A member of NBC's broadcast team for the 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby had to receive emergency medical attention before Saturday's 'Run for the Roses.' Jerry Bailey, a Hall of Fame jockey-turned-analyst for the network, was absent for a notable portion of the early part of the broadcast.
Bailey later returned to Churchill Downs to work the race, only to inform the audience that he had been dealing with kidney stones. 'It's good to be back, thanks for waiting for me,' Bailey said on air. 'I've got to give a shoutout to the University of Louisville Hospital. Their attending staff in the front, the triage team, Emily my bedside nurse, Dr. McGowan, Dr. Sawmiller, Dr. Hickman and Justin in radiology. They had me just — it was fantastic, that's all I have to say.'
He was welcomed back on the air by host Mike Tirico, who referenced his own medical episode during last year's Derby coverage. 'Great folks at the U of L, it's so great to have you back with us. It didn't feel the same without you,' Tirico said. 'I mean, Randy did OK, but. You got rid of me last year with the nut allergy, we got rid of you for a few hours with the kidney stones. We're putting you in bubble wrap next year.'
Tirico was referring to a scare last year when he ate something with a nut in it that triggered an allergic reaction. During an interview with TMZ Sports, Tirico said: 'I've had a peanut allergy my whole life. Unfortunate timing, but glad we could bring light to the 30 million folks who deal with food allergies all the time.' He then added: 'I've heard from a lot of parents, sadly parents who lost their kids to food allergies, folks who had serious reactions, who appreciated that their kids could talk about it freely.'
Bailey, who won thousands of races and earned hundreds of millions in winnings, has been a part of NBC Sports' horse racing coverage since 2012.
