Breeders' Cup launches marketing activities for Classic

Building on 2011 record levels of consumer awareness for its flagship asset, the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), the Breeders' Cup is launching a series of marketing activities highlighting the Classic, Classic contenders and Breeders' Cup Challenge ("Win And You're In") Classic division races, Breeders' Cup announced Wednesday. The campaign includes a racetrack-focused consumer promotion encouraging fans to "own" a share of the winners of Breeders' Cup Classic Challenge races, expanded television coverage of those races, a dedicated web presence and social media campaign, and branding supporting the Breeders' Cup Classic's international prestige and its position as America's richest race. "This initiative to focus on the Classic is a product of our strategic planning and also an effort to build on the public attention that Zenyatta brought to last year's event," said Tom Ludt, chairman of Breeders' Cup Ltd. "We want to promote the Breeders' Cup Classic to a broader audience of casual racing fans and give them tools to follow the top contenders from now through November."

The campaign begins with Saturday's Hollywood Gold Cup (G1), when fans will get

a "chance to own a champion" via the

Breeders' Cup Classic Ownership Challenge. Fans attending the Hollywood Gold Cup and the

remaining Classic Division Challenge races -- the Haskell Invitational (G1), the

Whitney H. (G1), the Pacific Classic (G1), the Goodwood S. (G1) and the Jockey

Club Gold Cup (G1) -- can enter to become virtual owners of the winners of those

races. If one of those horses goes on to win the Breeders' Cup Classic, its

virtual ownership syndicate will share in a $250,000 cash prize.

"The Challenge Classic ownership program is a great way to get local fans

involved in the process of virtual ownership of a race horse and provides them

with a rooting interest that carries them through the Breeders' Cup Classic,"

said Bill Knauf, assistant general manager at Monmouth Park. "We look forward to

our fans having this unique opportunity as part of Haskell day."

The six Classic Challenge races will be nationally televised with five on

ESPN and ABC as part of the 2011 Breeders' Cup Classic Challenge.

"While avid racing fans both here and around the world appreciate the

championship implications of our event across several divisions, we needed to do

more to raise the profile of the Classic and its consistent position as the

world's pre-eminent race. The Classic will serve as a gateway to introduce our

event and its divisions to new racing fans," said Carter Carnegie, Breeders' Cup

senior vice president of sales. "We are fortunate that Emirates and other

sponsors have worked with us to provide national television coverage on ABC and

ESPN and that the Whitney from Saratoga will be on Versus as part of NYRA's 'Summer From Saratoga Series,' allowing us to showcase these key races."

In addition to the promotion and expanded television schedule, the Breeders' Cup created targeted advertising promoting the Classic series and ownership promotion as well as a dedicated website, www.BreedersCup.com/Classic. The site will feature exclusive information about the Classic Challenge races and the road leading up to the Classic, including an "Eight in the Gate" section written by network television analyst Randy Moss that will provide insight on the eight remaining spots for the Classic race and the horses to watch.

Launched originally in 2007, the Breeders' Cup Challenge ("Win And You're

In") provides automatic entry to the Breeders' Cup World Championships to

winning horses. New this year are complimentary entry fees and travel stipends

for Challenge winners.

Television Coverage of the BC Challenge Classic division races

DATE		RACE		TRACK (STATE)		STATION		TIME
7/9		Hollywood Gold Cup		Hollywood (CA)		ESPN		7-8 p.m.
7/31		Haskell Invitational		Monmouth (NJ)		ABC		5-6 p.m.
8/6		Whitney H.		Saratoga (NY)		Versus		5-6 p.m.
8/28		Pacific Classic		Del Mar (CA)		ESPN3		TBD
10/1		*Jockey Club Gold Cup		Belmont (NY)		ESPN Classic		4-7 p.m.
10/1		*Goodwood S.		Santa Anita (CA)		ESPN Classic		4-7 p.m.

* Jockey Club Gold Cup and Goodwood will also be featured during

ESPN's Saturday College Football coverage