Cranbury, NJ – CBS Sports Network will present a 60-minute telecast of the $1 million Grade 1 Winning Key Farm Hambletonian from The Meadowlands Racetrack, East Rutherford, N.J., on Sunday, Aug. 9, from 6-7 p.m. (EDT). The Hambletonian is the second leg of the Trotting Triple Crown. A second replay of the show will occur on Saturday, Aug. 15, at 11a.m. (EDT).
CBS Sports Network has been the broadcast home of the Hambletonian since 2012. The distaff companion race, the $500,000 Grade 1 Winning Key Farm Hambletonian Oaks, will also be featured on the hour-long showcase of the greatest day in harness racing.
“Expanded television coverage of the Hambletonian has always been a top priority of the Hambletonian Society,” said John Campbell, president of the organization that owns and administers 137 of racing’s most important events. “The Hambletonian has been televised for over 45 years, and we’re proud to continue that tradition on CBS Sports Network, with the support of our host racetrack, The Meadowlands.
Meadowlands announcer and Hall of Famer Ken Warkentin will provide his racing expertise and race call for a record 26th year.
The on-air team for the Hambletonian is a stellar trio of award-winning harness racing veterans assembled by North America’s top harness racing production company, Curtis MacDonald’s Cujo Entertainment.
Emily Ratcliff, a University of Kentucky graduate, has spent more than a decade in front of the camera both on the analyst’s desk and in the television, marketing and sponsorship departments for both Harrah’s Hoosier Park and Lexington’s Red Mile. A three-time Horse Woman of the Year nominee, she has co-anchored CBS Sports Network’s Hambletonian coverage since 2021, hosted FOX Sports’ America’s Day at the Races and provided all-breed wagering perspective for VSiN (Vegas Stats & Information Network). From a pedigree-rich harness racing family, Ratcliff brings institutional knowledge and unique insight to any racing broadcast.
Joining Ratcliff on the desk is Senior Communications Manager at Woodbine Entertainment, Mark McKelvie. McKelvie also brings a vast and insightful point of view to harness racing, with years of experience in both the Woodbine harness and Thoroughbred broadcast and announcer booths, as well as providing Play-by-Play Commentary for the Owen Sound (OHL) on Rogers Network in Canada and as on-air host for Ignite World Racing on Sportsnet Canada.
Rounding out the award-winning team is Greg Blanchard as Paddock Host. Blanchard is the director of Equine Programming and Director of Racing at Western Fair Racing Association as well as Operations Manager for Dorchester Downs Training Centre & London Classic Yearling Sale.
Blanchard has an intrinsic talent for capturing drivers and trainers before and after their biggest racing moments and has hosted Hambletonian coverage on CBS Sports Network from 2021 through 2026. Blanchard’s historical perspective and incisive knowledge of the sport was on display in his narration of the recent retrospective The 100th Hambletonian: The Road to Glory. Blanchard has been an integral part of Hambletonian and Breeders Crown coverage for years.
With over 20 years of experience in the industry, Cujo Entertainment’s team of producers, directors and video editors have produced or broadcast almost every prestigious event in the sport. Produced by a team deeply rooted in the harness racing world, Cujo Entertainment has become the destination for fans, horsemen, bettors, and industry stakeholders who demand the best coverage the sport has to offer. The recipient of multiple awards, in both Canada and the U.S., Cujo Entertainment continues to build on new and exciting technology to bring to harness racing.
As well as airing on CBSSN the Winning Key Farm Hambletonian will air live on PrimeTime Racing in Ontario though Game+ Network. PrimeTime Racing is Ontario’s leading harness racing television show, bringing an unprecedented insider view of the sport to fans and bettors. From the paddock to the wire, from the skies to the starting gate, PrimeTime covers signature events across North America with expert insight, stunning visuals, and the kind of passion only true racing people can deliver.
CBS Sports Network, the 24-hour home of CBS Sports, is available across the country in more than 99 million homes nationwide. CBS Sports Network televises nearly 600 live events and over 3,000 hours of live programming every year including live college football, college basketball, and more from the MW, AAC, Big East, C-USA, A-10, Army, Navy, and the Patriot League. CBSSN is also the home to Professional Bull Riding and Arena Football League. For more information, and to access the CBS Sports Network channel finder, go to www.cbssportsnetwork.com.