Saturday, September 27, 2008

Spreading the News about Curlin and The Jockey Club Gold Cup

The New York Racing Association is using a full range of media opportunities to promote the third consecutive appearance of Curlin at one of its tracks. The reigning Horse of the Year headlines Saturday’s 90th running of the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup (race 10, 5:52 p.m.) at Belmont Park. If he wins the 11/4-mile contest, Curlin will surpass Cigar and become the highest earning Thoroughbred in American racing history, the first to reach $10 million dollars in purse money won.

On track, fans have been seeing a Jockey Club Gold Cup promo on the self -service betting terminals and light-boxes featuring bright, colorful “Curlin in the Gold Cup” imagery have been installed prominently around Belmont Park.


NYRA’s on-track and simulcast live video production and its nightly “Thoroughbred Action” race recap program on MSG Plus have been airing a Curlin/Gold Cup Day promo, along with frequent informational graphics.

Print ads promoting the Sept. 27 races are running in a half-dozen publications, including the regional Spanish language newspaper “Hoy.” Audio ads are in rotation at the two most popular sports radio stations in New York. On-line advertising is focused on a half-dozen racing-oriented websites.

An email blast promoting Curlin and Gold Cup day last week was followed up with one this week to an email list of approximately 50,000 racing fans.

The NYRA website, http://www.nyra.com features regular Jockey Club Gold Cup reports and updates, photography, and a wealth of information to be found in “Curlin’s Corner,” which includes a Curlin – Cigar comparison sheet, morning workout videos, past performances, a YouTube Race Replay Archive, a multimedia zone with race photos, and screensavers and podcasts with owner Jess Jackson, trainer Steve Asmussen, assistant trainer Scott Blasi and others.

NYRA also arranged for video of Curlin’s final Saratoga workout on Monday be put up on a satellite feed Monday afternoon along with an interview with assistant trainer Scott Blasi, enabling any TV station in the country to record and air it that day. Another 30-minute video package focusing on the Jockey Club Gold Cup went up on the satellite feed Thursday afternoon and the post-Jockey Club Gold Cup Interview Room session will be available to TV outlets live on satellite as well.

With a promotional Stadium Seat giveaway already in place for Jockey Club Gold Cup day, NYRA created a limited-edition Curlin T-Shirt, commemorating his bid to become racing’s first “10 Million Dollar Man.” Available at the bargain price of $5.00, all proceeds from the 5,000 collectable Curlin T-Shirts will go toward supporting the Backstretch Employee Service Team (B.E.S.T.)

For those who can’t make it to Belmont Park or a simulcast facility, the Jockey Club Gold Cup will air regionally as part of a half-hour special on MSG Plus and also on HRTV. TVG will also cover the big race, while ESPN News will bring the race to the attention of sports fans nationwide when it cuts away to Belmont Park to cover the Jockey Club Gold Cup live.

Saturday’s racing kicks off at 1 pm with the parade of five Grade 1 stakes starting with race six, the Beldame Stakes. Next up is the Flower Bowl Invitational and the start of the all Grade 1 $500,000 guaranteed Pick Four wager which will include the Vosburgh, the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic and, finally, the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

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