TVG to air exclusive live coverage of the 39th annual Eclipse Awards

NTRA.com

Contact: Kyle Fratini, (212) 529-8473, Kyle.fratini@redconsultancy.com

LOS ANGELES (January 12, 2010) – TVG, the premier horseracing television network in the U.S., will broadcast exclusive coverage of the 39th Annual Eclipse Awards live on Monday, January 18 from the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. Headlining the awards honoring champion thoroughbreds of 2009 is the highly anticipated Horse of the Year announcement where Preakness Stakes winner Rachel Alexandra and undefeated Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Zenyatta will face-off for the first time.

“We just witnessed one of the most memorable years in horseracing history, and while they’ve never met on the track, Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta find themselves in a match race for Horse of the Year honors,” said Gerard Cunningham, president of Betfair US, owner and operator of TVG. “It’s a virtual dead heat for racing’s top honor and no matter what the outcome, Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta can certainly stake their claim as Queen of the Sport of Kings.”

TVG’s broadcast of the Eclipse Awards begins with red carpet coverage at 7 p.m. EST hosted by TVG’s Todd Schrupp, Simon Bray and Greg Wolf. Live coverage of awards presentations begins at 8 p.m. EST hosted by award-winning horseracing and sports announcer Kenny Rice. The Eclipse Awards show is produced by TVG in association with the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA).

“The announcement of 2009 Horse of the Year is among the most highly anticipated moments in the 39-year history of the Eclipse Awards,” said NTRA Senior Vice President Keith Chamblin. “We are delighted that TVG will once again be broadcasting the entire Awards show to a world-wide television audience.”

The Eclipse Awards ceremony will conclude with the announcement and presentation of the Horse of the Year, racing’s top honor.

The Eclipse Awards are presented by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), the National Turf Writers Association and Daily Racing Form. The awards will recognize champions in 17 human and equine categories.

About the 39th Annual Eclipse Awards
The Eclipse Awards, which recognize excellence in Thoroughbred horse racing each year, are presented in 17 equine and human categories, including: Horse of the Year, two-year-old colt, two-year-old filly, three-year-old colt, three-year-old filly, older male horse, older female horse, male turf horse, female turf horse, male sprinter, female sprinter, steeplechase, owner, breeder, jockey, apprentice jockey and trainer.

The Eclipse Awards are named after the great 18th-century racehorse and foundation sire Eclipse, who began racing at age five and was undefeated in 18 starts, including eight walkovers. Eclipse sired the winners of 344 races, including three Epsom Derbies.

About TVG
TVG, the official TV and online wagering partner of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) and a subsidiary of Betfair Group Ltd, the premier e-gaming betting community, is among the most widely distributed horseracing networks in the world. TVG.com is the largest legal online gaming company in the US, accepting over $500 million in wagers in 2008. The TVG Network is the leading horseracing television channel in the U.S., distributed to more than 33 million American households. The company has demonstrated its commitment to the racing industry, its owners, tracks and fans through the sponsorship of several preeminent races including the TVG Breeders Cup Mile, TVG/Betfair Hollywood Gold Cup and Claiming Crown. TVG viewers in certain areas can wager interactively on races via telephone, the Internet, TVG Mobile or Interactive Television by establishing a wagering account online at www.tvg.com or by telephone at 1-888-PLAY-TVG.

About NTRA
The NTRA is a broad-based coalition of horse racing interests consisting of leading thoroughbred racetracks, owners, breeders, trainers, horseplayers and affiliated horse racing associations, charged with increasing the popularity of horse racing and improving economic conditions for industry participants. The NTRA has offices in Lexington, Ky., and Rye Brook, N.Y.