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You don't need to be a subscriber to the Daily Racing Form to enjoy the Kentucky Derby.
The history, colour and importance of the Triple Crown's first leg make it fun to watch. And the prerace television coverage quickly brings the uninitiated up to speed.
By the time the horses are out of the gate shortly after 6 p.m. EDT today, you should be well acquainted with the best of the field, their stories and the people involved.
One personality on whom NBC will focus is Rick Dutrow, the trainer of Derby favourite Big Brown. During a telephone conference call this week, NBC analyst Bob Neumeier described Dutrow, a New Yorker, as atypically brash.
"It's unusual to have a trainer be so boastful about a horse leading up to a race," Neumeier said. "Most of them are very, very cautious, superstitious, and afraid to say too much. They don't want to antagonize the opposition.
"Dutrow has been anything but that. He's been loud, he's been opinionated and some would say a little cocky. It may be a little bit of the New York style."
For example, when asked recently about Big Brown, Dutrow said: "We've got the best horse. I haven't seen any horse with my eyes that can beat him."
NBC will begin its prerace coverage at 5 p.m., but for the first hour, from 4 to 5 p.m., the content will consist of celebrity fluff. Access Hollywood host Billy Bush, a cousin of George W., will present Access At The Derby, a red-carpet production focusing on the VIPs attending the race.
These are silly things, but are quickly becoming standard fare at big sports event telecasts. Fox Sports Net aired a red-carpet show during baseball's All-Star Game last year, and Fox Television went all out with the red carpet during its 2008 Super Bowl pregame coverage. Whatever your preference, the real telecast starts at 5 p.m.
-- NBC has done well with the Derby since talking over as the race broadcaster from ABC in 2001. Last year, the telecast was watched by 11.5 million people, the largest audience in six years. NBC says viewership has increased 23 per cent over the past seven years.
-- Racing analysts Gary Stevens and Mike Battaglia listed their top-five greatest Kentucky Derby horses. Stevens: Secretariat, Affirmed, Seattle Slew, Barbaro and Silver Charm (which Stevens rode to victory at the Derby). Battaglia: Secretariat, Citation, Seattle Slew, Affirmed, Spectacular Bid.
Off and running
Still with horse racing, Peter Gross, the Toronto sports broadcaster, has launched a publication called Down The Stretch, online and in print. It's available at Woodbine biweekly, about 2,000 copies an issue and free of charge. Gross, formerly of City-TV and now 680News, is a racing fan.
"There's a great back story to this," he said. "My paper is being funded by my former babysitter, who won $16-million in the Super 7 [lottery] last year."
So, good luck to Peter, and particularly Tony and Mila Kalloo, Peter's former sitter.
Inspired by reporter?
There was one subsequent reference, on-air, to Hockey Night in Canada commentator Don Cherry's putdown of TSN reporter Jermain Franklin, who asked San Jose Sharks coach Ron Wilson last Sunday whether he needed more out of team captain Patrick Marleau, to which Wilson said, no, and then walked away, muttering: "It's always freaking negative. That's TSN, that's Canada."
Cherry rapped Franklin for asking a "stupid" question. That incensed people at TSN. On Tuesday, commenting on Marleau's playing well in a losing effort to Dallas Stars, Hockey Night host Ron MacLean said, jokingly: "Not hard to figure out. It's Jermain Franklin."
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