Breeders' Cup TV Numbers Flat

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Photo: Mathea Kelley

Overnight television ratings for the Nov. 6-7 Breeders’ Cup World Championships from Santa Anita Park on ABC/ESPN were essentially unchanged from year-ago numbers, when the event garnered a modest amount of viewers. Final national ratings numbers are due out later this week.

The Fri., Nov. 6 card from 3:30-7 p.m. ET attracted just a .3 rating on ESPN2, the same as 2008’s first-day numbers, also from Santa Anita.  On Sat., Nov. 7, coverage of the Breeders’ Cup started on ABC from 1:30-3:30 ET, and registered a 1.0 rating, down from last year’s 1.2. The production then switched over to ESPN from 3:30-7:30 p.m. ET, and registered a .9 rating, equaling last year’s number.

"It was a thrilling couple of days, and hopefully the performance by Zenyatta will spark increased interest in this great sport going forward,” said ABC/ESPN spokesman Mark Mandel.

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