Breeders' Cup adds Robinson to Board of Directors

The Breeders' Cup Board of Directors, in its first meeting of the year

Monday, voted Don M. Robinson to the Board of Directors. Robinson, a

30-year-vetaran of the Thoroughbred industry, owns Winter Quarter Farm, which

his family started in 1948 in Lexington, Kentucky. Among the Grade 1 winners

bred or raised at the farm is Zenyatta (Street Cry [Ire]), the presumptive

champion older female of 2008 and Horse of the Year candidate. Robinson is the

current vice president of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association/Kentucky

Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders and will serve the remainder of the term of B.

Wayne Hughes, who resigned from the Board of Directors at the end of 2008.

"Don's leadership in the Thoroughbred industry and in public service, and his

knowledge of the interests of owners and breeders at all levels, will be a great

asset to our Board," Breeders' Cup Board Chairman William S. Farish, Jr. said.

"I welcome and embrace the opportunity to serve on the Breeders' Cup Board of

Directors," Robinson said. "The Breeders' Cup has grown tremendously through

innovation in the last several years and I look forward to further enhancing its

brand. As the owner of a third generation family farm, I also identify with the

needs and interests of the small breeder as representatives and stakeholders of

the overall Breeders' Cup program."

The Board also approved the recommendation of the Racing and Nominations

Committee for $5 million in Breeders' Cup funds for allocation to the 2009

Breeders' Cup Stakes Program. This year's program will provide purse

enhancements to approximately 100 existing stakes races at 40 tracks. The 2009

Stakes program schedule is expected to be released once the Breeders' Cup

finalizes agreements with racing departments at participating tracks to assign

allocations. A total of $75,000 in Breeders' Cup funds was allocated to last

Saturday's San Fernando Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita to begin this year's series.

In other action, the Board scheduled a full Board of Members and Trustees

meeting for February 4 to gather input on the proposed 2009 operating budget and

other financial issues related to the economic downturn and its potential impact

on the organization and the racing and breeding industries.