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#MyBreedersCup Aims to Improve Off-Track Experience

Breeders' Cup announces effort for 2020 event, as fans will not be allowed to attend.

The Breeders' Cup, one of Thoroughbred racing's most prestigious international events, today unveils #MyBreedersCup, a multi-pronged digital and social program designed to bring the best of the upcoming Breeders' Cup World Championships to fans around the world.

Created in response to the recent decision to conduct the 2020 event without fans on-site due to COVID-19, the program provides fans with new opportunities to interact with the championship event remotely, from innovative digital viewing experiences to a virtual fashion contest and more.  

The 37th running of the Breeders' Cup World Championships is scheduled to take place on Friday, Nov. 6 and Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020 at Keeneland in Lexington. The event will be broadcast live on NBC, NBCSN, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app, as well as on BreedersCup.com and the Official Breeders' Cup app.

"Our fans are the heart and soul of the Breeders' Cup, and we are thrilled to introduce new and exciting opportunities for them to engage with the upcoming World Championships from the comfort of their homes," said Drew Fleming, President and CEO of Breeders' Cup. "Encompassing all facets of the Breeders' Cup experience, this new program makes it easier than ever for fans to join in the excitement of the event, whether through following their favorite horses, crafting our official cocktails or showing off the finest race day fashions. We look forward to seeing our loyal fans, as well as new fans, get into the Breeders' Cup spirit in a whole new way, and we hope they enjoy the various activations we've created to enhance their at-home viewing experience."

Highlights of the program include:
•    The most robust on-site production ever for a horse racing event, with NBC Sports leveraging 80 cameras throughout Keeneland to develop the live broadcast.
•    The Jockey Cam presented by Lexus, a helmet-mounted camera providing a live, first-person perspective for up to two jockeys per race.
•    The all-new Contender Cam, which showcases up to 14 live streams at once to allow fans at home to follow a specific horse as that horse prepares for its race.
•    Breeders' Cup VR/360°, a live virtual reality (VR) and 360° stream from the walking ring and Winner's Circle.
•    A new Breeders' Cup Live Multi-cast, housing all live streaming content on BreedersCup.com.
•    A virtual edition of the Longines Prize for Elegance fashion contest, awarding classic Longines timepieces to two stylish fans.
•    #MyBreedersCup Photo Filters featuring special frames, backgrounds and virtual elements for the ideal race-day memento and social media moment.
•    Breeders' Cup Party Kits comprised of limited-edition merchandise, offering fans all they need to enjoy the Breeders' Cup at home.
•    Complete program details can be found at BreedersCup.com/at-home.

Expanded Broadcast and Digital Streaming Offerings
Breeders' Cup has been working with official media partner NBC Sports to implement pioneering production elements that will allow viewers of the live broadcast to watch the races like never before. This year's Breeders' Cup will have the most robust on-site production ever for a horse racing event, with NBC having access to 80 cameras for their coverage.

One innovation, a high-power camera dubbed the "BatCam," will make its debut at Keeneland this year. The BatCam is a cable-supported, high-speed camera mounted to an extensive network of overhead wires that provides dynamic aerial views of the races. With top speeds above 100 miles per hour, the camera can move swiftly across the racetrack to capture the action, boasting unrivaled high-definition video quality and stability even in undesirable weather conditions that typically obscure most sports cameras.

This year, the Jockey Cam presented by Lexus, a helmet-mounted camera that debuted in the United States for the first time at the 2017 Breeders' Cup World Championships, will return in an enhanced capacity. For the first time, two Jockey Cams will be worn by select jockeys during races throughout the two-day World Championships, giving fans increased access to first-person views of the racetrack and paddock. Fans will be able to livestream footage from the two Jockey Cams via Breeders' Cup's official website, while NBC Sports will also integrate video content from the Jockey Cams into their Breeders' Cup race-day coverage to enhance the at-home viewing experience. The Jockey Cam is being produced by Equine Productions, an international film production company based in the United Kingdom. 

In addition, NBC will integrate on-player microphones to produce close-up audio effects that bring the viewers closer to the racehorses and jockeys. This advanced microphone technology will extract audio from transmitters worn by various jockeys, owners and trainers to create a dynamic field of high-fidelity audio, offering behind the scenes access into the races with sounds and conversations directly from the field. 

Breeders' Cup and NBC will also be collaborating with LTN Global, the leader in transformative media technology and video transport network solutions, to integrate fan-contributed segments into the official broadcast. Leveraging experience working with major brands including the NFL, the French Open, American Idol, TVG and more, LTN Live Video Cloud will bring fans of the Breeders' Cup closer to Keeneland's action via the dynamic live streaming services.

Advanced technologies are also being implemented across Breeders' Cup's own digital platforms. The new Contender Cam allows fans to watch their favorite horse via a dedicated live stream on BreedersCup.com from the time they enter the Paddock until they walk into the starting gate. There will be up to 14 live streams to choose from for each race, one for every starter, allowing owners, fans and bettors to keep a close eye on all horses as they warm up for their races.

Breeders' Cup is providing fans the opportunity to experience the World Championships virtually through Breeders' Cup VR, a live virtual reality (VR) and 360° stream. The production will feature a live view from the center of the famed Keeneland walking ring in the Paddock area, along with a second view from the frontside showing the main track and Winner's Circle. Those without a VR headset can experience a similar environment via a 360° live stream on BreedersCup.com. 

All the live streams, including the main Players' Show broadcast featuring all races over the two days, will be viewable within the Breeders' Cup Live Multi-cast on BreedersCup.com. The new video viewing experience will allow fans to watch up to four concurrent streams at the same time through a split panel view. 

Interactive Social Media Experiences
Beyond the race-related experiences, #MyBreedersCup also features a number of ways to bring the lifestyle elements of the event to living rooms worldwide. For the first time ever, fans will be able to compete for the annual Longines Prize for Elegance virtually via an interactive social media campaign. Utilizing unique hashtags and handles including #MyBreedersCup and @Longines, the competition will encourage participants to show off their race-day fashions for a chance to win a classic Swiss-made Longines timepiece. 

All viewers will also be able to enjoy a selection of special photo filters to document their days. Fans can enhance pre-selected images with the official #MyBreedersCup Photo Filter, which features a branded frame and optional flower wall backgrounds and themed stickers. Additionally, new AR filters available via the Breeders' Cup mobile app will allow fans to superimpose themselves against iconic racing symbols and settings. The filters position the user as a stylish spectator with sunglasses and a hat; a jockey coming out of the starting gate with a helmet and goggles; and a champion celebrating victory in the Winner's Circle.

Exclusive Cocktails and Party Kits
Fans can also look forward to step-by-step instructions and expert advice for crafting the Breeders' Cup Official Cocktails, launched last year in partnership with iconic New York speakeasy '21' Club. Featuring high-quality yet easy-to-find ingredients, the two cocktails - the Torrie Cup and the Garland - offer the ideal libations that are at once simple and sophisticated. The cocktail ingredients can be found on BreedersCup.com for fans to craft at home during race day. Also available are newly created Breeders' Cup Party Kits. Ideal for watch parties of five and complete with fan gear essentials such as koozies, masks, pins and tableware, the party kits can be found alongside the official 2020 event merchandise at BreedersCupShop.com.

To learn more about the 2020 Breeders' Cup World Championships, please visit BreedersCup.com/2020.

Breeders' Cup is also committed to alleviating the impacts of the health crisis on the horse racing community and other industry stakeholders in need. To learn more about Breeders' Cup's ongoing support of the community and to contribute to the organization's COVID-19 relief efforts, please visit BreedersCup.com/Donate. 

This press release has not been edited by BloodHorse. If there are any questions please contact the organization that produced the release.