NBC Breeders' Cup Challenge Coverage Turns to Belmont

An automatic berth into the Breeders' Cup Sprint is on the line in the John A. Nerud Stakes on Saturday, July 6 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. live at 4 p.m. ET on NBC as part of the "Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In—Presented by America's Best Racing."

The seven-furlong John A. Nerud is one of three stakes races on the Stars and Stripes Day two-hour broadcast from Belmont, which also will include the 1 1/4-mile, $1 million Belmont Derby (G1) on turf for 3-year-olds, and the $750,000 Belmont Oaks for 3-year-old fillies, also on turf.

Saturday's show marks the third of 11 telecasts in the "Breeders' Cup Challenge: Win and You're In Series—Presented by America's Best Racing" on NBC and NBCSN from some of America's most iconic racetracks. The series leads to the 36th Breeders' Cup World Championships at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., on Nov. 1-2 on NBC and NBCSN. Complete series TV schedule can be accessed here: http://www.breederscup.com/challenge-series

NBC Sports' coverage will be hosted by Ahmed Fareed, who will be joined by analyst and Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey, reporters Britney Eurton and Laffit Pincay III and reporter/handicapper Eddie Olcyzk.

The John A. Nerud, named for one of Thoroughbred racing's most renowned trainers and owners, and one of the Founders of the Breeders' Cup, is led by the 4-year-old colt Promises Fulfilled, trained by Dale Romans, a winner of six races in 14 starts. In preparing for last year's Breeders' Cup Sprint, Promises Fulfilled won the three consecutive races, taking Amsterdam and the Allen Jerkens Stakes at Saratoga and the Phoenix Stakes at Keeneland, prior to a fourth-place finish in the Sprint at Churchill Downs. A chestnut son of Shackleford, who won the 2011 Preakness Stakes for Romans, Promises Fulfilled comes into Saturday's race off a fourth-place finish in the Metropolitan Handicap on Belmont Stakes Day, June 8.

The 4-year-old Nicodemus, trained by Linda Rice, has three wins in eight starts, including a victory in the Westchester at Aqueduct in May. He comes into Saturday's race off a fourth-place finish in the True North, beaten by 2 1/2 lengths.

Three Diamonds Farm's 6-year-old gelding Do Share is seeking his 10th career win. Trained by Michael Maker, Do Share won the Tom Fool Handicap at Aqueduct in March and was fourth in the Churchill Downs Stakes on May 4 in his last start.

Pat on the Back, a 5-year-old New York bred, trained by Jeremiah Englehart, has won both his starts at Belmont Park this year. Pat on the Back won the six-furlong Affirmed Stakes over a sloppy track on April 26 and followed up that performance by taking the one-mile Commentator Stakes on May 27.

An international cast of stars is expected for the Belmont Derby and the Belmont Oaks.

The Belmont Derby is the first leg of the New York Racing Association's Turf Trinity, which includes the Saratoga Derby in August and the Jockey Club Derby back at Belmont in September.

In the Belmont Derby, leading Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien could start Cape of Good Hope (GB), who was fourth in the French Derby at Chantilly in June and Blenheim Palace (IRE), second in the Dubai Duty Free Full of Surprises International Stakes at the Curragh in Ireland. Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown is expected to start the undefeated Digital Age, who won the American Turf at Churchill Downs on May. 4.

In the Belmont Oaks, trainer Rusty Arnold has Florida Oaks winner Concrete Rose. Chad Brown is looking for better things with last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Newspaperofrecord, who will be trying to improve off two second-place finishes this year.