The announcement of the 2014 schedule was made today by David Nathanson, general manager and chief operating officer of FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2, and Ogden Mills Phipps, chairman of The Jockey Club.
While the nine telecasts will predominantly feature older horses, there will also be prominent races for 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds. The Toyota Blue Grass Stakes Day from Keeneland will provide fans the opportunity to watch contenders on the 2014 Triple Crown trail and the Saratoga Special from Saratoga Race Course in August will showcase 2-year-olds that might compete in the 2015 Triple Crown.
Each telecast will include at least two top stakes races featuring the leading horses in North America. The complete list of all races, as well as the names of the on-air talent for the shows, will be announced in the near future, pending final approval from all necessary organizations.
The partnership between the FOX Sports Media Group and The Jockey Club is a multi-year agreement that was announced in August 2013. FOX Sports 1, America’s new sports network, launched on Saturday, Aug. 17.
“We’re excited to begin our relationship with The Jockey Club on February 9 with live coverage of the Donn Handicap on FOX Sports 1,” said Nathanson. “FOX Sports is planning to take a fresh approach to horse racing coverage with a focus on the horses, jockeys, trainers, owners and horseplayers that make the sport one of America’s best pastimes.”
“As we have often stated, increasing the national television presence of Thoroughbred racing continues to be a key component of our fan retention and development efforts under the America’s Best Racing banner,” said Phipps. “This uniquely structured series will help casual fans follow the stars of our sport beyond the Triple Crown and into the summer and fall as many of them aim for the Breeders’ Cup. The inclusion of the Dubai World Cup certainly brings the sport’s international flavor to the series, and we are grateful to all of the participating racetracks for making these races available for our series.”
The agreement also includes international and Spanish-language rights, including the ability to air races on FOX Deportes, the nation’s leading Spanish-language sports network.
To view the schedule of races, click here.
