It’s difficult to think of the Kentucky Derby without longtime trackside commentator Donna Barton Brothers.
The former jockey, who’s been a beloved part of NBC’s Kentucky Derby coverage since the network acquired the rights to the race in 2001, announced she’s retiring after this year’s Run for the Roses on Saturday.
“I told Lindsay Schanzer, our producer, that I definitely wanted to make it to Kentucky Derby 151 because that would be my 25th Kentucky Derby,” said Brothers, who turned 60 on April 22.
“But if I had my druthers, I would also like to make it to Derby 152 because then I’ll be 60 years old and I’ll feel like I’ve earned the right to retire. So now I have two careers behind me. I retired from being a jockey in 1998.”
Brothers’ heartfelt interviews with the winning jockey just seconds after crossing the finish line helped her to become a fan favorite.
She decided two years ago that this would be her last year, but did not share the news publicly until last week, according to NBC Sports.
“There are a lot of people, when I tell ’em I’m going to retire, they seem sad for me. And they’re like, “Oh, I know you’re going to miss it,’” Brothers said. “And I don’t think that’s going to be the case.
“I’ve had the second-best seat in the house for 26 years, and I really believe that. I think the best seat in the house is whoever rode the Kentucky Derby winner.”
Brothers joined NBC in 2000 for Breeders’ Cup coverage.
Mike Tirico, who’s anchoring NBC’s Derby coverage with Rebecca Lowe, praised Brothers for her television legacy.
“Very rarely do you get to work in TV with people who define a role in sports television, and Donna has done that,” Tirico said.
“The immediate reaction Donna gets race after race, and her observations are such a unique part of what we do in television. And she is one of a kind. Somebody will follow her but will not replace her because she’s irreplaceable.”
Brothers rode from 1987 to 1998, retiring as the second-leading female jockey in the United States by money earned. She currently still holds that title.
She has 1,130 wins and more than $18 million in purse earnings, according to her website.
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