I watched the tape of NBC’s 153-minute broadcast of the Belmont Stakes and thought it was a solid presentation given the fact the network was forced to scramble after I’ll Have Another withdrew a day before the big race.
The presence of Bob Costas at the helm of the show pretty much guarantees you’ll get context, information and history delivered in a balanced manner. Forced to discard a taped interview with Another’s trainer Doug O’Neill because of the changed circumstances, Costas covered all the bases in a live Q & A with O’Neill and owner Paul Reddam 40 minutes into the broadcast. The viewer had just learned a lot about the injury a few minutes earlier but Costas focused on the decision by Another’s team to retire the horse.
I understand cynics out there who believe there’s more to the story. But all you can do, all Costas can do is accept at face value the explanations provided by those who cared for the horse and controlled the outcome we got. Costas asked O’Neill if Another could have run with the injury and whether he still could have won. O’Neill appeared to agonize over his response but answered in the affirmative to both queries. He further indicated that a conversation with Reddam about whether to give it a shot despite the medical assessment was a debate ended without hesitation by the owner. Since Costas didn’t delve much further on that front, I’m only speculating but it seems possible that O’Neill would have ceded to a vote to run in the Belmont had a different owner been driving the decision.
My only real complaint with the broadcast is that it sorely lacked effort to incorporate the unique New York flavor entwined with this event. A feature on Stevie Cauthen’s magical Triple Crown partnership with Affirmed in 1978 sprinkled in the recollections of some New York racing fans but that was about it. You got a shot of Woody and Soon-Yi up in a box and Tom Coughlin’s riders-up instructions. But there was room for so much more. If you’ve spent any time at Belmont on a regular afternoon of racing, you’d know that one of the best parts of the experience is the diverse collection of characters who regularly bet on horses there. This city’s two main tabloids still devote significant space to the sport.
The easy, obvious feature was the story of local runner Guyana Star Dweej, his trainer Doodnauth Shivmangal and the strong following the horse has here in neighborhoods with big numbers of immigrants from Guyana. Times outerborough reporter Corey Kilgannon did this story a few days before the Belmont and NBC could easily have put something together on it too.
The boisterous groups of loyal New York horse racing fans with ties to countries in the Caribbean have become the backbone of the live audience at Aqueduct and Belmont and they were there on Saturday surrounded by the fans who come once a year. Add the old-timers who were there for racing’s consistently good days and there are so many ways to give the Belmont broadcast a dynamic that is unlike other events.
NBC’s Belmont broadcast ended with a rare Costas flub. After Noomie broke news that Smith was beating himself up for his stretch ride tactics on Paynter, he tossed it to Bob for the trophy presentation.
A big crowd of people in the winner’s circle interfered with Costas’ plan to interview connections of the winner. A split-second after Noomie steered it there, Costas could be heard scowling at a producer. “Where’s my camera? Which camera…” said a flustered Bob before someone cut his mike.
When NBC finally went to Costas, he was jostling for position as a camera operator desperately tried to gain a view of the principals. “Alright, a makeshift situation here,” said Bob with a unusual display of aggravation. He eventually gained composure but rushed the proceedings as the clock ticked past 7 PM.
