By Ryan Berenz
Forgive us if we lack excitement about this year’s Belmont Stakes. Not only is there no Triple Crown winner this year, but Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver and Preakness winner Lookin At Lucky are skipping the race. So who’s left? How about Dave in Dixie (20-1) jockeyed by Calvin Borel? Or how about trainer Nick Zito’s Ice Box (3-1) or Fly Down (9-2)? Sure. Makes no nevermind to me. ABC sort of takes a gamble every year they broadcast this race, hoping the Triple Crown will be at stake. They’ve been lucky at lot the past few years. This year, not so much. Here’s the full release and broadcast details from ESPN/ABC:
Belmont Stakes on ABC Saturday
ESPN and ABC will offer seven hours of coverage of the Belmont Stakes presented by Chase Saturday, June 5 starting at noon ET — including ABC’s two-hour race broadcast at 5 p.m. All Belmont programming on ABC and ESPN will be aired in high definition on ABC HD and ESPN HD, respectively.
Overall, ESPN will provide Belmont Stakes coverage on: ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN.com, ESPN3.com, ESPN International, ESPN Classic and ESPN Mobile TV.
Joe Tessitore will host the programming with analysts Jerry Bailey and Randy Moss, reporters Jeannine Edwards, Jay Privman, Steve Cyphers, Tom Rinaldi and Caton Bredar and handicappers Kenny Mayne and Hank Goldberg. ABC will use 38 cameras to cover the race, including a super slo-mo camera and a helicopter camera
Features to be aired during The Belmont telecast on ABC and ESPN will include:
- Alan Seewald, who died unexpectedly on April 12 at the age of 62, was the previous trainer of Uptowncharlybrown
- Alexis Barba, the trainer of Make Music for Me, attempting to be the first woman trainer to win a Triple Crown race.
- Is the length of time between the Triple Crown races too short?
- Trainer Nick Zito analyzes the state of horse racing in New York State.
The multimedia coverage will include:
- ESPN.com: Stories, updates and video clips all week leading up to the Belmont.
- ESPN3.com: Will simulcast both Today at Belmont Stakes and the Belmont Stakes Special on Saturday. ESPN3.com will also feature the entire Belmont race available on demand late Saturday night after 2:30 a.m. ET.
- ESPN Mobile TV: Will air Today at Belmont Stakes and the Belmont Stakes Special live on ESPN Mobile TV. Belmont customized content will also be featured on the ESPN Mobile Web in a dedicated section in the Hot Corner, a Breaking News Alert on the winner and video analysis. ESPN Mobile TV is ESPN’s 24/7 wireless video network available on Sprint TV, FLO TV and MobiTV platforms.
- ESPN International: Atlantic Network (Sub-Saharan Africa and Israel), Middle East Network (North Africa and the Middle East), Pac Rim (Australia and New Zealand), Latin American Network, Latin American Network-Brazil, and Latin-Caribbean Network.
Time (ET) Program Network
Noon – 2:30 p.m. Continental Tire Today at the Belmont Stakes presented by Emirates Airline ESPN
2:30 – 5 p.m. Continental Tire at The Belmont Stakes Special presented by Emirates Airline ESPN
5 – 5:30 p.m. Belmont Pre-Race presented by Chase
5:30 – 7 p.m. The 142nd Belmont Stakes presented by Chase
Photo: Credit: Ron Garrison/Lexington Herald-Leader/MCT
