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First-Ever Two-Day Breeders’ Cup on ABC, ESPN & ESPN2


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Nine Hours of Live Coverage October 24-25
Reduced Commercial Inventory Means Unprecedented Coverage

The 2008 Breeders’ Cup World Championships on October 24-25 from Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., will receive nine hours of live coverage including, for the first time, 2.5 hours on ABC. The 25th running of the Breeders’ Cup will feature 14 races over two days with record purses of $25.5 million on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 beginning Friday, October 24, on ESPN2. The ABC and ESPN combination marks the first-ever network/cable telecast of the Championships.

Coverage of the Breeders’ Cup will begin with the Breeders’ Cup Preview Show on Wednesday, Oct. 22, at (time here) on ESPN2. ESPN2 will begin coverage of the racing action with Championship Friday, Oct. 24, from 3:30 – 6:30 p.m. ET with five Breeders’ Cup Championship races for fillies with purses totaling $8 million. It marks the first time a major thoroughbred event in North America will run an entire day of female thoroughbred racing, culminating with the Ladies’ Classic (formerly the Distaff).

On Saturday, Oct. 25, the racing action will continue with ABC airing the Championships from 1 – 3:30 p.m. and on ESPN from 3:30-7 p.m.

ESPN360.com will simulcast the ESPN and ESPN2 telecasts live and will air the ABC portion of the Breeders’ Cup at 2:30 p.m. ESPN Mobile will also simulcast the ESPN and ESPN2 coverage.

Also, for the first time, commercial inventory will be reduced by 45% from last year, enabling ESPN to have more time to cover all the stories from Santa Anita.

Joe Tessitore will host the telecasts with analysts Jerry Bailey and Randy Moss. Kenny Mayne will work with handicapper Hank Goldberg. Jeannine Edwards, Jay Privman, and Caton Bredar (on horseback) will serve as reporters. Jessica Pacecho is the odds analyst, while Nick Luck is the European horse analyst and Tom Rinaldi will interview key personalities in the sport. Bill Nack, author of Ruffian, will contribute essays and features, while Trevor Denman will call the races.

On ESPN.com, experts including Jeremy Plonk, Bill Finley and Jay Cronley, will give their analysis of all the action and news on and off the track.

TECHNOLOGY

ESPN’s coverage of the Breeders’ Cup will use the latest technology, including 34 cameras:

* All in high definition
* ESPN RailView- gyro-camera mounted on a truck in the infield, providing a close-up view of the leaders
* Steadicam, for post-parades
* Wireless mics on trainers and owners
* New graphics, which will display the odds the entire time
* Three RF cameras, bringing sights and sounds of Santa Anita
* Sportvision pointer system
* Virtual displays that will mark the distances to the finish line (300 yards, 200 yards and 100 yards)
* Fingerworks Telestrator
* Aerial coverage from airplane
* Two point-of-view (POV) cameras mounted in starting gate with audio
* Paddock rail camera mounted in the paddock stalls

FEATURES

* Features on The Breeders’ Cup telecast will include:

* Jockey Kent Desormeaux and his son Jacob, who is deaf and losing his eyesight
* A focus on women trainers and their impact on the sport
* Horse-of-the-Year candidate Zenayatta (who will run in the Ladies Classic), the undefeated filly who has the unusual habit of getting out of the starting gate last.
* Kenny Mayne on horse cheerleaders
* Bill Nack looks back at some of the best moments in the 25 year history of the Breeders’ Cup.
* Nack on Classic contender Curlin’s place in the sports history
* The story behind the naming of Breeders’ Cup Classic contender Colonel John by owner Bill Casner

TELEVISION SCHEDULE

Wed,. October 22 -- ESPN2, 5-5:30 p.m. ET: Breeders’ Cup Preview Show

Fri., October 24 -- ESPN2, 3:30- 6:30 p.m.

* Sentient Breeders Cup Filly/Mare Sprint
* Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf
* Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies
* Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf
* Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic

Sat., October 25 -- ABC, 1-3:30 p.m.

* Breeders’ Cup Marathon
* Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint
* TVG Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile
* Breeders’ Cup Mile

Sat. October 25- ESPN, 3:30-7 p.m.

* Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile
* Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf
* Sentient Breeders’ Cup Sprint
* Emirates Airlines Breeders’ Cup turf
* Breeders’ Cup Classic

MULTI-MEDIA COVERAGE

* ESPN360.com: Simulcast of the ESPN and ESPN2 coverage on Friday and Saturday and a replay of the ABC coverage after 2:30 on Saturday.

* SportsCenter: News and information during Breeders’ Cup Week.

* ESPN.com: Countdown Clock started on September 25 through Friday, October 24. In-depth Breeders’ Cup coverage on main and horse racing pages.

* ESPN Radio: On Friday, Los Angeles’ 710 ESPN Radio will have Mason & Ireland (1-4 p.m. PT, M-F) will originate from Santa Anita. Listeners outside Los Angeles can hear 710 ESPN Radio programming on ESPNRadio.com.

* ESPN International: coverage in Pacific Rim (including Australia and New Zealand), Latin America, Caribbean, Atlantic (including Africa and the Middle East) networks and on TSN in Canada.

* ESPN Classic: Re-air of Breeders’ Cup Preview Show on Thurs., Oct. 23, at 6:30 p.m.



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