The Kentucky Oaks, the premier spring race for 3-year-old fillies that anchors the card at Churchill Downs one day prior to the Kentucky Derby, will be run between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. Eastern time next year, the latest the race has ever been run.
The schedule change will result in the Oaks broadcast being aired during a time slot craved by advertisers and on NBC’s main broadcast network, rather than NBC Sports or the USA Network, two NBC affiliates where the broadcast has appeared in the past. That will provide an almost certain boost to ratings and revenue.
The announcement of the scheduling change was made by both Churchill and NBC, its longtime broadcast partner.
On a conference call Thursday morning to discuss Churchill Downs Inc.’s second-quarter earnings, Bill Carstanjen, Churchill’s chief executive, said that the new Oaks time will have multiple benefits for the company and the race’s audience, noting that more of the Oaks card will be available to bettors working a typical 9-to-5 job.
“The chance to be on the national network will certainly build the profile of the race,” Carstanjen said. “It’s really, really important for driving wagering, sponsorship opportunities, and sponsorship awareness. Among all our growth catalysts, we think they’ll all move in the right direction.”
Carstanjen also said that the later time will be “a great springboard to remind people that the Derby is the next day.”
Over recent years, the Kentucky Oaks has been run between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., generally as the 10th race on the 12-race card. Churchill installed lights over two decades ago at the track, and it has used the lighting system to card Thursday and Saturday night races.
The Oaks card is the second-most popular card at Churchill, behind the Derby. Wagering on the race and its supporting card has increased steadily over the past decade as Churchill began pouring more resources into the promotion of the card and into renovations to its seating areas.
Churchill and NBC Sports have a broadcast agreement for the Oaks and Derby that runs through 2032. The Derby itself is by far the most watched broadcast in racing.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.