NBC Sports Plans Derby Coverage for Number of Platforms

For the first time since 2010, the three Triple Crown races won't be on the same television network. NBC Sports will cover the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1) before handing the baton to FOX Sports for the Belmont Stakes (G1).

NBC Sports held a conference call with reporters May 2 to discuss its plans for the May 6 Kentucky Derby.

NBC Sports' Derby Day coverage will show nine races across NBC and Peacock Saturday. Also, NBC Sports will offer five hours of Oaks day coverage beginning at 1 p.m. on USA Network and Peacock, showing six races.

Derby Week Radio, TV Schedule

Additionally, for the first time, Telemundo Deportes will present Derby coverage beginning Saturday at 6:30 p.m. ET on Universo, and streaming on TelemundoDeportes.com and the Telemundo app.

While not having all three races on one network has been the source of racing industry hand-wringing through the years, the marketplace is different now with consumers watching on personal devices, streaming channels, and traditional networks. NBC's Randy Moss, who is covering his 43rd Derby and previously worked for ESPN, said he can see both points, but he's an NBC guy "who has a vested interest in this" and thinks NBC should have all three Triple Crown races.

"You can make the case that synergy is important," he said. "Someone, perhaps from a different network, could also make the case that in today's media landscape ... the NFL's on a lot of different networks, things like that, and maybe people are more accustomed now than they used to be back in the day of 'checking their local listings' so to speak and finding out what network the program that they're looking for is located on. I think you can make the case both ways, but again, you're talking to someone from NBC."

After a long run by ABC Sports, NBC Sports televised all three races from 2001-2004. The Belmont went to ESPN/ABC in 2005 before returning to NBC in 2011. Fox Sports entered the picture in 2016 at Saratoga Race Course, and for the last several years Fox networks have televised nearly every race at a New York Racing Association track—all of which led to the current, eight-year Fox deal that runs through 2030 and was announced in 2021.

NBC's Derby coverage will boast familiar faces, including the news division's Steve Kornacki, known for his "Big Board" analysis of election returns. He has used those skills to analyze betting trends since 2021.

"I think the memory of Rich Strike  is going to hover over this race in so many different ways," he said.

Kornacki said he'll be looking at wagering for a "Rich Strike effect" to see if bettors, remembering the $163.60 payout for the 80-1 bomber, will bet more money on longshots. Four horses were assigned morning-line odds of 50-1 (not including also-eligible King Russell , also at 50-1).

The nearest comparison is the 2010 Derby, Kornacki said, following Mine That Bird 's 2009 win at 50-1 paying $103.20. In 2010, "there was a dramatic Mine That Bird effect in the betting. No horse went off in 2010 at odds that were longer than 31-1. There were four horses in 2010 who were 50-1 in the morning line. Not a single one of them ended up more than 30-1 (and) the favorite went off at 6-1," Kornacki said. (The longest shot on the board at post time was Discreetly Mine at 31-1 off of a 30-1 morning line.)

Kornacki said he'll be watching to see if that happens again, which "could create unexpected value among some of the better horses in this race."