Television ratings down slightly for Belmont Stakes

The overnight rating for NBC’s Belmont Stakes broadcast Saturday was a 12.3, down 5 percent from the 12.9 overnight rating posted for last year’s broadcast, according to figures released by the network Sunday.

Share for the nearly three-hour broadcast was a 27, NBC said. Share measures the percentage of people watching television who are tuned to a specific program. The 12.7 rating was the third highest for a Belmont broadcast in the modern era, behind last year’s figure and a 15.9 posted for the 2004 broadcast, featuring Smarty Jones.

NBC said the 12.7 rating was the highest for a Saturday afternoon sports program since the NFL’s AFC Divisional Playoff game Jan. 10.

This year’s Belmont was won by American Pharoah, who captured the first Triple Crown in 37 years. Last year, California Chrome failed in his own attempt.