Stephens/Manhattan NOT on TV?????
 

Here's another STUPID decision!!!!!

per DRF...

Two graded races scheduled for the Belmont Stakes undercard, the Woody Stephens Stakes and the Manhattan Handicap, might not be broadcast live on ESPN or ABC despite seven hours of live coverage on Saturday at the track, a spokesman for the networks said on Thursday.

The spokesman, Mark Mandel, said on Thursday that live broadcast plans for the two races, which are scheduled as the ninth and 10th races on the card, were unresolved, but that live coverage of the two races on the network's properties might be limited to ESPN 360, a broadcast service for Internet browsers and mobile platforms. ABC and ESPN are both owned by the Walt Disney Company.

"It's not certain yet," Mandel said on Thursday morning. "We're still tinkering with the format."

If the two races are not shown live on either ESPN or ABC, two horse racing networks that will also broadcast live at Belmont Park on Saturday, HorseRacing TV and Television Games Network, will be allowed to broadcast the races, according to Amy Zimmerman, the executive producer of HRTV. For all other races on the card, however, HRTV and TVG will be limited to replays on tape-delay, according to Mandel and Zimmerman.

The Grade 2 Stephens has a post of 4:56 p.m. Eastern. The Grade 1 Manhattan is scheduled for 5:36. Both are part of an all-stakes pick six that will carry a $1 million guarantee. The pick six begins with the sixth race, the Grade 2 True North Handicap (2:56), and ends with the 11th race, the Belmont Stakes (6:25).

ESPN, HRTV, and TVG will all begin their live coverage at noon. Live coverage will switch from ESPN to ABC at 5 p.m. Eastern for a two-hour broadcast. The ESPN and ABC broadcasts will be available in high definition.

The Belmont Stakes card also includes a $1 million guaranteed pick four running from the eighth race, the Acorn, through the Belmont. Another pick four without a guarantee will link the second race through the fifth.

Each race on the card will offer win, place, show, exacta, trifecta, and daily double betting. Rolling pick threes will be offered on every race but the eighth. Superfectas will be available on the Belmont Stakes and the 13th race, but the minimum for the bet has been raised to $1, rather than a dime.

All betting outlets in the United States are expected to offer betting on the entire card from Belmont, in contrast to the first two races in the Triple Crown, the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. The wagering restrictions on those races upset a large number of racing fans.

On Derby Day, account wagering on the Derby and the preceding race, the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, were limited to customers of Twinspires.com and XpressBet. No national account-wagering companies could offer the full undercard.

At the Preakness, account wagering on the card was limited to customers of Twinspires.com and XpressBet.

Well there is only 7 hours of coverage...

At least I'll be making an HRTV appearance. That should quell the angry throngs.

Even though this sucks, it really isn't that hard to understand. ABC knows the majority of its viewers don't care about the Manhattan. And in reality, I can see hoards of people flipping over to ABC and stupidly thinking the Manhattan is the Belmont, and then changing the channel. ABC would rather show stories about Desormeaux, Dutrow, UPS, and Eight Belles than a grass race that probably 90% of viewers don't care about.

Plus, ABC doesn't want to have their audience divided between two networks by allowing ESPN to stay on the air while the main broadcast on ABC is taking place.

I bet the Stephens will be shown live before ESPN goes off the air.

Plus, this happens every year.

Well, since they're also televising the Arlington Million in two months... and the Manhattan is the NY prep for it... you'd think it'd be a good way to get in another plug for an upcoming telecast.

The Manhattan is not the NY prep for the Arlington Million.

My memory is not good, but I think you are absolutely correct. The first thing I thought when I saw this thread is, why is this news? It happens every year.

I prefer to watch the track feed on my ADW until the race is about to go off and then I change the channel and watch. If the network doesn't go live, I just stick with the ADW.

Well I'm satisfied that the Acorn will be televised. It's an important NY prep for the Gardenia.

Sucks that the Woody is not on t.v. Should be a banger of a race.

It has definitely happened every year since 2003. I remember I had bets on Midas Eyes (who lost to Posse) and Denon (I think) who won. Neither race was on TV.

And it isn't just Belmont Day. Derby Day, and the Preakness.

You're totally wrong here.

Take a look at the winners of it and look how many show up in the Million....
basically EVERY YEAR.
Better Talk Now, Cacique, Good Reward, Meteor Storm, Denon, Beat Hollow (winner), Forbidden Apple
Also, in the 90's these won both the Manhattan, then the Million: Awad, Star of Cozzene, Paradise Creek

Of course a lot of horses run in both races....they are both Grade 1s at 1 1/4 on the turf. That doesn't make one a prep for the other.

Damn, first time I read that I thought you wrote angry THONGS :eek: Thought you were Elvis or Englebert in Vegas

I can't say I'm surprised. The major networks have managed to screw up racing coverage as much as possible, from unnecessary camera cuts to not showing major races.......but I'm sure we'll get to see the same, teary eyed sentimental stories to the backdrop of dramatic music.

i think it is hard to understand. There are a limited number of live races running during their coverage.. why would they choose NOT to show the only live sporting action going on? Yes, I know they want to show their features, etc.. but, c'mon, their primary goal should be to show sports. It's pretty stupid in my opinion.

The primary goal of ABC is to show the Belmont. If others are aired on ESPN & ABC it will be a gift.

The primary goal of the racing channel venues (OTBTV,TVG HRTV, NYCOTB) is to show racing. Unless an advisory from NYRA is updated, so far, the only race restricted from "live" show is the Belmont which will be replayed on the () networks.