2012 Hambo to be televised live on CBS Sports

The $1.5 million Hambletonian, the richest race for 3-year-old trotters in the world, will air live from The Meadowlands in East Rutherford, NJ, on CBS Sports Network on Saturday, Aug. 4, from 3:30-5:00 p.m. [EDT]. The Hambletonian has enjoyed a 37-year run on national television, and remains the only harness race to be broadcast across North America on an annual basis. CBS Sports Network will feature expanded race coverage of 90 minutes.

An NBC production for the past five years, the traditional date for the Hambletonian of the first Saturday in August conflicted with NBC's production schedule for the Summer Olympics.

"Live television is key in positioning and branding any event in a crowded sports universe." said Tom Charters, president of the Hambletonian Society, which owns and administers the race. "We are proud of the Hambletonian broadcast record and appreciate the commitment of The New Meadowlands Racetrack LLC and the many important industry sponsors in making continuing and expanded coverage possible.”

The Meadowlands has hosted the Hambletonian since 1981, longer than any other track. Formerly run by the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority, the premier harness track in the country was leased in December of 2011 by New York real estate magnate and racetrack owner Jeff Gural.

"I am very pleased that we were able to get support from the industry,” said Gural. "Hopefully people will enjoy our signature race.”

Participating television sponsors include: breeding operations Allerage Farms, Bluestone Farms, Brittany Farms, Fashion Farms, Perretti Farms and Winning Key Farms; New Jersey Tourism Board, Atlantic City Alliance and the U.S. Trotting Association; Standardbred Breeders & Owners of NJ and the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame; and racetracks Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs.

The Hambletonian was broadcast live on CBS from 1993-2006. CBS Sports Network (formerly known as CBS College Sports Network) is the 24-hour sports cable network of CBS Sports and home of Jim Rome's nightly show "Rome". The network televises 340 live games and over 2,400 hours of original programming every year as well as Professional Bull Riding (PBR), live football, basketball and more from the Mountain West, Conference USA, Atlantic 10, as well as Army, Navy and the Patriot League. CBS Sports Network also delivers exclusive coverage of SEC football, live NCAA® Tournament studio analysis, and is the home of the National Lacrosse League (NLL) and Major League Lacrosse (MLL).

CBS Sport Network is available to 99 million homes nationwide and currently has 45 million subscribers. The network is available on cable, satellite, and video provider systems including Comcast, Time Warner Cable, DirecTV, Dish Network, Cablevision, Verizon FIOS, and more. Check sports tiers, as well as the digital basic package, for information on how to watch CBS SPORTS NETWORK. (The Hambletonian Society)