Recently, the NTRA answered some questions and provided the THP with some information about what it is doing to sustain and improve public interest in horse racing. Below are some of the answers and information the NTRA provided:

Q. The Triple Crown produced record attendance, handle and TV ratings. What is the NTRA doing to sustain that momentum?
In June, NTRA and Breeders' Cup Limited announced new initiatives designed to retain and build consumer interest in horse racing during the months leading up to the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships, racing's "second season."

As with the Triple Crown, the sport as a whole benefits when the big days are made bigger through more public relations, media and television coverage. With the World Thoroughbred Championships approaching, NTRA's programs to stoke fan interest in our game include:

World Thoroughbred Rankings
Published in general interest newspapers like USA TODAY, the rankings give fans a snapshot of the top 10 horses from around the world in each Breeders' Cup division. By following these rankings, produced by an international panel of racing secretaries and handicappers, we hope American audiences will be as familiar with European runners as they are with those in the United States on Breeders' Cup day.

Sponsors
NTRA continues to seek sponsors that, similar to other major league sports, will help promote horse racing to a broader audience. As many as five Breeders' Cup races could have sponsors affiliated with them by the October 26 running of the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships at Arlington Park.

Television
The 2002 television schedule is the best yet, with summer/fall programming on CBS, ESPN and CNBC, plus a Breeders' Cup Preview on NBC. We have also added international races to the lineup to give fans a comprehensive look at Breeders' Cup contenders.

New Wagers
The new Breeders' Cup Future Bet and Head2Head wager give fans more days and more ways to bet on one of our sport's biggest days: the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships. The Future Bet offers pools on all eight Breeders' Cup races during select weekends in July, August and September. Head2Head offers simple proposition bets in which fans need only choose which of two designated horses will finish ahead of the other. Head2Head bets will be available on all eight Breeders' Cup races.

Q. How do I find out more about NTRA programs?
The NTRA's annual meeting, which is free and open to the public, will be held on Monday, Sept. 30 in Las Vegas. An audio presentation of the meeting will be streamed on the NTRA Web site, www.ntra.com. You can request additional information at any time from Ben Haggin, vice president - industry relations, at (859) 422-2644 or bhaggin@ntra.com.