The race portion of the Kentucky Derby telecast drew its highest overnight rating — which measures the country’s biggest markets — in 17 years, NBC reported. During the 6-7 p.m. (Eastern) hour, the network’s telecast got 10.2 percent of the audience in the top 55 markets.

The markets where ratings were highest:

1. Louisville            35.0
2. Fort Myers            17.0
3. Richmond            16.4
4. Baltimore            15.8
5. Pittsburgh            15.0
6. Knoxville            14.7
T7. Orlando            14.6
T7. Tampa            14.6
9. Cincinnati            14.5
T10. Dayton            13.8
T10. Nashville            13.8

No Albuquerque on that list, so it seems Mine That Bird’s New Mexico connections didn’t draw a hometown crowd to its TV sets.

NBC said cross-promotion drove up the numbers. From the network news release: “NBC Sports used its strategic ‘Big Event’ approach to promote the Kentucky Derby.  The marketing began with its first Derby promotion on Super Bowl Sunday.  The promotion was designed to broaden the Kentucky Derby’s audience by targeting the casual viewer in the Today show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, NBC Primetime, Bravo, Oxygen, IVillage and its companion service BlogHer.”