NBC lays out Big event strategy for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby

NBC Sports Group goes neck-deep in its annual Kentucky Derby blitz today, leading in to the 140th running of the famed race on NBC on Saturday starting at 4p. As part of its ‘Big Event Strategy,’ focusing on the food, fashion, celebrity and entertainment from the event, programming is set to include: TODAY’s Al Roker reporting live from Churchill Downs this morning, while Weekend TODAY anchor Dylan Dreyer reports live from Churchill Downs on Saturday. On Weather Channel, during Wake up With Al this morning, Roker and Stephanie Abrams report live from Churchill Downs on the latest conditions, while Sam Champion will be on site Friday during AMHQ with Sam Champion. CNBC will see Squawk on the Street feature an interview with Brown-Forman Master Distiller Chris Morris today on the Derby’s $1,000 mint julep; and Fast Money Halftime Report features Churchill Downs CEO Bob Evans as a guest. E! News has a first-look at this year’s Derby fashion from the red carpet on Saturday. Race day will also see derby picks from Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers and Fred Armisen.

Speaking of which, our friends at HRTV give us their annual Kentucky Derby picks:
Christina Blacker: Danza, Wicked Strong, California Chrome
Peter Lurie: California Chrome, Samraat, Candy Boy
Scott Hazelton: Dance With Fate, Danza, Tapiture

Related Stories

Whoopi Goldberg and cast mates will take The Stand on CBS All Access Dec. 17

whoopi-goldberg

The Stand, CBS All Access’ television adaptation of the storied 1978 Stephen King novel, will debut December 17. Starring Whoopi Goldberg, Alexander Skarsgard, James Marsden, Odessa Young, Jovan Adepo and Amber Heard, the limited series unfolds around King’s apocalyptic struggle between good and evil after a plague destroys most of the country. Ben Cavell serves […]

McKinnon lands unprecedented Exotic deal

Get ready cats and kittens. Joe Exotic (working title), UCP’s limited series starring and exec-produced by Kate McKinnon, scored a straight-to-series order by both the NBCU television and streaming divisions. In an unprecedented move, project will roll out across broadcast net NBC, streamer Peacock, and a basic cable net USA. Series is based on the […]

Cat’s meow: Quaid will star in his own animal rescue story

Cat's meow: Quaid will star in his own animal rescue story

Dennis Quaid is the cat’s meow. He’s partnering with ITV America’s Leftfield Pictures for unscripted TV project Saving Dennis Quaid, which he’ll star in and exec produce. Project documents the animal lover’s recent headline-making pet rescue where he and partner Jimmy Jellinek set out on a mission to adopt a 6-year-old black cat from Lynchburg, […]

Turner Sports Shaq’s up

Big news at Turner Sports, as the company lands a multiyear extension of its partnership with Shaquille O’Neal. Shaq’s expanded role gains the Basketball Hall of Famer more airtime, including on TNT’s Inside the NBA and NBA on TNT, as well as contributions to NBA.com. He also will develop projects throughout the WarnerMedia portfolio including […]

The Tonys go digital

The Tonys go digital

The 74th Annual Tony Awards ceremony will go on, presented digitally sometime in the fall. Date and platform are TBA. The event had originally been scheduled for June 7, but was replaced by plans for a streaming special on the same date due to COVID-19. That special was postponed amid unrest over the George Floyd […]

CynCity

Cynsiders

Instagram