ABC Coverage

[Tom]

Did they totally skip over the Manhattan? I turned to TVG becasue it was post time and they still rambling on about some nonsense. When I came back, they were still mumbling on and on.

[njcurveball]

I think you are right! The race is over and I didn't see it, But I did see two of the pieces they already showed on ESPN.

[stuball]

It is a replay of all the stuff that was on ESPN earlier...
How dull..................

Stuball :bang:

[toussaud]

this is what's wrong.

at the end.. horse racing fans get screwed

I'M SITTING HERE WATCHING FREAKING KENNY MAYNE AND CHIP IN A DAMN PICKUP TRUCK WHILE THERE IS A VERY IMPORTANT GRADE 1 TURF RACE ON!

pisses me off.

[Quagmire]

They never mentioned it. ESPN showed an MSW and ABC skipped a G1.

[FenceBored]

Silly viewer. nobody wants to watch a Grade 1 turf race.

Which would you rather see first, our in-depth look at Brave Victory's path to the Belmont, or our "where are they now" feature on Rick Dutrow?

[cmoore]

Twinspires didn't have it either...It was posted that they couldn't show the race..But the idiots at ABC totally skipped it..IDIOTS!!!!

[JimG]

This situation of not showing the Manhatten should serve as the poster child of how the everyday racing fan gets screwed. I guess you had to be at the track or an otb to see it. I fail to see why/how a distinction is made between otb patrons and online players.

Jim

[garyoz]

It was carried live on TVG. Believe ABC/ESPN (they are both Disney Companies) have the first rights to the live broadcast. If they carry the race, TVG/HRTV can't show the video until results are official. If they decline to carry the live race, then TVG/HRTV can carry the race live. Probably they think that the ABC Network viewers are different than the ESPN viewers, hence more of the human interest garbage and passing on a Grade I which might be meaningless to a casual viewer. Not trying to defend, but rather explain.

[Mineshaft]

Coverage was horrible especially the Belmont when they showed the view from up top. I DO NOT WANT TO SEE the camera view from up top its stupid.

[slew101]

I also tried to get it on Twinspires and they didn't show it. This nonsense has been going on for 20 years. The race before the triple crown race is never shown on the network broadcast, even when the race is running when they are on the air. I didn't even try ABC.

[Fingal]

Dang i"m glad it's not just me. After the 9th I looked at the upcoming post time on my TSN PPs, figured I had X amount of time for a Bathroom break, hit the fridge, whatever..........Next thing I know ABC is talking about getting ready for the Belmont Stakes. HUH ? If a race is run without showing it, did it really exist ?

[ghostyapper]

The strange thing was even during the post parade for the belmont they were showing the results of the all the stakes races at belmont in a loop but never mentioned the manhattan.

[slew101]

Even better, a few years ago, either NBC or ABC had their host in the booth talking while the turf stakes race was running live behind him! It was one of the triple crown races. They never mentioned the race.

I do recall one year, the turf feature was shown, I think on ABC, and figured someone must have finally figured 2 minutes of a live race is a good thing. Next year, it was back to not being shown. :bang:

The strange thing was even during the post parade for the belmont they were showing the results of the all the stakes races at belmont in a loop but never mentioned the manhattan.

[Imriledup]

If anyone here watched the TVG special a few days ago where they showed the 15 past Belmonts, you noticed that in the earlier runnings in the 70s and 80s it was no nonsense, one pan shot end of discussion.

But, later on, i think in the late 80s or early 90s they started showing these kiddie cartoon angles that no one wants to see. There is actually no one i've ever met or known of who said "yeah, i want to see a closeup of a horses's nostril because the money i've wagered doesn't mean all that much to me and my family, therefore, its ok if my eyes lose track of my wagering interest for a few seconds, i don't have to see my bet and how the race is unfolding because like i said, the money i bet doesn't matter to me, its all fun and games, i'm not serious when i bet"

[Southieboy]

Anybody miss the days of the CBS hour Belmont broadcasts?

[Derbyman32]

If anyone here watched the TVG special a few days ago where they showed the 15 past Belmonts, you noticed that in the earlier runnings in the 70s and 80s it was no nonsense, one pan shot end of discussion.

But, later on, i think in the late 80s or early 90s they started showing these kiddie cartoon angles that no one wants to see. There is actually no one i've ever met or known of who said "yeah, i want to see a closeup of a horses's nostril because the money i've wagered doesn't mean all that much to me and my family, therefore, its ok if my eyes lose track of my wagering interest for a few seconds, i don't have to see my bet and how the race is unfolding because like i said, the money i bet doesn't matter to me, its all fun and games, i'm not serious when i bet"

and thought I was the only one who hated the switching back and forth to weird views

[slew101]

Remember them featuring Jimmy the Greek, who was handicapping on the air using the pocket program that just listed the names and numbers. Brent Musburger used to do the Belmonts for CBS.

Anybody miss the days of the CBS hour Belmont broadcasts?

[Zenyatta To Crush]

The Manhattan never seems to be on tv. They would rather show other stories that had already been shown multiple times on ESPN earlier in the day. I can't blame them. There are a lot of people who only want to watch the features about the belmont contenders, then the race itself. They could care less about a turf race with horses they've never heard of. The horseplayers get screwed though because I am still very interested in watching the Manhattan.

It seems to me that NBC did a much better job than ABC with the triple crown coverage. I like how ESPN showed a bunch of the undercard races (even allowance races), but the coverage for the race itself stunk. I don't know if its just me, but I hate when they show multiple cameras for each turn, and zoom up really close. Shouldn't that stuff be saved for post race analysis? There are other horses in the race besides the first two horses. They should try zooming out and not being so creative with the cameras. Show those extra camera angles after the race, not during.

[ManeMediaMogul]

The coverage was horrible on so many levels.

The "grueling" opening...to the always inept Hank Goldberg...to Jerry Bailey's dissing of fellow Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith...to that idiotic, poorly written and badly acted piece in the pick-up truck.

Jim McKay and Roone Arledge were no doubt spinning in their graves.

[depalma113]

For the networks, the Triple Crown is a TV show. It's not about the betting.

Roone Arledge gave us the "up close and personal" athlete features that dominate sports television.

That up close and personal feature became a mainstay of racing when they put a camera on Mrs. Gentry in the 1990 Derby. When they won an emmy for the "Thrill of Victory Moment", the coverage of racing was going to change for ever.

It was also 1990 that NASCAR began it's climb in popularity. With it's fan friendly all access approach and multi camera race coverage it was obvious the two styles would be merged.

It's a TV show and if it worked for NASCAR, it's going to work for horse racing, at least that is what the mindless suits at the networks believe.

So today we get to see Chip Wooley a character the general public knows about, instead of a Grade One race with horses no one knows about.

It is the Horse Racing Industry's fault because rather than demand that all of the races be shown, they cower fearing that the networks may drop the sport altogether.

Just wait till the Travers and if there is no Rachel Alexandra entered, Little League coverage will take precedent again.

[Cat Thief]

I saw the race but I can't tell you the name of the channel. My brother-in-law has a horse racing channel that shows all the tracks and it was on that channel. I don't know the name of the channel just the # on the tv (we're in Canada)

[FantasticDan]

Once the broadcast switches over at 5:00 from ESPN to the main network, airing of the undercard ends and they concentrate solely on the featured race.

It's been that way for the last few years. Frustrating. But I can't really complain.. at least the Belmont undercard was carried, unlike the Preakness card.

[Greyfox]

Down the stretch I couldn't tell what horse was gaining on the leaders.

The pick up truck stuff with Chip Wolley had me switching to the Memorial Golf.

[slew101]

What did Bailey say about Smith?

The "grueling" opening...to the always inept Hank Goldberg...to Jerry Bailey's dissing of fellow Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith...to that idiotic, poorly written and badly acted piece in the pick-up truck.

Jim McKay and Roone Arledge were no doubt spinning in their graves.

[Marshall Bennett]

What did Bailey say about Smith?
For one thing he said MTB would have won the Preakness had Borel been aboard .

[Greyfox]

What did Bailey say about Smith?

Using a "virtual" racing model of the Preakness he demonstrated how Mike Smith cost Mine That Bird 1 length going outside that Borel would have saved going inside. He strongly implied or even said that Mine That Bird would have won the Preakness with Borel in the irons.

[Donnie]

I posted this over at HTR, in response to DanG hoping Hammerin' Hank was really betting that $1000:


I hope he’s playing with real money too Donnie! Bless him; we need MORE Hanks!

We're never gonna get 'em Dan. Never.
Here is why I believe this is so:

Which horse was hyped all week going into this race? (And when I mean hyped, I mean in the main media, not the horseracing media) The money goes to Mine That Bird, correct?

<please follow my train of thought as I lay out my case. And you need to assume you are not even a casual player, just someone who may have an outside interest in it>

Now, all day long experienced players are talking about the bias at the track. Media is talking about bias at the track. "Early speed seems to be holding" = direct quote I heard while peddling at the Health Club yesterday morning. This after 2 races are in the bag. Reality? Maybe for those 2 races, but looking at Dan's chart above, the 3rd race begged to differ.

So the "well-informed public" makes Mine That Bird the even-money choice. Once again, on TV, not a whole lot of information on Summer Bird. About the only thing they would say is about the sire connection, and me, being an interested bystander, I don't understand this sire stuff anyway.

Now they have this guy here on TV; I kinda feel sorry for him, personally. By his appearance he needs to see a doctor. He appears to be sweating. He's older than me. He appears to struggle at times even with his words. I've seen people who are prime candidates for a heart attack, and this guy falls in that category. I'm 20-something. Wait! They gave this guy a $1000 bankroll to help me learn what betting is all about. Maybe he'll show me how I can make some money while having some fun....

But why is his bankroll shrinking? Wait a minute. We're not making money doing this. This is costing us even more!! In fact, I can't remember the last time this guy made money while he has been on these types of shows. Heck, I remember one time he had to break that little piggy bank to get the last of the money out. Why would I think I can make any money? Heck this expert can't!

So for fun we put a few bucks on Mine That Bird.

WOW! He's starting to pull away as they get closer to the finish!
GO, BABY, GO!!!

What the hell???!!! That other horse looks like he is coming faster than MTB!!!

NOOOOO!!!

NOOOOO!!!

Who is that on the outside?! Who is that??!!

Summer BIRD?? Where did he come from?? They didn't even talk much about him on TV!? He's gonna win!

Damned! He won.

What did Mine That Bird get? Did you see? Was he second? Do I get anything for my win ticket for a second place? It's not worth anything? But everyone on TV said he was the horse. How could we have lost?

A few weeks ago that girl horse won. Did it just the way they said on TV! Whooped up on the boys! Now THAT was fun. This, today? Not so much.

<your job now is to explain to this newbie why they want to get involved in "our" game......>

I would be willing to bet the bright spot for most players yesterday was the "interview" Kenny Mayne did with Wooley out in the pickup sitting at the top of the turn, where Chip wants to play driving games, while Kenny beats him at his own game! Problem is, unless you've been following the entire story, the public probably didn't get it or half of the jokes included!

Like when Kenny asks, "Where are we?" and Chip replies, "I don't know. Someone stole my GPS!" He was referring to a break in of his truck just before leaving CD when someone stole Mine That Birds papers and the gps out of Wooley's truck.

If we get these jokes and the public doesn't, is it the same with "our" game? We get it. They don't. Wonder why they don't want to play? You have to assume they know nothing of the "problems of the game" that we know.....drugs, surfaces, take-out, etc, etc.

[Donnie]

My main point is that there are 2 different "classes" here per se......

the inner class and the outer class. Problem is...the inner class is shrinking.

[Tom]

I wonder how many of insiders would get into the game today, for the first time? Pretty sure I would not.

[slew101]

The few times I've listened to Bailey, he seems OK on the analysis. But that is getting way too technical.

But he doesn't mind taking shots. In his book, he basically said Jose Santos cost Funny Cide the triple crown by riding him too hard in the Preakness. But everybody thought Empire Maker was the better horse and would win the Belmont.

Same with Stewart Elliott. I say that is nonsense. The horses had 3 weeks to rest for the Belmont and those blowout wins didn't hurt their chances.

Using a "virtual" racing model of the Preakness he demonstrated how Mike Smith cost Mine That Bird 1 length going outside that Borel would have saved going inside. He strongly implied or even said that Mine That Bird would have won the Preakness with Borel in the irons.

[toussaud]

i think what he really wants to say is that the hosres would have won if HE were in the saddle, but just can't come out and say it. and I think he'de be right

[bdownes]

I loved the up high shots especially at a track like Belmont which is so huge. Belmont's simulcast feed also has one pan shot so its diffucult to see a whole lot if the field is strung out over any real distance. The up top shot was great too because u could see who was in real tight which is very tough to do with a traditional pan shot.

[Bruddah]

Personally, I think ABC and ESPN use the Triple Crown and Breeders Cup coverages as learning platforms for young directors. You know, those individuals which have worked their way up doing Romper Room and Saturday Cartoon Carnival. The Directors of these telecasts have as much knowledge about Horse Racing and Horse Racing Fans as a 4 year old. That's why they try and feed the audience milk and cookies stories. The piece with Kenny Mayne and Chip Wooley literally sucked. It should win an award as the worst piece of crap produced on Television in 2009. :ThmbDown:

[Tom]

Yes, that truck was pathetic. Dumb and Dumber, Part Duex.

[lilmegahertz]

If anyone here watched the TVG special a few days ago where they showed the 15 past Belmonts, you noticed that in the earlier runnings in the 70s and 80s it was no nonsense, one pan shot end of discussion.

But, later on, i think in the late 80s or early 90s they started showing these kiddie cartoon angles that no one wants to see. There is actually no one i've ever met or known of who said "yeah, i want to see a closeup of a horses's nostril because the money i've wagered doesn't mean all that much to me and my family, therefore, its ok if my eyes lose track of my wagering interest for a few seconds, i don't have to see my bet and how the race is unfolding because like i said, the money i bet doesn't matter to me, its all fun and games, i'm not serious when i bet"

Totally agree. I hate trying to keep my eye on my horse [plus the rest of the field to watch for a super move happening]. Show the field for the race and save the closeups for after during the replay.....

[Marshall Bennett]

They're continuous replaying of segments over and over maybe a half dozen times was boring as hell . The previous Belmont winners comes to mind , as if we haven't already seen them dozens of times already in the past . Even those new to the game have a memory span greater than a half hour .

[lilmegahertz]

While Jerry was saying how Calvin would have won on MTB in the Preakness, I kept thinking of street Sense and how folks knew he was gonna try the rail again so blocked it. Since Mike was on MTB, folks let the rail open. With Calvin on MTB in Preakness, the other riders would not have given him the chance.


Non-horse folks tell me that horseracing is boring. If you only watch the big races on ESPN, CBS or ABC, then I agree. All you see is three hours of talking and 1 race with lots more talking. If they would show actual races, then only talk or do the fluff pieces during the twenty min wait between races, then it might just liven it up for others. Make them feel they are actually getting the track experience.

[Run Nicholas Run]

ABC did show the Manhattan ONCE back in 2006, yesterday
when coming back from a commercial ABC used the blimp shot
and you could see the horses coming back after the manhattan.
There is no reason that they couldnt show it, thats pretty bad.

[strapper]

Kenny Mayne and Chip Wooley in the truck was a very lame piece. How could they even air that? Then the elderly handicapping gentleman, Hank, couldn't seem to make his point in another segment with Mayne. Overall the coverage was a bit lacking. I think Jerry Bailey tells it like it is but I imagine Mike Smith didn't appreciate his comparison to Borel's ride in the Preakness.

this is what's wrong.

at the end.. horse racing fans get screwed

I'M SITTING HERE WATCHING FREAKING KENNY MAYNE AND CHIP IN A DAMN PICKUP TRUCK WHILE THERE IS A VERY IMPORTANT GRADE 1 TURF RACE ON!

pisses me off.

[joanied]

Looks like everyone agrees that ABC sucks:) NBC did do a decent job covering the 1st two legs...but ABC failed....again.
ESPN, IMO, did a good job with their coverage...but, as mentioned, most 'casual' fans don't watch ESPN...they are waiting for the network to kick in...and for those of us that watched ESPN...we got to see all the same story lines on the ABC portion that we'd already seen via ESPN...a total bore...there has to be a way to discontinue all the stuff that gets repeated over & over again...even on HRTV & TVG, they have a bad habit of going over the same ground until you can almost speak the same words while they are saying them.
ABC had some good shots of Belmont...I actually like the overhead shots of the track and it's surroundings...it gives someone that's never been there an idea as to how damned huge the place is...but I would rather they stick to the conventional camera shots during the race...if they want to get 'fancy' with camera shots...I think a straight head on shot while they are coming down the backstretch and again right after entering the stretch, would be welcomed by all...it would have been cool to actually see Kent D move SB off the rail and find a hole to get through on his way to the outside...another fancy thing they could do is provide a camera above the starting gate and let us see the break from just above the gate...I think that's be a good way to see how the jocks & horses find position during the 1st 100 yards of the race...
another thing the network can do is spend some time on the backside...tour the barns, the kitchen, take the casual fan on a tour of the backstretch...interview some grooms, ex. riders, even a couple of hotwalkers...what's it like to work here...stuff like that in which the casual fan never sees and knows nothing about...catch the atmosphere of what it's like.

Kenny Mayne needs to give up on trying to be a comedian...his little piece in Woolley's truck was ridiculous and stupid... and I guess Woolley has a sense of humor to agree to do it...and he did a better job than Mayne did...IMO, everyone of the stupid peices Mayne does trying to be funny every year, is well...stupid...
Hank needs to be put out to pasture...maybe they have an open stall at 'Old Friends'...I'm tired of trying to make sense out of what he says, tired of his damned piggy bank, and really do not give a shit about his handicapping...

Bailey, well, sometimes I think he's really great...he's done some pretty cool little pieces about things the casual fan would be interested in...from how it is in the gate to how they change their several pairs of goggles during a race...but when he does something like his 'virtual' Preakness ride...Borel vs Smith...I ask, what good did that do? The casual fan won't understand anything from that segment except that if Borel had ridden MTB in the Preakness...he'd have won...Bailey put it in terms that were just too simple and did make it look as if Smith rode a bad race...folks like all of us can see through all that to the nuances of a race and understand why a certain jock did or didn't do something...so all that segment did was put doubt in the minds of the casual fan that the best horse that day, didn't win the Preakness

I pissed me off that after the race, they spent more time with Calvin than they did SB and his connections...I could maybe understand that, if MTB had just lost the Triple Crown, but nothing should have taken the spotlight away from SB, Ice & Kent D...not for a minute.

As for all the storyline segments...unless we actually have a horse in the Belmont going for a TC, they need to spead the story lines to cover all the entries connections...because, they should have learned by now, the favorites that they highlight do not always win.

IMHO...I'd rather NBC covered all 3 legs...but that'll never happen, I guess....
at least this time we didn't have Bob Costas bugging the crap out of Woolley and adding politics to the winner's circle ceremony!!

Durkin...he done good!!

My two cents...a little long winded...so forgive me that:)

[FenceBored]

I pissed me off that after the race, they spent more time with Calvin than they did SB and his connections...I could maybe understand that, if MTB had just lost the Triple Crown, but nothing should have taken the spotlight away from SB, Ice & Kent D...not for a minute.


:jump::jump::jump: You got it. I was shocked they sent Caton over to Calvin while doing a shoulder mic interview with Kent. The man finally wins a Belmont and he gets a shoulder mic? :faint: