Announcers
Tom Hammond's tenure at NBC began in 1984, when he was named as a co-host of the inaugural Breeders' Cup alongside Dick Enberg. It was supposed to be a one-shot deal for Hammond, but NBC execs were so impressed, he ended up getting a long-term contract.
On March 24, 2001, under two months before NBC was supposed to broadcast the Kentucky Derby for the very first time, Hammond underwent an operation for diverticulitis, a disease that affects the colon. During the surgery, a portion of Hammond's colon was removed. However, even with the short amount of time between the Derby and his operation, Hammond managed to get healthy enough to make his dream of broadcasting his homestate's most famous sporting event become a reality on May 5, 2001.
Hammond wasn't so lucky in October 2002, when he underwent open-heart surgery. He ended up missing the Breeders' Cup that year. Bob Costas took Hammond's place at the hosting desk. It was the only Breeders' Cup Hammond had not been a part of. Costas was, by the way, already a part of NBC's Triple Crown and Breeders' Cup coverage, working as mainly the "story set-up man."
Read more about this topic: Thoroughbred Racing On NBC