Ad Disclosure
Mike Tirico, a staple of NBC’s Triple Crown horse racing coverage for nearly the past decade, stepped away from Saturday’s Kentucky Derby telecast after complaining of feeling “under the weather.”
The 58-year-old Tirico was in his normal spot on the first Saturday of May, leading NBC’s coverage of the annual Kentucky Derby from Churchill Downs. But Tirico didn’t look like his normal sharp self on the broadcast, and shortly after 3 p.m. ET the veteran announcer who’s worked just about every sporting event there is was forced to depart the Kentucky Derby coverage.
It was a rainy and cold day at historic Churchill Downs, so perhaps the weather had something to do with Tirico feeling ill. Or perhaps it was just a coincidence.
“Mike, as you may have heard, is a little under the weather right now,” said NBC Sports host Ahmed Fareed, who took over for Tirico on the NBC Sports desk in Louisville.
It is not yet know if Tirico will return for the 151st Kentucky Derby, which had a scheduled post time of 7:02 p.m. ET.
Those looking to bet on Saturday’s race can check out the latest Kentucky Derby Odds here.
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
