Youbet.com will sponsor Race Track Chaplaincy of America's White Horse Award cash prize of $5,000 through 2008, officials from both organizations announced on August 31. The $20,000 commitment will make Youbet.com a member of the White Horse Fellowship which elects the winner of the annual award presented to the horse racing related worker judged to have performed the most heroic act on behalf of human or horse.

"We celebrate a lot of winners in racing," said Youbet CEO Charles F. Champion. "But none are more important than the ones we salute as part of the White Horse program - men and women in our sport who selflessly help others in need. We're very proud to be associated with this effort."

The third annual winner will be announced and presented with the White Horse Award on Thursday, October 27 at Belmont Park, two days before the $14 million Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships.

"We welcome their partnership and decision to be a big part of our efforts to enrich the lives of backstretch and racing farm workers across North America," said RTCA Executive Director, Dr. Enrique Torres. "Youbet.com is definitely a company that cares."

This year's nominees include Maryland racing farm worker Kyle Howard and Kentucky Horse Park wrangler, Kevin Schulte. Howard climbed a neighbor's barn silo ladder to hold upright for over an hour the farm's owner who had become entangled in silage machinery and was hanging upside down 75 feet above the ground. Schulte calmly took control and avoided what could have been a major calamity when a horse park barn caught on fire very close to a group of inexperienced riders, including several children.

Youbet.com is the largest Internet provider of thoroughbred, quarter horse and harness racing content in the United States. The company is the horse race video source for ESPN.com's patented ESPN Motion and the exclusive provider of horse racing content for CBS SportsLine.com.

RTCA sanctions and oversees 58 chaplains who serve at over 100 tracks and training center throughout North America.

Youbet.com joins White Horse Fellowship members Daily Racing Form, which pays the expenses for the four finalist to attend the famous series, Breeders' Cup Ltd which supplies tickets, Chicken Soup for the Soul series publishers Health Communications Inc., which gives each of the three runners-up $1,000, and United Tote, which sponsors the Backstretch Bonanza party for track workers during Breeders' Cup week.