NBC Sports Wins Eclipse Award For Breeders' Cup Classic Broadcast

Edited press release
The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB) today announced that NBC Sports has won the Media Eclipse Award for Television – Live Racing Programming for its broadcast of the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Classic. The one-hour live program from Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., aired on Nov. 1, 2014.
This is the 11th Media Eclipse Award in the Live Television category for NBC.
NBC’s Breeders’ Cup broadcast of the Classic combined the aura of Hollywood celebrities, a breathtaking backdrop for North America’s richest race, and a race that could decide the Horse of the Year. The 2014 Breeders’ Cup Classic featured a star-studded field of horses including Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome, Belmont Stakes winner Tonalist, the undefeated Shared Belief and the front-running Bayern, who won the race amid a controversial start which resulted in a stewards’ inquiry.
NBC utilized a full array of talent and production in pre and post-race coverage of the Classic, including the live race call by Larry Collmus, multiple replays of the gate break of the race and supporting analysis from Jerry Bailey and Randy Moss. During the tense minutes of the stewards’ inquiry, NBC talent conducted interviews with Bayern’s jockey Martin Garcia, Shared Belief’s jockey Mike Smith, and winning trainer Bob Baffert, before the results became official.
“Our production team did an excellent job telling the stories of this year’s Classic and documented the drama surrounding the controversial start of the race by winning horse Bayern,” said Rob Hyland, NBC Sports Group coordinating producer. “Nearly 40 cameras were deployed to showcase an incredible two days of racing set against the beautiful backdrop of Santa Anita Park and the San Gabriel Mountains. NBC Sports is fully committed to growing the sport of horse racing and I am extremely proud of the high standards and passion our entire production team has for this sport. On behalf of the dedicated men and women who work on NBC’s horse racing coverage, I am honored to accept this prestigious award for the third consecutive year.” 
In addition to Hyland, the Breeders’ Cup Classic broadcast was directed by Pierre Moossa with Tom Hammond and Josh Elliott hosting the program. Moss and Bailey were the analysts, and were joined by reporters Laffit Pincay III, Kenny Rice, Donna Brothers, Nick Luck and Carolyn Manno. Eddie Olczyk was the handicapper. 
The 44rd Annual Eclipse Awards dinner and ceremony will be held on Saturday, January 17, at Gulfstream Park Racing & Casino in Hallandale Beach, Fla. The Eclipse Awards are presented by Daily Racing Form, Breeders’ Cup and The Stronach Group and produced by the NTRA.
Judges for the National Television – Live Racing category were: Jack Coffey of Eclipse Productions; Chris Svendsen of CBS Sports, and Patti Wolfe, former ABC Sports producer. Honorable mention in the National Television - Live Programming category also went to NBC Sports for its live broadcast of the Belmont Stakes from Belmont Park in New York, which aired on June 7.