MUMBAI: NBC Sports‘ coverage of Saturday‘s Kentucky Derby drew 14.8 million viewers, the third most-watched Kentucky Derby in 23 years, and up two per cent from last year‘s Derby, according to official national data provided today by The Nielsen Company.

The household rating of 9.0/20 is up six per cent from last year‘s race. Since implementing NBC Sports‘ ‘Big Event Strategy,‘ the last four Kentucky Derby races have all recorded at least 14.5 million viewers.

NBC Sports‘ coverage of the Kentucky Derby over the last 12 years averages more than 2 million more viewers than the previous 12 Kentucky Derby broadcasts on ABC (14.1 million vs.12.0 million, up 17 per cent).

Saturday‘s race won by I‘ll Have Another is up two per cent from last year‘s 14.5 million, making it the third most-watched Kentucky Derby since 1989 when Sunday Silence won the Derby (18.5 million). The household rating of 9.0/20 is up six per cent from last year‘s race (8.5/19).

The Kentucky Derby once again proved to be very popular with female viewers. In fact, 51 per cent of Derby viewers 18+ were women, making it the only annual sporting event that draws more female than male viewers.