The first Kentucky Derby was held May 17, 1875, establishing what would become the most famous horse race in the world. For decades, the event served as something of a novelty every spring, as crowds traveled to Churchill Downs to kick off the racing season.

For decades, the TV broadcaster of the race (initially CBS, then ABC, and now NBC) has sought to grow it stature, taking what is ultimately a two-minute sprint and turning it into an event. NBC believes that it finally cracked the code, with coverage that now spans some five hours, and an increased focus on fashion, food, and other areas that are race-adjacent (and conveniently advertiser-friendly).

“We’re in our 25th year of presentation, we started with it being about 90 minutes worth, and now we’re up to five hours of presentation,” says Jenny Storms, CMO of television and streaming for NBCUniversal, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.