Access aplenty at Derby

Extended coverage is on schedule at NBC

NBC Sports will air extended coverage of tomorrow's 134th running of the Kentucky Derby. Before the 5 p.m. prerace coverage, the network will air "Access at the Kentucky Derby" at 4, featuring a red-carpet segment hosted by "Access Hollywood's" Billy Bush. That portion of the show will have a similar look to the pre-Academy Awards and Emmy telecasts. Post time is 6:04 p.m.

This year's race is special for several reasons. Big Brown, named after UPS, may be the favorite, but the race is considered by the experts to have a pretty baffling (not to mention crowded) field. The forecast of thunderstorms today and tomorrow could make for a sloppy track. Also, some horses are more used to racing on synthetic surfaces than the dirt at Churchill Downs.

Big Brown, winner of the Florida Derby, is undefeated but has only run three races and will come from the outermost post. No horse has ever won the Derby from the No. 20 post.

Former WBZ sportscaster Bob Neumeier, who will serve as an analyst for NBC and is one of the top thoroughbred handicappers in the country, said one of the more interesting subplots has been the brashness of Big Brown trainer Rick Dutrow.

"It's unusual to have a trainer be so boastful about a horse leading up to a race," said Neumeier. "Most of them are very, very cautious, superstitious, afraid to say much, don't want to antagonize the opposition. Dutrow has been anything but that. He's been loud, he's been opinionated, he's, some would say, a little cocky. He's put his neck on the line with this horse. I kind of like his Muhammad Ali kind of view of this race. He loves his horse. He haughtily selected post No. 20. Most people think that's a disadvantage. He had the choice of a couple of others and I almost think he said, 'Well, I think I'm so much the best that I'll pick post No. 20.' I'm sure there are 19 other trainers and some people who would like nothing better than to beat Big Brown, and particularly Rick Dutrow, in this race."

Neumeier said deciding which horses to bet on is made all the more difficult because of the synthetic vs. dirt debate.

"The Derby is always full of question marks," he said. "Add the synthetic element to it, you can multiply that times 10. If Big Brown collapses and Colonel John doesn't like the dirt, well, then it's wide, wide open after that."

Comcast, ESPN take sixth

Game 6 of the Celtics-Hawks series from Atlanta will be televised on Comcast SportsNet and ESPN tonight at 8. Wednesday's Game 5 earned a season-high 7.7 rating on Comcast . . . NESN will launch its enhanced website Monday. NESN.com will offer exclusive video clips and pregame reports as well as interactive features that will allow viewers to correspond with on-air personalities and each other. "With the convergence of traditional media and the Internet, it was vital that we take this step to develop a full-service and interactive Web presence with the fans of New England sports in mind," said NESN president Sean McGrail. "Our goal is for NESN.com to become the definitive online gathering place for fans of New England sports." . . . Oscar De La Hoya returns to his roots tomorrow night when he takes on Steve Forbes at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., at 10 on HBO. It will be the first time De La Hoya has fought in front of a hometown crowd since 2000. The live bout will be preceded by a half-hour special, "Countdown to De La Hoya-Forbes." Jim Lampley, Larry Merchant, and Emanuel Steward constitute the HBO ringside broadcast team . . . The NASCAR Nationwide Series continues tonight at 7 on ESPN Classic with simulcast coverage on ESPN360.com and Speed from Richmond (Va.) International Raceway. It was originally scheduled for ESPN2. Those viewers who do not get ESPN Classic can watch an encore around 9:30 on ESPN2 following the NBA playoff game between Cleveland and Washington . . . The WGBH-TV family lost a tremendous asset - longtime director and producer Phil Collyer of Brockton - who died of complications from leukemia. He was 68. In addition to Collyer's other achievements, Globe correspondent Bud Collins points out he was one of the original production cast when Channel 2 pioneered the PBS coverage of tennis on a national scale during the late 1960s through 1980. Collyer was particularly known for his direction of slow-motion replays . . . Former Red Sox broadcaster Sean McDonough will call the Cubs-Cardinals game with Dave Campbell on ESPN Radio Sunday night at 7:35 . . . NBC announced it will broadcast the US Open Golf Championship in prime time for the first time in the tournament's history. The Open, being held at Torrey Pines in San Diego, will air from 4-10 p.m. June 14 and from 3-9 p.m. June 15 (Father's Day). There will be plenty of interest with Tiger Woods expected to make his first appearance since having knee surgery. Woods has won at Torrey Pines six times.

Nancy Marrapese-Burrell can be reached at marrapese@globe.com.