Kentucky Derby Delivers Most Watched 2020 Sporting Event Since Super Bowl LIV

NBC Sports' presentation of the rescheduled 146th Kentucky Derby on Saturday averaged a preliminary* Total Audience Delivery of 8.4 million viewers across NBC and NBC Sports Digital – ranking as the most-watched sporting event since Super Bowl LIV in February and the most-watched sporting event on Labor Day Weekend since 2017, based on fast national data from Nielsen and digital data from Adobe Analytics (*does not include Out of Home viewership, which is included in official national viewership as of Aug. 31, 2020, and will be available later this week).

In addition, 9.8 million viewers watched on NBC as Authentic crossed the finish line 1 1/4 lengths ahead of favorite Tiz the Law.

Immediately following the Kentucky Derby on NBC, Saturday night's Game 7 of the New York Islanders-Philadelphia Flyers Second Round series (a 4-0 Islanders' victory), averaged a preliminary TAD of 2.57 million viewers – marking the most-watched game of the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Additional Viewership Highlights:

  • The 2020 Kentucky Derby, with 8.3 million viewers on NBC (TV only), topped by 20% the most-watched sporting event on last year's Labor Day Weekend (6.9 million, Oregon-Auburn college football on ABC, Sat. 8/31/19).
  • The 2020 Kentucky Derby (6:37-7:23 p.m. ET) delivered a 4.8/14 fast national rating. Local market ratings for all 56 metered markets will be available Monday afternoon. (By comparison, the 2019 Kentucky Derby telecast registered a 10.9 overnight rating with a 25 audience share.)
  • NBC Sports Digital delivered an Average Minute Audience of 132,800 viewers for the 2020 Kentucky Derby to rank as NBC Sports' most-streamed horse racing event ever.

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Derby Aftermath: Tagg Mum On Potential Preakness Run By Tiz The Law

Followup from the connections of Saturday's Grade 1 Kentucky Derby starters is provided by the Churchill Downs media office:

TIZ THE LAW – Sackatoga Stable's Tiz the Law is scheduled to return to New York on Tuesday following his runner-up effort in Saturday's Kentucky Derby with plans for a next start to be determined.

“I just looked him over,” trainer Barclay Tagg said before heading to Lexington to begin the search for the next Tiz the Law at this week's yearling sale. “His legs are good. He ate good. Everything's good.”

The four-time Grade 1 winner, who went off as the 7-10 favorite Saturday, sustained only the second loss in his eight-race career with both setbacks coming at Churchill Downs. He was third in last November's Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) on a sealed sloppy track.

In the Derby, Tiz the Law drew up alongside Authentic at the top of the stretch but never passed the eventual winner.

“The jock (Manny Franco) said that when he really had to get down and run, he was kind of swimming on that track. He didn't like the track,” Tagg said. “You could see it in the stretch. He looked like he was going to go on by and win easy. His last (Beyer) number was a 109 (in the Travers). He bounced down to a 103 this time.

“The jock told me that and when I watch the replay you could see he just wasn't getting a hold of it nicely. If you want to make an excuse, that is probably an excuse. He's come out of well. He ate up his dinner last night. He'll go back to New York Tuesday. I don't want to say too much about the Preakness. I just want to see how he is. He'll go back to New York and we'll evaluate him.”

MR. BIG NEWSAllied Racing's Kentucky Derby third-place finisher Mr. Big News was “all good” Sunday morning, according to trainer Bret Calhoun.

“He gave us a big thrill,” Calhoun said. “It was an awesome race and we are so proud of this colt.”

Next race plans are yet to be determined.

HONOR A. P. – C R K Stable's Honor A. P. was “doing good” Sunday morning, one day after rallying late for fourth as the 7-1 second choice. The Honor Code colt had a poor start and was last after the first six furlongs. Trainer John Shirreffs and jockey Mike Smith had said Saturday after the race that he was floundering on the track early.

cWhen asked what might be next for Honor A.P., Shirreffs said: “I haven't even thought about that. He'll head back to California Monday and we'll see.”

MAX PLAYER – George Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbred Corp.'s Max Player was doing well Sunday morning, but his connections were obviously disappointed after his inside post position compromised his chances Saturday.

“He didn't jump away from the gate as well as I had hoped and jumped up and down in the dirt early first time by, but continued running late,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “I think there's more there, and circumstances need to be created to get it.”

As for the Preakness, Asmussen said “I have not spoken with Mr. Hall to see what his plans are. I definitely think that would be me getting ahead of myself.”

STORM THE COURT – Exline-Border Racing, David Bernsen, Susanna Wilson and Dan Hudock's Storm the Court is scheduled to return to his Southern California base on an early Monday morning flight according to trainer Peter Eurton.

Eurton, who was traveling back to Southern California early Sunday morning, said Storm the Court appeared to come out of his sixth-place Derby finish fine and there were no immediate plans for Storm the Court's next race.

ENFORCEABLE – Assistant trainer David Carroll reported all was good with John Oxley's Enforceable the morning after the colt finished seventh in the Kentucky Derby.

The son of Tapit was closer to the pace than usual, rating fifth through the opening half mile, before weakening in the lane.

“His legs are cold and tight, he cleaned up his feed,” said Carroll, assistant to Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse. “We're very happy with him. We'll live to fight another day. He broke sharp, and (jockey) Adam (Beschizza) never hustled him, he got a clean trip around there. He got us to the big dance and we're proud of him and most of all he came back safe.”

NY TRAFFIC – John Fanelli, Cash is King, Paul Braverman and Team Hanley's Ny Traffic lost a shoe in the running of the Kentucky Derby and was a little banged up, but was no worse for the wear Sunday morning, according to trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. No definite plans have been made for his next start.

“He came out well soundness wise,” Joseph said via text. “He got a few cuts front and back. No race in mind at the moment. We'll see how he is in 7-10 days and then go from there.”

NECKER ISLAND – Raymond Daniels, Wayne Scheer and Will Harbut Racing's Necker Island walked the shedrow at trainer Chris Hartman's barn Sunday morning following his ninth-place Derby finish.

“He came back in good shape,” Hartman said. “I'll wait three or four days before we start mapping out a race.”

MAJOR FED – Lloyd Madison Farm's Major Fed cooled out well following Saturday's Kentucky Derby.

“He has a couple of little nicks on him but he's doing well,” said trainer Greg Foley, who stood alongside the homebred colt while he grazed. “It was the opportunity of a lifetime.”

“He had no business being up there where he was,” Foley said of Major Fed breaking sharply from the gate. “Bumper cars going into that first turn. I mean, he was a length off the lead. I don't know if he was too fresh and broke like that and was down in there. That was the end of our chances. Everything had to go good for us. It didn't. He came back good. He looks fine. He ate up. We'll regroup in a little bit. He's eligible for a 'one other than' (first-level allowance). That's about where he'll show up next. Go from there. He'll look pretty good in that.”

SOLE VOLANTE – Reeves Thoroughbreds and Andie Biancone's Sole Volante was heading back to his South Florida base after finishing 11th in the Kentucky Derby.

“He's fine, he's good,” said Andie Biancone, who is also assistant to her father Patrick Biacone and the regular exercise rider for the gelding. “He obviously took a lot of dirt in his face, but he scoped clean. We're happy and proud of him. He'll probably get a break now and maybe go back to the turf.”

WINNING IMPRESSION – Trainer Dallas Stewart reported Winning Impression came out of the Kentucky Derby in good shape Sunday morning.

MONEY MOVES – Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who was overseeing the care of Money Moves on behalf of his former protégé Todd Pletcher, said the colt emerged from his 13th-place finish in good order and was slated to ship back to New York on Tuesday.

ATTACHMENT RATE –Trainer Dale Romans reported via text everything was well Sunday morning with Attachment Rate.

SOUTH BEND – South Bend was reported to be unaffected by wear after finishing 15th in the Kentucky Derby. The Bill Mott-trained colt was attempting to give his conditioner back-to-back victories in the classic after Country House was elevated to the win last year via disqualification.

“He was fine. He made a bit of a middle move around the turn and into the head of the stretch but it just wasn't his day,” assistant trainer Kenny McCarthy said.

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NYRA Announces Jockey COVID-19 Protocols for Belmont Fall Meet

The New York Racing Association announced Sunday its COVID-19 health and safety protocols for jockeys during the 27-day Belmont Park fall meet, which will open Friday, Sept. 18 and run through Sunday, Nov. 1.

In order to mitigate risk and reduce the spread of COVID-19, Belmont Park will be closed to out-of-town jockeys until further notice. Members of the regular NYRA jockey colony who travel to ride at any other racetrack during the Belmont Park fall meet will be required to provide two negative COVID-19 tests taken within a five-day window in order to return to ride at Belmont. Jockeys traveling out of state who have completed the required testing will then be physically isolated in the jockey quarters for three additional calendar days.

For example, if a NYRA jockey travels out of New York to compete on a Saturday, then that jockey should be tested upon return to New York on Sunday and tested again on Thursday. Should both tests be returned negative then the jockey will be allowed to ride races at Belmont beginning Friday and will be provided an isolated area on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

NYRA jockeys who have traveled outside of New York state to compete at other racetracks beginning the week of Aug. 31 will also be required to provide two negative COVID-19 tests taken within the 5-day window preceding that jockey’s first mount at Belmont Park.

Jockeys who have remained in New York and not competed at other tracks following the conclusion of the Saratoga meet Sept. 7 will be required to provide a negative COVID-19 test taken within the 7-day window preceding that jockey’s first mount at Belmont Park.

All testing must be performed in New York state.

Condition Book 1 for the fall meet currently lists 17 active jockeys and two apprentice riders who will be designated members of the NYRA jockey colony. Jockeys and agents interested in being included in the NYRA jockey colony may contact NYRA Senior Vice President of Racing Operations Martin Panza for consideration by Sept. 18.

In addition to race-day safety protocols which include standard health screening and temperature checks, the jockey quarters at Belmont Park have been substantially altered to provide maximum social distancing and reduce density. All areas accessed by jockeys during the regular course of a race day are closed to outside personnel, including credentialed media, and are cleaned and disinfected throughout the day.

Jockeys are not permitted access to the barn area. In order to work a horse in the morning, the jockey must meet the horse in the paddock and may then proceed to the main track.

Jockey agents must produce a negative COVID-19 test in order to gain access to the barn area. Races will continue to be drawn via Zoom.

All valets must provide a negative COVID-19 test taken anytime after Sept. 13 in order to access the jockey quarters on opening day, Sept. 18. Valets working in the jockey quarters are not permitted in the barn area.

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Dewhurst Next Port of Call for Etonian

Undefeated G3 Solario S. hero Etonian (Ire) (Olympic Glory {Ire}) is aiming for the G1 Dewhurst S. at Newmarket on Oct. 10. Trained by Richard Hannon, the bay colt got off the mark on debut at Sandown on July 23 and followed up with a 1 1/4-length win in the Solario there on Aug. 23.

“The thought at the moment is to go for the Dewhurst,” said owner Julie Wood. “It is lovely to have a horse capable of performing at this level again as it has been a while. He keeps it all for his races, but he is a real trier. We thought he was nice straight away, but until they get to the track you never know, and he has now done it twice now. Obviously we would like to finish off this season as good as we can, but the dream is the G1 2000 Guineas next year. He is a lovely horse to look forward to.”

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