NBCSN presents live elite horse racing this Saturday, April 9, at 5 p.m. ET, with coverage of the Wood Memorial, Blue Grass Stakes, and Santa Anita Derby. The winner of each race receives 100 points, enough to guarantee a spot in the gate for the Kentucky Derby, May 7 on NBC. Saturday will mark NBC Sports Group's first horse racing telecast of the year, following last year's historic season, which featured American Pharoah BECOMING the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978 and the first horse to win racing's "grand slam."
Top horses from the San Felipe Stakes, winner Danzing Candy, runner-up Mor Spirit and Exaggerator, lead the field at Santa Anita. In the past four years, two horses, I'll Have Another (2012) and California Chrome (2014), were victorious in the Santa Anita Derby before going on to win both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. Headed by Gotham STAKES winner Shagaf, a field of 3-year-olds will race in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, N.Y. The deep field for the Blue Grass Stakes, a prestigious 1 1/8-mile race for top 3-year-olds at Lexington's Keeneland Race Course, is led by previous Breeders' Futurity winner Brody's Cause, Zulu, second in the Fountain of Youth, and Donegal Moon. COMMENTATORS: NBCSN's coverage features host Tom Hammond, joined by Hall-of-Fame jockey Jerry Bailey, who has won each Triple Crown race twice; veteran horse racing analyst Randy Moss; and reporters Laffit Pincay III, Carolyn Manno, and Jay Privman.Videos