEK’S NBC SPORTS HORSE RACING SCHEDULE (All Times ET)

Fri., Sept. 4 3 p.m. Kentucky Oaks (LIVE) NBCSN
Sat., Sept. 5 2:30 p.m. Kentucky Derby (LIVE) NBC

 

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

– NBC SPORTS –