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NBC Sports wins Eclipse for Breeders' Cup coverage The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB) on Monday announced that NBC Sports has won the Media Eclipse Award for Television -- Live Racing Programming for its broadcast of the 2014 Breeders' Cup Classic. The one-hour live primetime program from Santa Anita aired on November 1 of last year. This is the 11th Media Eclipse Award in the Live Television category for NBC. NBC's Breeders' Cup broadcast of the Classic combined the aura of Hollywood celebrities, a breathtaking setting and the backdrop for North America's richest race, and one that could decide the Horse of the Year. The 2014 Breeders' Cup Classic featured a star-studded field of horses including Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome, Belmont Stakes winner Tonalist, the undefeated Shared Belief and the front-running Bayern, who won the race amid a controversial start which resulted in a stewards' inquiry after the finish. NBC utilized a full array of talent and production in pre and post- race coverage of the Classic, including the live race call by Larry Collmus, multiple replays of the gate break of the race and supporting analysis from Jerry Bailey and Randy Moss. During the tense minutes of the stewards' inquiry, NBC talent conducted interviews with Bayern's jockey Martin Garcia, and Mike Smith, who rode Shared Belief, and winning trainer Bob Baffert, before the results became official. "Our production team did an excellent job telling the stories of this year's Classic and documented the drama surrounding the controversial start of the race by winning horse Bayern," said NBC Sports Group Coordinating Producer Rob Hyland. "Nearly 40 cameras were deployed to showcase an incredible two days of racing set against the beautiful backdrop of Santa Anita Park and the San Gabriel Mountains. NBC Sports is fully committed to growing the sport of horse racing and I am extremely proud of the high standards and passion our entire production team has for this sport. On behalf of the dedicated men and women who work on NBC's horse racing coverage, I am honored to accept this prestigious award for the third consecutive year." In addition to Hyland, as producer, the Breeders' Cup Classic broadcast was directed by Pierre Moossa. Tom Hammond and Josh Elliott hosted the program. Moss and Bailey were the analysts, and were joined by reporters Laffit Pincay III, Kenny Rice, Donna Brothers, Nick Luck and Carolyn Manno. Eddie Olczyk was the handicapper. Judges for the National Television -- Live Racing category were: Jack Coffey of Eclipse Productions; Chris Svendsen of CBS Sports, and Patti Wolfe, former ABC Sports producer. Honorable mention in the National Television -- Live Programming category also went to NBC Sports for its live broadcast of the Belmont Stakes from Belmont Park in New York, which aired on June 7. NBC Sports has also won the Media Eclipse Award for Television -- Features for "California Chrome: The Unlikely Champion." NBC Coordinating Producer Rob Hyland and Supervising Producer Jack Felling led the production team of the 30-minute program, which aired on NBCSN on June 5 of last year. Narrated by Bob Costas, "California Chrome" takes a close up look of the horse's co-owners, Steve Coburn and Perry Martin, 77-year-old trainer Art Sherman and jockey Victor Espinoza, and their formation of a winning team. NBC captured the contrasting styles of the extroverted Coburn, a press operator for a company which produces magnetic tape for credit cards, and the quieter, cerebral Martin, who owns an electronic testing plant, in their workplaces in California and Nevada, and at the ranch where the viewer is introduced to Love the Chase, "the $8,000 mare who produced a $1 million winner" in California Chrome. Interviewed at his base at Los Alamitos, Sherman, who was a stablehand with Swaps at the 1955 Kentucky Derby, is living the dream with California Chrome. Sherman gives Espinoza, who rode 2002 Derby and Preakness winner War Emblem, a shot on California Chrome and his gratefulness at the opportunity shines through. Along the way, the feature chronicles California Chrome's electrifying victories and the celebrations of the main characters and the three-year-old's legion of fans. "By the time California Chrome won the Preakness Stakes it was clear that this horse had captured the imaginations of fans across the country," Felling said. "At the same time, the connections became transcendent sports folk heroes, a blue collar team who endeared themselves even to fans who might not typically follow Thoroughbred racing. "So in the weeks between the Preakness and Belmont we set out to produce a film that aimed to explain how such an unlikely horse made his way to the doorstep of history, and how such an improbable team of horsemen got him there. "We scrambled crews to shoot with jockey Victor Espinoza in Los Angeles and New York. We visited owners Steve Coburn and Perry Martin in California and Nevada. And we saw trainer Art Sherman at his unassuming stable at Los Alamitos racetrack. "Three production teams worked around-the-clock for 15 days to prepare the show. In the end, it was the kind of story you feel privileged to share. And, frankly, it's a story that simply could not exist in any other sport; the tale of a team of regular folks who chased one of the most elusive titles in sports." In addition to Hyland and Felling, "California Chrome: The Unlikely Champion" was co-produced by Matt Allen, Phil Parrish, Dave Picker and Paige Westin. Ryan Yeager and Will Moss were the editors and Max Rahamin and Kim Brown were the associate producers. Judges for the National Television -- Features category were Jay Posner of the San Diego Union Tribune; award-winning producer Toni Slotkin and producer Doug Wren of Wren Productions. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
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