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2020 Runhappy Travers returns to FOX broadcast network for second straight year

by Pat McKenna, Jennifer Inglesino, Augusta Rhoades

Runhappy Travers Day highlighted by expanded 7.5 hours of coverage across the FOX Sports family of networks

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) and FOX Sports today highlighted television coverage for Saturday's blockbuster Runhappy Travers Day at historic Saratoga Race Course.

For the second consecutive year, the Grade 1, $1 million Runhappy Travers will be televised live on the FOX broadcast network as part of a 1 ½ hour telecast from 5:00-6:30 PM ET on Saturday. Post time for the 151st running of the Runhappy Travers is scheduled for 6:15 PM ET.

An expanded Runhappy Travers Day edition of Saratoga Live, presented by America's Best Racing, Runhappy and Claiborne Farm,will air nationally on FS1 beginning at 11:30 AM ET. Coverage and analysis of the day's races then shifts to FS2 beginning at 3:00 PM ET and continues throughout the afternoon on FS1/FS2.

Saturday's Runhappy Travers is headlined by Sackatoga Stable's Tiz the Law, trained by Barclay Tagg and to be ridden by Manny Franco, who made history in becoming the first New York bred in 138 years to win the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes, capturing the nine-furlong American Classic on June 20 in the first leg of the revised Triple Crown schedule.

"For the first time ever, the Runhappy Travers is a key stop on the road to the Triple Crown," said Michael Mulvihill, FOX Sports Executive Vice President, Research, League Operations & Strategy. "We are thrilled to again present it on FOX and to showcase Belmont champion Tiz the Law as he continues his campaign. In addition, our expanded coverage across FS1 and FS2 gives horseplayers a full day of action."

With this year's Saratoga summer meet currently closed to spectators, Saturday's Runhappy Travers Day coverage on Saratoga Live will leverage 32 cameras at various locations throughout the property to capture all the action before, during and after each race. For the first time at Saratoga, the broadcasts will include the introduction of the "WinStar Cam", which will provide in-race aerial coverage throughout the day.

"Thanks to our partners at FOX, this year's Runhappy Travers will be brought to millions of households across the country by the best broadcast team in racing utilizing the latest technology to cover every angle live from Saratoga Race Course, said Tony Allevato, President of NYRA Bets & Executive Producer for NYRA TV. "We look forward to a spectacular day of racing from the sport's most iconic venue."

The 151st running of the Runhappy Travers will be one of five graded stakes on the day. An enticing undercard includes the Grade 1, $300,000 Longines Test for sophomore fillies; the Grade 1, $300,000 Ballerina presented by NYRA Bets, a "Win and You're In" qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint; the Grade 3, $200,000 Troy for 4-year-olds and up on Mellon turf and the Grade 3, $150,000 Waya for older fillies and mares on the inner turf.

First held in 1864, the Travers is the most prestigious stakes race for 3-year-olds outside of the Triple Crown series and the traditional centerpiece of the annual Saratoga meeting. The race is named for William R. Travers, the first president of Saratoga Race Course who won the inaugural running in 1864 with a horse named Kentucky.

NYRA and FOX Sports began their collaboration during the summer of 2016 with the launch of the critically-acclaimed, award-winning Saratoga Live airing on FS2. In November of 2018, NYRA and FOX Sports announced a new long-term television programming deal to make FOX Sports the year-round national television home for NYRA racing. As a result of this groundbreaking deal, FOX Sports will broadcast 700 hours of thoroughbred racing from NYRA tracks in 2020 including coverage of nearly every race day at Belmont Park and Saratoga.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Saratoga Race Course and the best way to bet every race of the 40-day summer meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, NYRA Bets is currently offering a $200 new member bonus in addition to a host of special weekly offers. The NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at NYRABets.com.

For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule and additional programming information, visit NYRA.com/SaratogaLive.

For more information about FOX Sports, visit FOX Sports Press Pass.

About the New York Racing Association (NYRA)

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) holds the exclusive franchise to conduct thoroughbred racing at Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course. NYRA tracks are the cornerstone of New York State's thoroughbred industry, which is responsible for 19,000 jobs and more than $3 billion in annual statewide economic impact. 

Accredited by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association Safety and Integrity Alliance, NYRA is a founding member of the Thoroughbred Safety Coalition, a group of the nation's leading racing organizations working collaboratively to advance safety measures across the sport.

Over the course of 217 days of live racing in 2019, NYRA generated more than $2.1 billion in all-sources wagering handle with paid attendance exceeding 1.5 million.

About FOX Sports

FOX Sports is the umbrella entity representing FOX Corporation's wide array of multi-platform US-based sports assets. Built with brands capable of reaching more than 100 million viewers in a single weekend, the business has ownership and interests in linear television networks, digital and mobile programming, broadband platforms, multiple web sites, joint-venture businesses and several licensing relationships. FOX Sports includes the sports television arm of the FOX Network; FS1, FS2, FOX Soccer Plus and FOX Deportes. FOX Sports' digital properties include FOXSports.com and the FOX Sports App, which provides live streaming video of FOX Sports content, instant scores, stats and alerts to iOS and Android devices. Additionally, FOX Sports and social broadcasting platform Caffeine jointly own Caffeine Studios which creates exclusive eSports, sports and live entertainment content. Also included in FOX Sports' portfolio are FOX's interests in joint-venture business Big Ten Network, a licensing and commercial relationship with The Stars Group that created the FOX Bet sports betting platform and the FOX Bet Super 6 free-to-play game, as well as a licensing agreement that established the FOX Sports Radio Network.