NBC Sports Network to Televise TVG Weekend Broadcast

This weekend, horse racing will fill a void in sports programming caused by the cancellation of many sporting events because of precautions to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

NBC Sports and TVG announced March 21 a partnership to bring more horse racing to more fans beginning this weekend as NBCSN simulcasts TVG's Trackside Live March 21-22 from 4-8 p.m. ET. Anchored by TVG host and NBC Sports reporter Britney Eurton, TVG's Trackside Live provides fans with live horse racing from various tracks across the country.

NBCSN is available in 80 million households.

"On behalf of our track and horsemen partners, we are excited to join forces with our friends from NBC Sports to bring horse racing to a broader audience," said TVG CEO Kip Levin in a statement. "These are unprecedented times for everyone and we hope that we can provide a safe diversion and some entertainment for people with so much of the regular sports schedule having been canceled or delayed."

The biggest race of the weekend—the $1 million Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) from Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in New Orleans—will air on NBCSN as previously scheduled Saturday at 5 p.m. ET, and will be part of the Trackside Live coverage.

NBCSN will also simulcast Trackside Live the following weekend—March 27 through March 29 from 4-8 p.m. ET on all three days, including the Curlin Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park on NBCSN on March 28 at 6 p.m. ET—if horse races continue to be held.

The winner of the Louisiana Derby will receive qualifying points towards the 146th Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), which will be run on Sept. 5 after its postponement was announced March 17. Previously run over nine furlongs on dirt, the Louisiana Derby will be 1 3/16ths miles on Saturday.

Enforceable, the Lecomte Stakes (G3) winner and runner-up in the first division of the 2020 Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford (G2), will break from post 10 in the 14-horse field as the 7-2 morning-line favorite. 2020 Lecomte Stakes runner-up Silver State and the winner of the second division of the Risen Star, Modernist, will break from posts 13 and 14, respectively. They are both 6-1 on the morning line.

Coverage of the Louisiana Derby will be streamed live on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app—NBC Sports Group's live streaming product for mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs.