MSG Plus Premieres Live Horse Racing from Saratoga
New Series "Saturdays at Saratoga," Live from the Famed Race Course, Premieres on Saturday, August 1 at 5:00 p.m.
New York, NY, July 28, 2009 – MSG Plus, in partnership with The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA), presents "Saturdays at Saratoga" on five Saturdays in August and September, beginning Saturday, August 1. Jason Blewitt, Eric Donovan and Andy Serling will provide commentary for the telecasts.
MSG Plus' "Saturdays at Saratoga" telecasts will provide live coverage of eight championship caliber stakes races, including the Jim Dandy, Whitney Handicap, Alabama and Woodward, races won by well-known horses such as War Admiral, Kelso, Dr. Fager, Easy Goer and 2007 and 2008 Horse of the Year, Curlin.
Below is the schedule for "Saturdays at Saratoga" live on MSG Plus:
SATURDAYS AT SARATOGA TV SCHEDULE – LIVE HORSE RACING ON MSG PLUS
| DATE | RACE | TIME | NETWORK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., Aug. 1 | Grade I Diana $500,000 & Grade II Jim Dandy $500,000 | 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. | MSG Plus |
| Sat., Aug. 8 | Grade I Whitney $750,000 & Grade I Test $300,000 | 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. | MSG Plus |
| Sat., Aug. 15 | Sword Dancer Grade I $500,000 & Stake TBA | 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. | MSG Plus |
| Sat., Aug. 22 | Alabama Stakes Grade I $600,000 & Stake TBA | 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. | MSG Plus |
| Sat., Sept. 5 | Woodward Stakes Grade I $500,000 & Forego Grade I $300,000 | 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. | MSG Plus |
The Saratoga racing season features the very best of the thoroughbred sport from one of its oldest tracks in the United States, the historic Saratoga Race Course. 2008 Diana winner Forever Together, a 5-year-old mare trained by Jonathan Sheppard, returns August 1 looking to capture her second win in the G1, $500,000 Diana. Forever Together came from last place early on to win the 2008 Diana by 3/4 lengths. Commentator, an astounding 8-year-old gelding, is likely to go for his record-tying third victory on August 8 in the G1, $750,000 Whitney Handicap. Commentator, trained by Hall of Famer Nick Zito, is sitting at $1.9 million in earnings for his great career, and will look to exceed the $2 million mark in the Whitney. Grand Couturier, a 6-year-old horse, is likely to go for his third consecutive win in the G1, $500,000 Sword Dancer Invitational. Trained by Bobby Ribaudo, Grand Couturier won the 2007 Sword Dancer by three lengths and the 2008 Sword Dancer by two lengths.
MSG Plus' live coverage of "Saturdays at Saratoga" adds to the growing slate of horse racing programming on the network. In addition to televising live racing action, MSG Plus currently telecasts "Belmont Park/Aqueduct/Saratoga in 30," a daily half-hour race-replay show and "Thoroughbred Weekly," a weekly half-hour show including timely features and races of the week.
Most recently, MSG Plus brought viewers live action from July's Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont Park where Rachel Alexandra had her first race (and victory) since winning the Preakness Stakes. In April, MSG Plus telecasted live the Wood Memorial capturing I Want Revenge's triumph after rallying from the back of the field.
MSG Plus and NYRA will co-produce "Saturdays at Saratoga."
