Thoroughbred Racing on CBS
| Thoroughbred Racing on CBS | |
|---|---|
Multi-camera | |
| Running time | 120 minutes or until race ends |
| Production company | CBS Sports |
| Original release | |
| Network | CBS |
| Release | June 12, 1948 – June 8, 1985 |
Thoroughbred Racing on CBS is the de facto title for a series of horse races events whose broadcasts are produced by CBS Sports, the sports division of the CBS television network in the United States.
History
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CBS first televised horse racing in 1948 with their broadcast of the Belmont Stakes. CBS would broadcast the Belmont Stakes the following year before losing the rights to NBC for the next three years. CBS would resume broadcasting the Belmont Stakes in 1953 and continue to televise it through 1985.
A year after their inaugural telecast of the Belmont Stakes, CBS broadcast the Preakness Stakes, which they would continue to do so through 1976. In 1977, ABC was awarded the contract to televise the Preakness.
Finally, CBS broadcast the Kentucky Derby from 1952 to 1974. The 1952 Kentucky Derby was the first to be broadcast on network television; Louisville had previously not been connected to network lines.
Notable moments
- Laurel Park at the request of Penny Chenery, Secretariat's owner, who hired companies to conduct a forensic review of the videotapes of the race, and Thomas Chuckas, the president of the Maryland Jockey Club. After over two hours of testimony, the commission unanimously voted to change the time of Secretariat's win from 1:542⁄5 to 1:53, establishing a new stakes record.[2] The Daily Racing Form then announced that it would honor the commission's ruling with regard to the running time.[3]
- 1973 Belmont Stakes – Secretariat became the ninth Triple Crown winner in history, and the first in 25 years since Citation. CBS Television announcer Chic Anderson described the horse's pace in a famous commentary: "Secretariat is widening now! He is moving like a tremendous machine!"[4]
- Triple Crownof the 20th century.
The end of CBS' involvement
In 1985, Triple Crown Productions was created when the owner of Spend a Buck chose not to run in the other two Triple Crown races because of a financial incentive offered to any Kentucky Derby winner who could win a set of competing races in New Jersey. The organizers of the three races realized that they needed to work together.[5] Other than the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes were considered the two "other" races. ABC Sports, which had broadcast the Derby since 1975, wanted to televise all the races as a three race package. CBS Sports, which showed the other two races, had much lower ratings for them, with the possible exceptions of years in which the Crown was at stake like 1973, 1977, and 1978.
Commentators
References
- ^ "Preakness - Secretariat.com". Secretariat.com. 2012. Retrieved May 3, 2012.
- ^ "Secretariat's '73 Preakness time is a record, racing commission rules". CNN. June 19, 2012. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
- ^ Hegarty, Matt (June 19, 2012). "Secretariat awarded Preakness record at 1:53 after review". Daily Racing Form. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
- ^ "This day in history: June 9, 1973". Vancouver Sun. June 11, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2015.
- ^ Paulick, Ray (November 17, 2010). "Selling Triple Crown As A Package Deal". Paulick Report. Retrieved June 13, 2015.