NBC Derby audience was over 16 million

NBC Sports drew the best Kentucky Derby television audience since 1989 on Saturday, when 16.2 million viewers tuned in to see Orb take the opening leg of horseracing's Triple Crown.

That number is up nine percent from last year's Derby audience of 14.8 million.

The race drew a rating of 9.7 and 9.1 million viewers took in the pre-race programming.

The top metered markets for the 2013 Kentucky Derby were Louisville, Fort Myers, Fla., and Cincinnati.

NBC began televising the race in 2001.

On May 18 (4:30 p.m. ET), NBC will air the Preakness Stakes from Pimlico Racecourse in Baltimore.