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SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED FOR "ROAD TO THE WORLD THOROUGHBRED CHAMPIONSHIPS" ON ESPN NETWORKS

Supporting Ad Campaign Features Kenny Mayne
Jim Kelly Introduced as Voice and Spokesman for Series
Top International Races to Be Featured

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association and Breeders' Cup Limited announced the schedule of races for the newly titled "Road to the World Thoroughbred Championships" on the ESPN networks and outlined a supporting promotional campaign featuring ESPN's Kenny Mayne. In other news, Jim Kelly, the voice of the America's Cup and ESPN golf, was named anchor and spokesman for the "Road to the World Thoroughbred Championships" series.

In addition, the NTRA announced that for the first time U.S. audiences will be able to follow the top international Breeders' Cup contenders through expanded ESPN and ESPN News coverage of Emirates World Series races (see separate release).

The new advertising campaign, first discussed at the NTRA Marketing Summit in March, is entitled "Kenny Mayne, the Singing Jockey." It features the ESPN personality in jockey silks, playing guitar on horseback and singing parodies of classic Western songs to encourage viewers to tune in to horseracing on ESPN.

Mayne is joined by Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Jorge Chavez, jockeys Aaron Gryder and Joe Bravo and retired, Hall of Fame jockey Angel Cordero Jr., in a series of four spots that will debut the last week of July and run through October. The campaign was created and produced by BaylessCronin of Atlanta. The 11-week flight will air on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Classic.

"This campaign is designed specifically to increase interest and awareness of horseracing among ESPN viewers and to remind those viewers to tune into ESPN's tremendous lineup of races on the 'Road to the World Thoroughbred Championships,'" said Keith Chamblin, NTRA Vice President-Marketing and Industry Relations. "Consumer research has told us that horseracing's casual fans, a younger male demographic, live on the ESPN family of networks."

Broadcasts of the Arlington Million, the Pacific Classic and the Travers Stakes highlight the ESPN summer schedule (see complete schedule, below).

"With our new coverage of the best in international racing by way of the Emirates series and top races like the Arlington Million, the Travers and the Pacific Classic, this is truly the 'Road to the World Thoroughbred Championships,'" said Kelly. "I'm looking forward to being a part of this as the host of the series on ESPN."

Date	Network	Air Time (ET)	Event(s)	Site(s)
7/15	ESPN2	6:00-7:00 pm	Swaps Stakes	Hollywood Park/Inglewood, CA
7/28	ESPN2	5:00-6:00 pm	Test Stakes	Saratoga Race Course/Saratoga Springs, NY
8/4	ESPN	5:00-6:00 pm	Jim Dandy Stakes	Saratoga Race Course/Saratoga Springs, NY
8/5	ESPN2	6:00-7:00 pm	Haskell Invitational	Monmouth Park/Oceanport, NJ
8/11	ESPN	5:00-6:00 pm	Sword Dancer Handicap	Saratoga Race Course/Saratoga Springs, NY
8/18	ESPN	4:00-5:00 pm	Arlington Million Beverly D. Stakes	Arlington Park/Arlington Heights, IL
8/19	ESPN	5:00-6:00 pm	Pacific Classic	Del Mar Race Track/Del Mar, CA
8/24	ESPN2	4:00-5:00 pm	The Personal Ensign	Saratoga Race Course/Saratoga Springs, NY
8/25	ESPN	4:30-6:00 pm	The Travers/King's Bishop	Saratoga Race Course/Saratoga Springs, NY
8/26	ESPN	5:00-6:00 pm	Ballerina Handicap	Saratoga Race Course/Saratoga Springs, NY
9/16	ESPN	3:30-4:00 pm	The Matron	Belmont Park/Elmont, NY
9/22	ESPN2	5:00-5:30 pm	Kentucky Cup Classic	Turfway Park/Florence, KY
10/7	ESPN2	5:30-7:00 pm	WinStar Galaxy Stakes	Keeneland/Lexington, KY
			Overbrook Spinster Stakes	Keeneland/Lexington, KY
			Shadwell Mile	Keeneland/Lexington, KY
			Goodwood Breeders' Cup	Santa Anita Park/Arcadia, CA
			Oak Tree Breeders' Cup Mile	Santa Anita Park/Arcadia, CA
10/13	ESPN	4:00-5:00 pm	Queen Elizabeth II Stakes	Keeneland/Lexington, KY
10/21	ESPN2	2:00-2:30 pm	Breeders' Cup Steeplechase	Far Hills Race Course/Far Hills, NJ
10/26	ESPN2	5:00-6:00 pm	Breeders' Cup Special	New York, NY (Preview Show)

ADDITIONAL "ROAD TO THE WORLD THOROUGHBRED CHAMPIONSHIPS" COVERAGE ON NTRA 2DAY AT THE RACES

Date	Network	Air Time (ET)	Events(s)	Site(s)
6/30	ESPN2	11:30 pm-12:00 am	Vanity Handicap	Hollywood Park/Inglewood, CA
			Mother Goose	Belmont Park/Elmont, NY
			Aristides Handicap	Churchill Downs/Louisville, KY
7/7	ESPN2	5:30-6:00 pm	Bowling Green Handicap	Belmont Park/Elmont, NY
			Hanshin Handicap	Arlington Park/Arlington Heights, IL
7/14	ESPN2	6:00-6:30 pm	Princess Rooney Handicap Azalea B.C. Stakes	Calder Race Course/Miami, FL
7/29	ESPN2	5:30-6:00 pm	Modesty Handicap	Arlington Park/Arlington Heights, IL
			Go for Wand	Saratoga Race Course/Saratoga Springs, NY
8/12	ESPN2	5:30-6:00 pm	Ballston Spa Breeders' Cup	Saratoga Race Course/Saratoga Springs, NY
9/9	ESPN2	7:00-7:30 pm	Woodward Stakes	Belmont Park/Elmont, NY
			Garden City Breeders' Cup	Belmont/Elmont, NY
			Endine Stakes	Delaware Park/Wilmington, DE

The NTRA is a broad-based coalition of horseracing interests, including the American Quarter Horse Association, charged with increasing awareness of Thoroughbred racing and improving economic conditions for industry participants. The NTRA also conducts the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships, racing's year-end Championship consisting of eight races and $13 million in purses and awards, and the Breeders' Cup National Stakes Program, which are funded by the industry's owners and breeders. The NTRA has offices in Lexington, Ky., and New York City. A compendium of NTRA press releases appears on the NTRA Web site, ntra.com, and at the Web site for the Breeders' Cup Championship, breederscup.com. Contact the NTRA at ntra@ntra.com.