Triple Crown winner American Pharoah gave NBC another lift in the overnights Saturday.
Coverage of the Breeders Cup Challenge Travers Stakes earned a 1.3 overnight rating on NBC Saturday afternoon, up 86% from last year and 2013 (0.7 both years), and the highest overnight for the event since at least 2004. The telecast had a 1.7 overnight during its second hour, when American Pharoah ran and lost to Keen Ice.
The big increase came four weeks after American Pharoah lifted NBC’s Haskell Invitational overnights by 75% (0.8 to 1.4).
Louisville was Saturday’s top market with a 3.4 rating, followed by Ft. Myers, FL (2.6) and Nashville (2.4). Cincinnati, Richmond and Oklahoma City tied for fifth place with a 2.2.
(Sat. numbers from NBC Sports)
