ESPN ESPN (an initialism of their original name, which was the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by the Walt Disney Company (80% and operational control) and Hearst Commu ...

and

ESPN2 ESPN2 is an American multinational pay television network owned by ESPN Inc., a joint venture between the Walt Disney Company (which owns a controlling 80% stake) and Hearst Communications (which owns the remaining 20%). ESPN2 was initially ...

's coverage of

Thoroughbred racing Thoroughbred racing is a sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter known as National Hunt racing in ...

consisted of NTRA Racing to the Kentucky Derby., Road To The World Thoroughbred Championships/NTRA Racing to the Breeders' Cup, a series of prep races for the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships, the post position draw for the Kentucky Derby and

Preakness Stakes The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held annually on Armed Forces Day, the third Saturday in May at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland (except in 2026 when it will move to Laurel Park (race track), Laurel Park dur ...

, the

Kentucky Derby The Kentucky Derby () is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is run by three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of . Colt (horse), Colts and geldin ...

and

Belmont Stakes The Belmont Stakes is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over the worldwide classic distance of . Colt (horseracing), Colt ...

undercard races, the

Kentucky Oaks The Kentucky Oaks is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred fillies staged annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. The race currently covers at Churchill Downs; the horses carry . The Kentucky Oaks is held on the Frida ...

and Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, NTRA 2Day At the Races, Racing Across America, the Preakness undercard races, the Eclipse Awards show, and Long John Silver's Wire to Wire (previously known as RaceHorse Digest), a weekly thoroughbred racing magazine show. They also had Triple Crown morning shows such as Breakfast at Churchill Downs and Breakfast at Pimlico. ESPN also broadcast NTRA Super Saturdays as well. From 2006 to 2011, ESPN broadcast the

Breeders' Cup The Breeders' Cup World Championships is an annual series of Graded stakes race, Grade I Thoroughbred racing, Thoroughbred horse races, operated by Breeders' Cup Limited, a company formed in 1982. From its inception in 1984 through 2006, it was ...

ESPN on ABC ESPN on ABC (formerly known as ABC Sports from 1961 to 2006) is the branding used for sports event and documentary programming televised by American Broadcasting Company, ABC in the United States. Officially, the terrestrial television, broadca ...

also broadcast a portion of the Breeders' Cup.

NTRA Racing to the Kentucky Derby

NTRA Racing to the Kentucky Derby was a series of races produced by NTRA Productions that air on ESPN or ESPN2. These networks currently air seven races under the Racing to the Kentucky Derby banner. They are the Lane's End Stakes, Rushaway Stakes, Florida Derby, Swale Stakes, Arkansas Derby,

Blue Grass Stakes The Blue Grass Stakes, currently the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes due to sponsorship by the Toyota Motor Corporation, is a horse race for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds held annually in April at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Kentucky. The race is ru ...

, and Lexington Stakes. Previous races broadcast on ESPN as part of NTRA Racing to the Kentucky Derby include the Fountain of Youth Classic, Louisiana Derby, El Camino Real Derby, Gotham Stakes, UAE Derby,

Santa Anita Derby The Santa Anita Derby is an American Grade 1 thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run each April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is currently run at a distance of miles on the dirt and carries a purse of . It is one of t ...

, Illinois Derby, Wood Memorial, Holy Bull Stakes, Hutcheson Stakes, and Federico Tesio Stakes.

Personalities

Among ESPN's regulars on its horse racing telecasts were hosts Chris Lincoln, Chris Fowler, Joe Tessitore and Kenny Mayne, along with analysts Charlsie Cantey, Dave Johnson, Bob Neumeier, Jerry D. Bailey and Randy Moss, handicapper Hank Goldberg and reporters Lesley Visser, Jeannine Edwards and Jay Privman.

References

External links

* {{Thoroughbred racing on American television

ESPN original programming 2000s American sports television series 2010s American sports television series