Kentucky Derby announcers 2026: Meet NBC's star-studded broadcast crew led by Mike Tirico
Kentucky Derby announcers 2026: Meet NBC's star-studded broadcast crew led by Mike Tirico originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . The Kentucky Derby officially kicks off Triple Crown season, with NBC broadcasting each of the first two major horse races.
NBC has been the home of the Kentucky Derby since 2001, providing iconic moments in its 25 years of coverage. This year alone, NBC has broadcast the Super Bowl and Olympics, added NBA and MLB to its docket, and the Kentucky Derby remains a consistent staple on NBC's sports coverage each year. NBC has a deep roster of media personalities for the Kentucky Derby that have worked on the race many times before.
Still, the network usually tinkers with its announcing lineup each year, depending on which people are available that weekend As the Kentucky Derby approaches, here's who NBC will have on its broadcasting team for the race. MORE : Important details on Churchill Downs location, ownership, length Kentucky Derby announcers 2026 Announcer Larry Collmus Hosts Mike Tirico, Rebecca Lowe Analysts Randy Moss, Jerry Bailey, Eddie Olczyk, Matt Bernier Reporters Ahmeed Fareed, Kenny Rice, Donna Barton Brothers, Britney Eurton, Nick Luck, Dylan Dreyer, John Fanta, Zanna Roberts Rassi and Steve Kornacki Announcers Larry Collmus is the longest-running announcer in Kentucky Derby history, as he will be on the call for the 16th-straight Kentucky Derby this year. Collmus took over for Tom Durkin in 2011 for NBC and has been in the role ever since.
Collmus has been a horse-racing announcer since he was 18, and he's called two Triple Crowns in his career: American Pharaoh in 2015 and Justify in 2018. MORE: 2026 Kentucky Derby post positions Hosts Mike Tirico has been a co-host for the Kentucky Derby since 2018. At first, he worked alongside Bob Costas, but later took over for Costas as the main host in 2019, adding horse racing to his long list of responsibilities as a sports announcer.
Rebecca Lowe's main responsibility at NBC is on the network's Premier League coverage, but she has been a co-host on the Kentucky Derby as well. She first started working this race in 2019, then re-joined coverage in 2022 and has been on each Kentucky Derby since. Analysts NBC uses four main analysts for its coverage in horse racing.