INSIDE THE TRIPLE CROWN'S MOST VALUABLE JEWEL AND BELOVED AMERICAN PASTIME

CNBC's "RUN FOR THE ROSES: THE KENTUCKY DERBY AND THE BUSINESS OF HORSE RACING"

And they're off! Each year, gamblers place more than $100 million in bets on the Kentucky Derby, to be held this year on May 2nd at Churchill Downs. Although the storied race is more than 130 years old, the question facing the most exciting two minutes in sports is in an economic downturn, and with growing competition from other wagering sources, will it continue to thrive?

CNBC's primetime original program, "Run for the Roses: The Kentucky Derby and the Business of Horse Racing," anchored by Melissa Francis, and premiering Thursday, April 30, at 9PM and 1AM ET takes a behind-the-scenes look at the horse racing industry, spotlighting the premier race in the triple crown.

CNBC, First in Business Worldwide, explores the continually expanding, publicly traded Churchill Downs which now includes the online wagering service Twinspires.com, a 50% stake in Horseracing Television, a $121 million renovation of the main site, and racetracks in Chicago, Miami Gardens, Fla. and New Orleans.

"Run for the Roses" also offers a breakdown of money that surrounds this storied race including the $200 million that is pumped into the Louisville economy, the $100 million-plus in bets, and the $2 million purse.

Interview subjects include Mike Iavarone, CEO of International Equine Acquisitions Holdings, Inc./owner of past Derby champion Big Brown; Chris McCarron, Hall of Fame jockey; Steven Crist, Racing Form publisher, Andrew Beyer, Washington Post horse-racing columnist/author; John Asher, Churchill Downs historian, and Kentucky Derby legend/Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day.

Charles Schaeffer is Executive Producer of the program for CNBC. Sharon Barrett is the Executive Producer and Rachel Ruiz is the Producer for Kurtis Productions.