ESPN drops Preakness undercard

DiscreetCatDiscreetCat Moderator
edited April 2009 in Horse Racing Forum
from Thoroughbred Times:

Many racing fans are likely to notice a void in racing coverage on May 16 because ESPN networks have eliminated their broadcast of the Preakness Stakes (G1) undercard.

In fact, no ESPN network will broadcast any race from Pimlico Race Course during Preakness week. The elimination of ESPN’s Preakness week coverage follows cuts the network already has made to its coverage of Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) week. ESPN broadcast 11 hours of racing coverage during Derby week last year, but it will do just five hours of Derby day coverage—including the undercard races—this year.

Maryland Jockey Club officials are talking with other national networks about picking up coverage of the May 16 Preakness undercard or other big races that week such as the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2) for three-year-old fillies on May 15. Baltimore’s WBAL Television will still offer its usual broadcast, which includes three hours before the race and post-race coverage after the national NBC broadcast.

“These changes happened for this year but we will evaluate things for next year,” said ESPN Spokesman Mark Mandel.

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association has worked with ESPN to support and broadcast horse racing events, like the undercard shows as well as series like “NTRA Racing to the Kentucky Derby.”

NBC will broadcast both the Derby and Preakness. Churchill Downs arranged for NBC-affiliated Bravo channel to broadcast the Kentucky Oaks (G1) on May 1.

ABC will broadcast the Belmont Stakes (G1) at 5 p.m. on June 6. Beginning at noon, ESPN will offer five hours of coverage before the broadcast shifts to ABC. Disney Corp. owns both ABC and ESPN.

Comments

  • fbwinnersfbwinners Senior Member
    edited April 2009
    Racing is falling big time in this day and time.
  • DraynayDraynay Banned
    edited April 2009
    fbwinners wrote: »
    Racing is falling big time in this day and time.

    No marketing and its hard to take the sport seriously when trainers get caught cheating on race day and are not thrown out.:cursing:
  • DraynayDraynay Banned
    edited April 2009
    fbwinners wrote: »
    Racing is falling big time in this day and time.

    Brilliant races were run by Quality Road and by This Ones for Phil and all everyone did is talk about the damn track. Wow... that is great for our sport talk about a "juiced" track instead of the amazing performances by 2 great horses.:idoit:
  • edited April 2009
    DRAYNAY i wish i could book your action on quality road...........your to opinionated and hooked like a drug addict on one horse.................you have much to learn in this game.............im done with you i would wish you good luck or racing..but i would be lying i hope you loose your ass off and have to get a second job to make your trailer park rent........sayonnara.............
  • rayphilrayphil Senior Member
    edited April 2009
    it doesnt suprise me anyway about the freakness coverage being drop..living in Baltimore the racing sucks here and the undercard has not been good for a few years anyway...
  • DraynayDraynay Banned
    edited April 2009
    gambler911 take it easy.... I am a sports fan and I love football and basketball. Who ever is playing my Vikings that team sucks for the day and whoever plays my Lakers they suck for the day.

    Don't take things personal. I don't know you all I know is if you think anyone is going to beat Quality Road in the Derby your wrong and your horse sucks.....lol.

    I am fully aware that there are 20 horses in the race and that anything can happen. Each year 32 teams start off going for the Superbowl and each year I think and swear the Vikings are going to win the Superbowl. What does that make me.....? It makes me a FAN.

    I am a FAN of Quality Roads. I saw him up close at the Florida Derby and he is a monster. If you like another horse great go with it but in my opinion your horse is a punk and can't beat MY favorite Quality Road.

    Horse racing is a sport and we all have the right to cheer on our favorite and we ALSO have a right to knock or boo the other guy.

    You don't have to like Quality Road just like I don't have to like your pick..... just come back here after the Derby and let me know how it worked out for you....good luck.
  • DUNCODUNCO Banned
    edited April 2009
    i was at the fl derby also and if you don't think they didn't roll the track to make it lighting fast you need need glasses.....they were running on a rock hard track .the drama and phil race was a hard thing to watch i thought for sure something bad was about to happen (i was at the finish line )and it's amazing they didn't go down ..................pleatcher was pissed because the track was playing diff. the whole meet your horse cracked a hove... magma fixed the track totry to take a step up the ladder and ward of chapt.11..........magma tried a power takeover of horse racing and lost...it that simple..NY racing has been going downhill for 20 years because of ack-duck ......nothing there to be proud of...they should of went belm -spa-gulf but theNY state wants all the control........
  • DUNCODUNCO Banned
    edited April 2009
    GAMBLER911 wrote: »
    DRAYNAY i wish i could book your action on quality road...........your to opinionated and hooked like a drug addict on one horse.................you have much to learn in this game.............im done with you i would wish you good luck or racing..but i would be lying i hope you loose your ass off and have to get a second job to make your trailer park rent........sayonnara.............

    i thought you said play nice!!
  • edited April 2009
    i always play nice but lost my temper when a horseplayer has full blinkers on and is being blindsided /blindfolded........i dont have to tell you the ups and downs in this game ,you have to be out of your mind to believe a horse cant lose especially the toughest race in a 20 horse field its stupidity or ignorance not sure which..i hope not to hear excuses like..weather-bad post-stuck in traffic-checked-steadied etc..after the race....those are the things you have to no can happen in any race..im done....
  • edited April 2009
    DRAYNAY one last post...dont ever say horse racing is a sport that went away 50 years ago its a business and as hall of fame conditioner jack vanberg stated while testifying in front of congress

    ' ITS CHEMICAL WARFARE OUT THERE NOWADAYS"
  • DUNCODUNCO Banned
    edited April 2009
    When They Asked Chris The Ant Man What Happen To Him On One Of His Derby Mounts ,,,he Said As They Hit The First Turn In A Tight Pack He Was In The Middle And The Two Horse Next To Him Lifted His Horse Up In The Air For 10-20 Yards And Droped Him Down ..end Of Story.................now !!that A Real Rush ...just Say No!!
  • DraynayDraynay Banned
    edited April 2009
    GAMBLER911 wrote: »
    i always play nice but lost my temper when a horseplayer has full blinkers on and is being blindsided /blindfolded........i dont have to tell you the ups and downs in this game ,you have to be out of your mind to believe a horse cant lose especially the toughest race in a 20 horse field its stupidity or ignorance not sure which..i hope not to hear excuses like..weather-bad post-stuck in traffic-checked-steadied etc..after the race....those are the things you have to no can happen in any race..im done....

    I look at it this way if the race was run 100 times no horse in history would win it all 100 times. So the only thing you can do is pick the horse who would win it most often and hope something strange doesn't happen to prevent you from being right.

    Quality Road is by far the best horse in this field. There are only 3 or 4 that are within 5 lengths of him. The rest are 10 or more.
  • edited April 2009
    I Also Remember The Biggest Superbowl Spread In History It Was Those Mighty Unbeatable Baltimore Colts Vs Those Jokers From The Minor Leauges.......we No How That Ended Up....broadway Joe Bought Alot Of Rounds In The Chrysler Bldg Bar In N.y..

    Next Time You See Back To Back Track Records On A Racetrack Broken Please Call Me Ok..
    Are You Aware Of What The Track Superintendents Job Is ??? Since You State You Have Been Going To Florida Tracks For Years Heres A Few Things To Think About...the 1994--1995 Meet Gulfstream Was Souped Up For Speed And Front Runners Won 80 Percent Of The Races No Closers Could Win.horseman Were Screaming And Taking There Horses To Fairgrounds Were They Had A Chance On A Fair Racetrack......frank Passerro Set A North American Training Record By Winning 19 Straight Races First Off The Claim,until They Could Figure Out How He Was Cheating........a Horse Called Captain Cronin Competed For 2 Months Under A Different Horses Name The Trainers Explained It That They Didnt Realise They Had The Wrong Horses In There Barns.......eclipse Award Winning Apprentice Jockey Of The Year Jesus Bracho,hold The Phone After Riding 1,200 Mounts And Winning Alot Under Weight Allowances It Was Discovered He Was A Journeyman Jockey In South America Prior To Arriving At Calder....i Could Go On And On Whats The Point Quality Road Cant Lose....
  • DraynayDraynay Banned
    edited April 2009
    Gambler911 you miss the point. Two very good 3 year horses ran very fast on a fast track. There was no magic that day and the track was prepared the same as it was on Thursday and Friday I know I was there.

    You and people like you want to take it away from the horses and put the BLAME on the track. The horses set the track record not the track. You act like you have never seen a track record before. The fact that one did it sprinting the other at 1 1/8th tells me you saw 2 fantastic performances and you DID.

    If Dr. Fager did it with Secretariat there would be no question would there ? Can you explain to me SHAM running the second fastest Derby of all time ??? Was the track juiced then too ??? Lord know SHAM was an average horse at best with only 1 major win in his life and didn't race past Belmont ... now a days we call that a broken weak horse.
  • hue21998hue21998 Banned
    edited April 2009
    Oh God I may have to trade in the Vikings hat hahahaha. I havnt written Quality Road off, Yet, But
    1. Possibly already peaked
    2. Quarter crack
    3. Jockey experience
    4. How he really came out of the Fla Derby (we will see in some works)
    5. Now possibly listed as the ML favorite.

    they may end up having to give Quality Road that 10 length head start.
  • hue21998hue21998 Banned
    edited April 2009
    I think the 2 Races a year that the Jock can really help Lose is the Derby and Belmont. Put an asterick next to this post and add a little note.... read me after the Derby.
  • edited April 2009
    DRAYNAY on thursday march 26 th two days prior to florida derby an allowance nx1 ran 6 furlong in 1.08 3/5ths. wire to wire approximately two full seconds faster than normal for the gulfstream track.....explain that please ????? just a fast sprinter huh ?? ???
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