Fox Swings and Misses in First Belmont Stakes Broadcast
The Triple Crown looked different Saturday afternoon. The final leg of the three-race series was not televised on NBC for the first time since 2011. Instead, Fox Sports served as the host for the Test of a Champion, the Belmont Stakes.
In recent years Fox Sports has shown a willingness to invest into quality horse racing coverage. That’s what made Saturday’s Belmont Stakes broadcast so perplexing.
For the big occasion, the network’s first Triple Crown race day, the network brought in some of its top football talent to serve as hosts. Curt Menefee was at the main desk and Tom Rinaldi reported from around the track, while Charissa Thompson and Chris “The Bear” Fallica handicapped from the paddock.
Bringing in A-listers for big race days is not a new concept. After all, Mike Tirico does it for NBC. But he also hosts the Olympics and provides play-by-play for Sunday Night Football. He does not sit in a studio alongside a bunch of former jocks who make quips while they read highlights on NFL Sunday.
The world of horse racing speaks a different language. When you aren’t around it frequently, it’s obvious. After Caravel won the Jaipur to punch its ticket to the Breeders’ Cup, Menefee marveled at her trainer, Brad Cox, “who’s known for his turf horses.” He probably meant to say that Cox is known for his fillies, and the latest just whooped the boys. It’s a simple mistake, albeit one that frustrates regular horse racing fans.
To make matters worse, Fox took all of their horse racing talent off the air to make way for people who rarely cover the sport.
Laffit Pincay III is an incredible host for America’s Day at the Races. He has a legendary name and a big voice that adds gravitas to the event. Gary Stevens is not always on his A-game, but he can fill time much better than Mike Smith, whose broadcasting inexperience showed. Even if they didn’t want Stevens on the stand, Richard Migliore is a lesser-known former jockey that provided the best insight of the bunch. I admittedly gripe too much about the NYRA homers, but at least they spend time around horse racing.
Last summer Fox carried the Travers Stakes and kept its FS1 horse racing talent intact for the broadcast and it worked well. I understand why they paid big money to bring in The Bear for events like this. Tom Rinaldi was incredible, because of course he was. But to abandon seemingly every broadcaster who works in horse racing year-round, sans the wonderful Maggie Wolfendale, was a terrible decision by the executives at Fox Sports.
Incredible Post Belmont Win Moment
One of the bright spots of the Belmont Stakes broadcast was Tom Rinaldi’s post-race interview with Arcangelo’s trainer, Jena Antonucci. The first female trainer to ever win the Belmont provided some unforgettable advice. “If you can’t find a seat at the table, make your own table.”
Tshiebwe Wins in Churchill Downs Debut at Ellis Park
The Churchill Downs spring meet is back in action, just at another track. The starting gates were filled with horses at Ellis Park on Saturday. Even though it’s listed as “Ellis Park” in all of your betting apps, the prize pools are originating from Churchill Downs. On the first of the 13 days of racing, which should include a few high-stakes races, Tshiebwe was a 6-5 winner. After three straight third-place finishes, Oscar Tshiebwe‘s namesake finally broke its maiden in career start No. 7.
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