Breeders' Cup Challenge Race To Be Held Between ESPN CFB Games
By Liz Mullen, Staff Writer, SportsBusiness Journal
The Breeders’ Cup will announce today its ESPN telecast schedule for the Breeders’ Cup Challenge races leading into horse racing’s annual championship event will include a race featuring Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird or undefeated mare Zenyatta that will air live on October 10 between ESPN’s Saturday college football doubleheader. ESPN execs came up with the idea to highlight one of the major prep races for the Breeders’ Cup, to be held November 6-7 at Santa Anita Park and broadcast on ESPN channels, as a way to grow the property, said Breeders’ Cup President & CEO Greg Avioli. “One of our challenges is having to promote our event in the middle of football season,” Avioli said. “The point of it is to introduce the highest level of horse racing to a broad group of sports fans.” Additionally, the Breeders’ Cup on Friday authorized bumping the winner’s share of the $5M Breeders’ Cup Classic race by $1M, making it the biggest winner’s purse in racing if both Zenyatta and 3-year-old filly Rachel Alexandra run, a match-up racing fans have been calling for. But Rachel Alexandra’s owner, winemaker Jess Jackson, turned down the offer a few hours after it was made. Avioli told SportsBusiness Journal, “While Mr. Jackson has been consistent in saying he is not planning on running the filly (anymore) this year, he made similar statements last year about Curlin.” Jackson’s horse Curlin, was defeated as the favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita Park, which has a synthetic track.
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