Thoroughbred Racing on NBC
originally aired on NBC
NBC's relationship with the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing dates back to 1949 when the NBC Red Network carried the first radio broadcast of the Kentucky Derby. NBC gained the broadcast rights to the Breeders' Cup from its inception in 1984. The network ran the race until 2005, when ESPN signed an eight-year television contract to broadcast the race starting in 2006. In 2011, NBC announced deals to broadcast Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes through 2015. In 2017, NBC began to carry coverage of Royal Ascot.