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NTRA Live! webcast to feature Rachel and Zenyatta's races Saturday

Plans call for 15-20 NTRA Live! webcasts this season (Courtesy of NTRA) The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced Thursday that the organization's website, NTRA.com, will offer free, live video streaming this Saturday of the seasonal debuts of both 2009 Horse of the Year RACHEL ALEXANDRA (Medaglia d'Oro) and the undefeated two-time champion ZENYATTA (Street Cry [Ire]). Rachel Alexandra will make her 2010 bow in the New Orleans Ladies S. from Fair Grounds, while Zenyatta will compete later that day in the Santa Margarita Invitational H. (G1) at Santa Anita.

The New Orleans Ladies and the Santa Margarita are expected to serve as preps for Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta, respectively, prior to their scheduled showdown in the April 9 Apple Blossom Invitational (G1) at Oaklawn Park. Post time for the New Orleans Ladies is slated for 6:15 p.m., and the Santa Margarita is set for 6:40 p.m. (all times EST). Both races also will be televised live on HRTV.

Saturday's webcast will begin at 6 p.m. and is the first of a series of races leading to the Triple Crown and Breeders' Cup World Championships that will be webcast live on NTRA.com. The series --called "NTRA Live!" -- will be hosted by ESPN analyst and NFL Network host Randy Moss. NTRA Live! will feature interviews with handicappers and on-track analysts, interactive chats with viewers, pre-and post-race analysis, handicapping selections, easy access to free past performance data and advance deposit wagering platforms, as well as other original and unique programming components. The programs will be produced and directed by Tim Turrell, who has produced numerous telecasts on horse racing and other sports for ESPN, The Golf Channel and others.

"There is obviously immense interest in Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta, and we can think of no better way to launch NTRA Live! than through a worldwide webcast of their 2010 debuts," said Keith Chamblin, senior vice president of the NTRA. "Our goal is to deliver high-quality broadcasts of these important races to a worldwide audience. We also want to take advantage of this web-based platform by utilizing content elements that wouldn't necessarily be available to us via traditional programming."

Following Saturday's webcast, NTRA Live! will continue on March 20 with the webcast of the Florida Derby (G1) from Gulfstream Park. Other races on the schedule, which is expected to include 15-20 webcasts during the year, include the March 28 Sunland Derby (G3) from Sunland Park and the April 17 Lexington S. (G2) from Keeneland.

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