NBC SPORTS BEGINS “ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY” COVERAGE

By Brian Nadeau —-

NBC SPORTS BEGINS “ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY” COVERAGE WITH THE LOUISIANA DERBY LIVE THIS SAT., MARCH 20 AT 6 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

STAMFORD, Conn. – March 18, 2021 – With the Kentucky Derby less than 50 days away, NBCSN presents exclusive live coverage of the $1 million Louisiana Derby this Saturday, March 20 at 6 p.m. ET from Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Louisiana Derby kicks off NBC Sports’ “Road to the Kentucky Derby” coverage on four consecutive Saturday afternoons on NBCSN. NBC Sports will present the 147th Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 1 at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

Exactly six weeks ahead of the May 1 running of the Kentucky Derby, the grade 2 Louisiana Derby marks the first prep race awarding Kentucky Derby qualifying points on a 100-40-20-10 scale for the top four finishers. John Velazquez, who rode 2020 Kentucky Derby winner Authentic, rides Proxy (7-2) in the eight-horse field.

Britney Eurton hosts Saturday’s coverage, alongside analysts Jerry Bailey, the Hall of Fame jockey who has twice won the Louisiana Derby, and Randy Moss.

Saturday’s coverage will include an interview with trainer Bob Baffert from his barn at Santa Anita as he prepares several top contenders for the Kentucky Derby. With a win in this year’s Derby, Baffert would earn his seventh career Kentucky Derby victory, breaking a tie with Ben Jones for the most ever by a trainer.

NBCSN will also present the Fair Grounds Oaks on Saturday, one of the major prep races on the “Road to the Kentucky Oaks.”

Coverage will be streamed live on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app – NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs.

Following is NBC Sports’ upcoming “Road to the Kentucky Derby” prep race schedule on NBCSN:

Race

Time (ET)

Louisiana Derby

Sat., March 20

6 p.m.

Florida Derby

Sat., March 27

6 p.m.

Wood Memorial, Bluegrass Stakes, Santa Anita Derby

Sat., April 3

5:30 p.m.

Arkansas Derby

Sat., April 10

7 p.m.

NBC SPORTS GROUP AND HORSE RACING: NBC Sports Group is the exclusive home to the most important and prestigious events in horse racing, including the Triple Crown, the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Royal Ascot, and Pegasus World Cup Invitational Series. NBC has been the exclusive home of the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes since 2001, and the Belmont Stakes since 2011, when NBC Sports Group reassembled the Triple Crown.

–NBC SPORTS–

TwinSpires Racing Analysts to Provide Blanket Coverage of Louisiana Derby Day Races

(New Orleans – March 21, 2020) — TwinSpires racing analyst Ed DeRosa will be backside during the lead-up to the big day conducting interviews with trainers, jockeys and connections surrounding the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby, Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks and the supporting stakes for TwinSpires social media channels.

DeRosa will also conduct interviews with track officials, and join Fair Grounds’ colleagues Joe Kristufek and Brian Nadeau for detailed wagering previews of the big races. TwinSpires will also be trackside on Saturday capturing all the news, views and reviews of the day’s racing, including pre-race and post-race interviews and track reports.

Kristufek and Nadeau’s popular “Barn Tours”, which highlight both the resumes and personalities of many of the competing 3-year-old stars, will also be featured on the TwinSpires and Fair Grounds social media platforms beginning mid-week.

TVG On-Site at Fair Grounds This Weekend

With a focus on the lead-up to Saturday’s Louisiana Derby Day card, TVG will provide on-site coverage of Fair Grounds racing Friday through Sunday. The on-site talent includes TVG personalities Mike Joyce, Scott Hazelton and Joaquin Jaime.

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About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots: Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, one of the nation’s oldest racetracks, has been in operation since 1872. Located in New Orleans, LA, Fair Grounds is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN); it also operates a slot-machine gaming facility and 13 off-track betting parlors throughout southeast Louisiana. The 149th Thoroughbred Racing Season – highlighted by the 108th running of the Louisiana Derby – will run from November 26, 2020 through March 28, 2021. More information can be found online at www.FairGroundsRaceCourse.com.