LEXINGTON, KY (April 4, 2013) – The 89th running of the $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland on April 13 will be broadcast live on NBC as part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby series, which is spotlighting six major prep races for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1). The 90-minute program, which begins at 4:30 p.m. (ET), will be hosted by Lexington native Tom Hammond and feature expert analysis from Randy Moss, Jerry Bailey, Kenny Rice and Donna Barton Brothers.
NBC’s Lexington affiliate, LEX18, will provide additional coverage with an hour-long Toyota Blue Grass Stakes Day Preview beginning at 3:30 p.m. LEX18 will have 30 minutes of post-race coverage that begins at 6 p.m.
The Toyota Blue Grass is the richest race of Keeneland’s spring meet, which opens April 5 for 16 days of racing through April 26. As always, the track will stream live racing video on Keeneland.com, enabling fans to watch the races at no cost. Online patrons can participate in live chats and handicapping analysis hosted by Jeremy Plonk and Joe Kristufek, who will be joined by such guests as Bob Neumeier and Caton Bredar.
Keeneland also will stream the Trakus race feed on its website, showing race replays in various animated formats using the patented, real-time technology.
Daily racing coverage on TVG
TVG will provide comprehensive on-site coverage of Keeneland each day beginning at 1 p.m. Post time for the first race is 1:05 p.m. TVG’s coverage includes the $500,000 Central Bank Ashland Stakes (G1) on April 6, the $300,000 Maker’s 46 Mile (G1) on April 12 and the $200,000 Coolmore Lexington Stakes (G3) on April 20.
On April 10, TVG will carry live coverage of the post position draw for the Toyota Blue Grass from 11:30 a.m.-noon, hosted by Tom Leach and Todd Schrupp.
Throughout the spring season, additional TVG coverage from Keeneland will air on FOX Sports affiliates, including FSN Prime.
Special features, race replays
Regional coverage of Keeneland racing includes:
“Keeneland Magazine on TV,” on Thursday, April 4, on Lexington’s CWKYT at 7 p.m. The 30-minute program features “The Bradley Bunch: Father-and-Son Horsemen Defy the Odds to Reach Racing’s Pinnacle;” “Capturing Their Essence: From Secretariat to Zenyatta, Artist Jaime Corum Brings Her Equine Subjects to Life;” “Her Just Desserts: Lexington Pastry Chef Stella Parks Earning National Acclaim” and “Keeneland Winners: Wise Dan.” “Keeneland Magazine on TV” will be re-broadcast on Saturday, April 6, at 12:30 p.m. on WKYT.
- “Keeneland Close Up,” a 30-minute show at 9:30 a.m. on Saturdays during the racing season on Lexington’s LEX18.
- “Today at Keeneland,” a daily race recap show airing in Lexington on Insight Cable on CWKYT at 7 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays; at 6:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays; and at 8 p.m. on Toyota Blue Grass Day, April 13. “Today at Keeneland” also can be seen on TVG the following day. Check listings at tvgnetwork.com.
On the radio
Horse Racing Radio Network, the Eclipse Award-winning broadcast organization, will provide live coverage of Keeneland during the spring racing season. Coverage will include the April 12 Maker’s 46 Mile (5-5:30 p.m.); the April 13 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes, Jenny Wiley Stakes (G1), Madison Stakes (G1) and Commonwealth Stakes (G3) (as well as the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby) from 4-7 p.m.; and the April 20 Coolmore Lexington Stakes from 4:30-5:30 p.m. Fans can listen in on Sirius 93, WLXO 96.1 FM in Lexington and HRRN affiliates across the country.
The Kentucky Winner’s Circle will return to Keeneland Saturdays this spring with a live, two-hour stakes preview featuring on-track interviews with owners, trainers, racing personalities and Keeneland officials. The shows on April 6 and April 13 will air on Clear Channel Louisville stations 1080 WKJK & 790 WKRD, respectively, from 3-5 p.m.
April Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale coverage
Keeneland’s spring season annually includes its April Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale, which this year has cataloged 137 juveniles. Keeneland will stream live video of the sale’s Preview Day (under-tack show) on Thursday, April 4, at 10:30 a.m. Replays of Preview Day workouts will be available on Keeneland.com beginning that afternoon and through the sale on April 8. Video also will be available in Keeneland’s sales pavilion TV viewing room beginning at 8 a.m. on Friday, April 5.
Live coverage of the April 8 sale will be available on Keeneland.com beginning at 4 p.m.
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For more than 75 years, The Keeneland Association has devoted itself to the health and vibrancy of the Thoroughbred industry. As the world’s largest Thoroughbred auction company, Keeneland conducts sales every January, April, September and November. Its sales graduates dominate racing across the globe at every level. In April and October, Keeneland offers some of the highest caliber and richest Thoroughbred racing in the world. Uniquely structured, Keeneland is a private, for-profit corporation that returns its earnings back to the industry and the community in the form of higher purses, as well as millions of dollars in charitable contributions for education, research and health and human services throughout Central Kentucky. To learn more about Keeneland, visit us online at www.keeneland.com.
For more information contact Amy Gregory at 859 361-3490 or Julie Balog at 859 288-4250
Amy Gregory | Keeneland Association Inc | Media Relations Manager
4201 Versailles Rd. | Lexington, KY 40510 USA | PO Box 1690 | Lexington, KY 40588-1690 USA
Direct Line 859-288-4376 | Fax | http://www.keeneland.com