Horse Racing Capsules: Rachel Alexandra, new foal doing well in Kentucky
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Rachel Alexandra and her first foal are "doing well" a day after the 2009 Horse of the Year gave birth to a bay colt.
Stonestreet Farm says on its website Monday that the focus will be on allowing Rachel and her foal to adjust to one another, and farm manager Gary Megibben adds that Rachel is "a natural mother who took to the colt immediately."
The 125-pound colt with a star was sired by two-time Horse of the Year Curlin.
Megibben says the bay colt was born Sunday near Lexington, Ky. and took his first steps about 90 minutes after birth.
Owner Barbara Banke says she and co-owner Hal McCormick are looking forward to watching the colt develop.
The 6-year-old Rachel Alexandra was the first filly in 85 years to win the Preakness when she accomplished it in 2009. She finished with 13 wins and five second-place finishes in 19 starts. She will be bred to Bernardini this year.
Curlin, who was Horse of the Year in 2007 and 2008, stands at Lane's End Farm.
Breeders' Cup Classic hits prime time with NBC
NEW YORK (AP) — The Breeders' Cup Classic is coming to prime time for the first time.
NBC Sports Group and the Breeders' Cup have agreed to a multiyear deal for the network to televise the two-day Breeders' Cup World Championships beginning with the 2012 event at Santa Anita Park.
This year, NBC Sports Network will televise the Breeders' Cup races on Nov. 2 and then Nov. 3 before NBC picks up coverage for the $5 million Classic from 8-9 p.m. EST.
The 15-race Breeders' Cup returns to NBC after several years on ABC/ESPN. NBC aired the event from 1984-2005. Financial terms of the deal announced Monday were not disclosed.
NBC also televises the Triple Crown races — the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes.
Jockeys' Guild, Churchill Downs reach agreement
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Churchill Downs Inc. and the Jockeys' Guild have reached an agreement to subsidize riders' health insurance, life insurance and disability benefits for members of the Guild who ride in the United States.
Terms of the multiyear agreement announced Monday were not disclosed, but the Guild currently provides life insurance, temporary disability benefits and other benefits to its riders, as well as life insurance and aid to permanent disabled members.
Jockeys' Guild national manager Terry Meyocks says in a statement the agreement will directly benefit approximately 950 active, retired and permanently disabled members.
Guild members at Churchill tracks will continue to contribute a per-mount fee to such insurance policies while Churchill will make insurance contributions at its four tracks — Churchill Downs, Calder, Arlington Park and Fair Grounds.
