NBC Sports Wins Eclipse for Cup Coverage
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NBC Sports has won the Eclipse Award for live television programming for its broadcast of the 2014 Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I), the 11th such award for the network. The one-hour live program from Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., aired Nov. 1 of last year.
NBC used a full array of talent and production in pre- and post-race coverage of the Classic, including multiple replays of the controversial gate break of the race and supporting analysis from Jerry Bailey and Randy Moss and the live race call by Larry Collmus. During the tense minutes of the stewards' inquiry into the start of the race, NBC talent conducted interviews with Bayern's jockey Martin Garcia, and Mike Smith, who rode Shared Belief, 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 NBC Sports Group coordinating producer Rob Hyland. "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."
In addition to Hyland, as producer, the Breeders' Cup Classic broadcast was directed by Pierre Moossa. Tom Hammond and Josh Elliott hosted 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 44th Annual Eclipse Awards dinner and ceremony will be Saturday, Jan. 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 National Thoroughbred Racing Association.
Judges for the 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.