The NBC telecast of the May 1 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) posted the highest ratings in 18 years.
The network said the coverage of Calvin Borel riding Super Saver to victory drew a 10.3 overnight rating and a 23 share. That's up 1% from last year's 10.2/22, when 16.3 million viewers made 50-1 shot Mine That Bird's win the most-watched Derby in 20 years.
It's also an increase of 7% from 9.5/21 in 2008 when Big Brown won.
It's the highest overnight rating since Lil E Tee won in 1992.
The rating is the percentage of all homes with televisions tuned into a program, while the share is the percentage of all TVs in use at the time. Overnight ratings measure the nation's largest markets.
Final viewership and national ratings will be announced May 4.
Super Saver crosses the finish line to win the Kentucky Derby.
Mathea Kelley