A great experience for anyone who loves horse racing, sports, or both!
Last year, I was fortunate enough to be able to go to the Kentucky Derby with my boyfriend Rob. I’ve been a horse racing fan ever since I was in the womb. My parents and their friends spend countless Sundays at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, NJ. On any given summer Sunday from 1991-1997, you could find me at the racetrack, in a pack-and-play, on the playground, climbing the green fence by the track, on the pony rides, getting my face painted, eating the Carvel ice cream, then finally making my own bets. One of my greatest accomplishments was when I could finally see over the green fence. When I went back in the summer of 2009, the green fence was at my waist! The point is, I love the first Saturday in May because horse racing is in the spotlight and gets the chance to gain even more fans. Since I’m watching the NBC Derby coverage, I figured I’d use my blog to comment on it.
NBC is doing a great job of filling the 3+ hours of coverage with information on the track, the horses, the fashion, the celebrities. They have cameras in every nook and cranny of Churchill Downs going to reporters at a desk, Bob Costas in the grandstand, Bob Costas near the winner’s circle in the infield, E! News reporter Catt Sadler on top of the grandstand, Jenna Wolfe near the paddock, reporters on Millionaire’s Row interviewing celebrities and fashion experts. Also, Costas is such a wonderful way with words, he makes any broadcast better.
Sadler’s interview with the fashion expert was quite funny. Sadler asked the expert how she was enjoying her first Derby and she responded by stammering and eventually getting out, “It’s been nothing less than disappointing!” I’m not sure that’s what she meant to say. Later, Sadler spoke to US Ski Champion and rumored Tim Tebow paramour Lindsey Vonn, who mispronounced the name of the horse she was betting on, Dullahan. Even with her large lavender chapeau, she had a little too much sun…or bourbon. Another celeb who made me question his sobriety was Kentucky men’s basketball head coach John Calipari. When asked which horse he was betting on, he blurted “My mom!” The reporter smartly waited for an explanation to which Cal regained composure and talked about his mom’s lucky/favorite numbers that he would be betting even though he didn’t know which horses those numbers belonged to. Coach Cal did make up for his brief blunder by saying he’d box the bet. Way to know your betting terms!
As a journalist, there’s a lot to be learned from these broadcasts in terms of creative ways of filling time, interviews that may not go as planned (thanks mint juleps), feature packages on all aspects of horse racing/the Derby weekend, receiving and tossing to and from your segment, camera angles, going to break, etc., etc. One reporter who has caught my eye in a good way is Jenna Wolfe. I really enjoyed her piece on horse breeding, even though fellow Ohio University alum and GIF master Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) gave her grief for her reaction to the birth of 2010 Kentucky Derby champion Smart Saver’s foal. It seemed like her package on the personalities of horses was reaching, but she did what she could with it. I understand you can’t watch the horse every second of every day and hope you catch it doing something comical.
Bob Costas did a good job of talking about the troubles that horse racing is going through right now because of drug issues and the lack of a governing body to pass down unifying rules about purses and drugs. With all of the other distractions in society, horse racing is nowhere near it’s peak popularity, but I’m happy to see that the Triple Crown still piques people’s interest. I hope this sport doesn’t die out from scandal and horses being put down at the tracks. I don’t think that will happen any time soon.
Something cool I found on the official Derby website, a 3D look that lets you ride the winner of the Kentucky Derby. The graphics are a little hokey, but hearing the call from last year gave me goosebumps!
No Cheering in the Press Box 