Even even though Saturday’s Belmont Stakes marks the very first time Fox Sports has carried one particular of horse racing’s Triple Crown events, the network has a history of covering the sport.
Fox has carried the New York Racing Association’s summer time meet from Saratoga Race Course due to the fact 2016 on FS1 and FS2. The partnership expanded to each day racing from Belmont and Saratoga in 2021 followed by an eight-year agreement beginning this year to do the Belmont Stakes.
“It aids immensely,” Fox producer Pete Macheska stated about the longstanding partnership with NYRA. “They’ve been excellent operating with us and assisting us in our very first year carrying out this race.”
Fox took more than the Belmont from NBC, which had carried all 3 Triple Crown races due to the fact 2011. NBC nevertheless does the Kentucky Derby and Preakness.
NYRA has gone its personal way from time to time in locating a tv residence for the Belmont Stakes. Even even though the Kentucky Derby and Preakness went from CBS to ABC in the mid-1970s, the Belmont Stakes remained on CBS by means of 1985. ABC carried the whole Triple Crown from 1986-2000 prior to NBC took it more than in 2001. Immediately after 5 years on NBC, the Belmont Stakes moved to ABC from 2006-ten.
Fox will go with a two-network method for Saturday’s 155th operating of the Belmont Stakes. Fox will have practically three 1/two hours of coverage starting at four p.m. EDT, featuring Curt Menefee, trainer Tom Amoss and Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith.
Smith won the Belmont 3 instances, which includes aboard Justify when he captured the Triple Crown in 2018.
Chris Fallica, a mainstay for several years on ESPN’s “College Gameday,” tends to make his Fox Sports debut by sharing handicapping suggestions alongside Charissa Thompson.
Horse racing fans who generally tune in to NYRA races on FS1 will be capable to get the coverage they are accustomed to at the identical location. “America’s Day at The Belmont” will be geared extra toward skilled handicappers and will be helmed by Laffit Pincay, Greg Wolf and Andy Serling. It also will function Jonathon Kinchen, Gary Stevens, Acacia Clement, Michelle Yu, Richard Migliore, Paul Lo Duca and Maggie Wolfendale, who are stalwarts for the duration of the Saratoga meet. The FS1 coverage starts at 11 a.m. EDT.
Fox’s greatest addition to its coverage, even though, is Hall of Fame track announcer Tom Durkin, who was the longtime voice of the Triple Crown and NYRA tracks till his retirement in 2014. Durkin will get in touch with 4 races on Fox, which includes the Belmont Stakes, which has a 7:05 p.m. EDT post time.
“Getting him was a massive factor,” Macheska stated. “Now, you know, Tom hasn’t completed it for a though. He’s been practicing. It is not that simple to just choose it up just after you haven’t completed it for quite a few years. I consider he’ll be really excited about it and we’re thrilled to have him.”
Fox’s Tom Rinaldi will also be a component of the coverage, with characteristics on the 50th anniversary of Secretariat winning the Triple Crown and an interview with trainer Bob Baffert.
Even even though the Triple Crown is not on the line this year, Fox nevertheless intends to make the most of the day.
“It’s nevertheless a prestigious race and a test of champions (at 1 1/two miles). It is nevertheless a massive betting occasion in New York, and we would like to bring that across,” Macheska stated.
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