NBCSN Serves up Trio of Kentucky Derby Prep Races
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After Maximum Security's impressive wire-to-wire win last Saturday in the Florida Derby and with exactly one month to the running of the 145th Kentucky Derby, NBC Sports continues its extensive coverage of Derby prep races this Saturday, April 6 at 5:30 p.m. ET with live coverage of the Wood Memorial, Blue Grass Stakes, and Santa Anita Derby on NBCSN. The winner of each race receives 100 qualifying points, officially securing a spot in the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby, Saturday, May 4 on NBC.
Live coverage begins with the Grade 2 Wood Memorial, New York's premier Kentucky Derby prep race which has had 11 winners go on to win the Derby. Tacitus, the winner of last month's Tampa Bay Derby, is expected to be one of the favorites in the race at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, N.Y. Among his likely competitors are Haikal and Final Jeopardy, the latter having the same owner-trainer team as Florida Derby winner Maximum Security (Gary and Mary West & Jason Servis).
In addition, the $1 million Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland in Lexington, KY, is expected to feature 2018 Breeders' Cup Juvenile 3rd-place finisher Signalman, as well as contenders Vekoma, as well as contenders and Win Win Win.
Rounding out Saturday's triplecast is the $1 million Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby, the signature West Coast prep race for the Kentucky Derby. Game Winner and Roadster, both trained by Hall-of-Famer Bob Baffert, headline the field.
Ahmed Fareed hosts Saturday's telecast from Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., joined by Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey, who won each Triple Crown race twice, veteran horse racing analyst Randy Moss, reporter Laffit Pincay III, and reporter Britney Eurton. NBC Sports race caller Larry Collmus, "The Voice of the Triple Crown," will call the Wood Memorial from Aqueduct.
Following Saturday's extensive live racing coverage, NBC Sports, in partnership with Churchill Downs, presents a new episode of the Road to the Kentucky Derby series. Beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, the third of four 30-minute episodes features a visit to the home of Bob Baffert, trainer of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah and 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify. The episode also features the owners of Albaugh Family Stables, who are aiming to have a Kentucky Derby participant for a fourth consecutive year. Produced by Churchill Downs, the episodes provide viewers with an inside look of the extensive preparations for the first leg of the Triple Crown.
Coverage 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.