Breeders’ Cup returns to NBC under multiyear deal

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The Breeders’ Cup World Championships are returning to NBC starting with this fall’s event Nov. 2-3 at Santa Anita Park.

NBC Sports and the Breeders’ Cup announced a multiyear agreement on Monday to televise horse racing’s world championships, including the first prime-time coverage of the $5-million Breeders’ Cup Classic.

No details were released on the length of the contract or financial information. NBC was the original broadcast partner for the event from 1984 through 2005.

The Breeders’ Cup features 15 races held over two days with more than $25 million in purses. NBC will devote 9½ hours of coverage over two days at Santa Anita. The prime-time coverage for the East Coast will be from 8 to 9 p.m. on Nov. 3.

The last time the Breeders’ Cup was at Santa Anita was in 2009, when Zenyatta became the first mare to win the Classic.

-- Eric Sondheimer