As ESPN gears up for its Breeders’ Cup World Championships telecast on November 6-7, the sports channel plans to broadcast a prep race on October 10 between two college football games.
ESPN will show either the Goodwood Stakes (G1), which is expected to include Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) winner Mine That Bird, or the Lady’s Secret Stakes (G1), expected to draw undefeated mare Zenyatta. Both races will be contested during the Oak Tree at Santa Anita Park meeting, which also will welcome this year’s Breeders’ Cup.
“This year’s Breeders’ Cup Challenge telecast on ESPN is full of excitement and is an interesting model which includes televising a marquee race live during ESPN’s college football doubleheader in between the two games,” said Breeders’ Cup President Greg Avioli.
On October 11, ESPN plans a telecast from Keeneland Race Course featuring the Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (G1) and the Bourbon Stakes (G3), a turf race for juveniles.
On October 17, ESPN will telecast international races from Woodbine and Newmarket. The Pattison Canadian International (Can-G1), E.P. Taylor Stakes (Can-G1), and Neartic Stakes (Can-G2) will be telecast from Woodbine while the Emirates Champion Stakes (Eng-G1) will be shown on tape delay from Newmarket.
“Given the increased participation and success of international Thoroughbreds in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, we thought it would be fitting to close our ESPN telecast schedule with international races,” Avioli said.