According to a report, overnight ratings from Neilsen Media Research indicate that viewership of NBC's Saturday, June 11 coverage of the Belmont Stakes is up considerably over last year's broadcast

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An article on multichannel.com states that NBC's coverage scored a 4.8 overnight rating and an 11 share for the race portion of the telecast -- 6:15 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. (ET).

That 45-minute span saw a 55 per cent increase from ABC's 2010 Belmont broadcast. The ABC broadcast had produced a 3.1/7 rating while the NBC's 2011 coverage produced a 4.8 overnight rating.

The report states that pre-race coverage also produced a strong increase in viewership.

Ruler On Ice captured the 2011 Belmont Stakes at odds of 24-1 over a 'sloppy' Belmont Park strip for trainer Kelly Breen and jockey Jose Valdivia, Jr.

(With files from multichannel.com)