NBC's Tirico Makes Foray Into Horse Racing With Breeders' Cup Show

NBC Sports' Breeders' Cup coverage from Santa Anita this weekend will include an hour-long show hosted by Mike Tirico "broken off from the NBCSN coverage Friday and Saturday" to air from 8:00-9:00pm ET. Tirico will "stick to the script when in Southern California trying to find his bearings on a sport he has never been involved with covering," but he "feels comfortable enough." Tom Hammond, a "more versed horseman," will continue his host role for the NBCSN coverage starting at 5:00pm ET Friday (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 11/4).

Meanwhile, Michael Wrona will be calling his first Breeders' Cup as Santa Anita's at-track announcer. The Australian-born Wrona, who joined the track earlier this year, said, "To succeed Trevor Denman, who blazed the trail for other foreign announcers in this country, is particularly meaningful. ... It will be the biggest event of my career." Wrona has worked Breeders' Cup post-parades and winners circles, but this will be his "first play-by-play stint" at the event (BLOODHORSE.com, 11/1).