Most-watched Horse Racing telecasts of all time
Nielsen average audience, one figure per telecast; a final or revised figure replaces a preliminary one. Composites, peaks, reach and self-reported figures do not chart.
43
eligible telecasts
updated 2026-09-15
All eras
1
Kentucky Derby
18,030,000
2
Kentucky Derby
16,500,000
3
Kentucky Derby
16,340,000
4
Kentucky Derby
16,300,000
5
Kentucky Derby
16,200,000
6
Kentucky Derby
16,000,000
7
Kentucky Derby
15,970,000
8
Kentucky Derby
15,790,000
9
Kentucky Derby
15,500,000
10
Kentucky Derby
14,800,000
11
Kentucky Derby
14,540,000
12
Kentucky Derby
14,400,000
13
Kentucky Derby
14,370,000
14
Belmont Stakes
12,700,000
15
Preakness Stakes
9,700,000
16
Preakness Stakes
9,600,000
17
Preakness Stakes
9,400,000
18
Kentucky Derby
9,260,000
19
Preakness Stakes
8,900,000
20
Preakness Stakes
8,800,000
21
Preakness Stakes
8,400,000
22
Preakness Stakes
8,100,000
23
Preakness Stakes
7,900,000
24
Belmont Stakes
7,670,000
25
Preakness Stakes
7,500,000
26
Preakness Stakes
7,010,000
27
Belmont Stakes
7,000,000
28
Belmont Stakes
6,800,000
29
Belmont Stakes
6,600,000
30
Belmont Stakes
5,800,000
31
Preakness Stakes
5,410,000
32
Preakness Stakes
5,300,000
33
Preakness Stakes
5,260,000
34
Preakness Stakes
5,020,000
35
Belmont Stakes
4,910,000
36
Belmont Stakes
4,900,000
37
Belmont Stakes
4,900,000
38
Belmont Stakes
4,720,000
39
Belmont Stakes
4,500,000
40
Belmont Stakes
3,660,000
41
Belmont Stakes
3,520,000
42
Belmont Stakes
3,330,000
43
Preakness Stakes
2,360,000
43 eligible telecasts · computed 2026-09-15 09:00 UTC
Rows span 3 Nielsen eras (Before Out-of-Home, Panel + Out-of-Home, Big Data + Panel); figures from different eras are not directly comparable. Each row carries its era.
Before Out-of-Home (1950–2020)
1
Kentucky Derby
16,500,000
2
Kentucky Derby
16,340,000
3
Kentucky Derby
16,300,000
4
Kentucky Derby
16,200,000
5
Kentucky Derby
16,000,000
6
Kentucky Derby
15,500,000
7
Kentucky Derby
14,800,000
8
Kentucky Derby
14,540,000
9
Belmont Stakes
12,700,000
10
Preakness Stakes
9,700,000
11
Preakness Stakes
9,600,000
12
Preakness Stakes
9,400,000
13
Preakness Stakes
8,900,000
14
Preakness Stakes
8,800,000
15
Preakness Stakes
8,400,000
16
Preakness Stakes
8,100,000
17
Preakness Stakes
7,900,000
18
Belmont Stakes
7,670,000
19
Preakness Stakes
7,500,000
20
Belmont Stakes
7,000,000
21
Belmont Stakes
6,800,000
22
Belmont Stakes
6,600,000
23
Belmont Stakes
5,800,000
24
Preakness Stakes
5,410,000
25
Belmont Stakes
4,910,000
26
Belmont Stakes
4,900,000
27
Belmont Stakes
4,900,000
28
Belmont Stakes
3,330,000
28 eligible telecasts · computed 2026-09-15 09:00 UTC
Panel + Out-of-Home (2020–2025)
1
Kentucky Derby
15,970,000
2
Kentucky Derby
15,790,000
3
Kentucky Derby
14,400,000
4
Kentucky Derby
14,370,000
5
Kentucky Derby
9,260,000
6
Preakness Stakes
7,010,000
7
Preakness Stakes
5,300,000
8
Preakness Stakes
5,260,000
9
Preakness Stakes
5,020,000
10
Belmont Stakes
4,720,000
11
Belmont Stakes
4,500,000
12
Belmont Stakes
3,660,000
13
Belmont Stakes
3,520,000
14
Preakness Stakes
2,360,000
14 eligible telecasts · computed 2026-09-15 09:00 UTC
Big Data + Panel (2025–current)
1 eligible telecast · computed 2026-09-15 09:00 UTC