NBC Has a Costas Roundtable on the Future of Horse Racing and the the Preakness @ 4:30pm

Add a Comment

May 17, 10:58 AM

by , Watch This!

 

 

Mark down to be in front of your TV or set your TiVo for 4:30pm on NBC today. You are not going to want to miss a very special round table discussion on the Future of the Horse Racing Industry in this country.

NBC Sports' Bob Costas will lead the discussion that will examine the tragic death of filly Eight Belles at the Kentucky Derby and the challenges that lie ahead for the horse racing industry.  Joining Costas will be Eight Belles trainer Larry Jones, NBC's horse racing analyst Gary Stevens, Churchill Downs veterinarian Larry Bramlage, Alex Waldrop, CEO of the NTRA and veteran New York Times columnist William Rhoden.

Preakness producer Sam Flood also told me that if there are protests by either PETA or the Human Society of America that they will be addressed as news stories and covered in the pre race show.

At 5pm from Old Hill Top race coverage begins and is co-hosted by Tom Hammond and Costas alongside two-time Preakness winner Stevens.  NBC Sports' broadcast team also includes race-caller Tom Durkin; contributing analysts/handicappers Mike Battaglia and Bob Neumeier; reporter Kenny Rice and on-track reporter Donna Barton-Brothers, who retired in 1998 after an impressive 11-year career as a jockey.  

Producer Sam Flood on what makes the Preakness special: “The Kentucky Derby is more formal, but the Peakness is a wonderful garden party. The fans at Pimlico embrace that fun and it makes this really a fans race.”

Flood on Big Brown and the network’s coverage: “Big Brown is the story there is no doubt about that. We will follow his every move and of course we will give viewers every plenty of background on all 12 horses in the race but the focus has to be on Big Brown he is the only one in the field that has a chance at the Triple Crown.”

Here is the Preakness coverage by the numbers:  

25 cameras

52 hours of pre production

Broadcasters: Bob Costas, Tom Hammond, Gary Stevens, Bob Neumeier, Mike Battaglia, Kenny Rice, Donna Brothers, Tom Durkin (race caller).

Producer: Sam Flood

Director: David Michaels (Al's brother)

Trucks: 12 total trucks in compound

Crew: 150

Broadcast hours: 2 - most ever network coverage of Preakness.

   Subscribe   Feed

Include other special offers from Examiner.com
Terms of Use