The National Thoroughbred Racing Association on June 7 announced the official release of the NTRA Virtual Horse Racing Game at its web site. According to a release from the NTRA, the game "provides both entertainment and educational value by allowing racing enthusiasts, from beginners to the most experienced handicappers, to participate in a virtual world of breeding, owning, training and racing their own stable of horses. Each player has the ability to manage every aspect of his or her horse’s career. In addition, the game also allows fans to simulate upcoming major stakes races with the actual contenders and their real-life attributes depicted under simulated racing conditions" "The Virtual Horse Racing Game provides a unique and entertaining platform for fans to engage in Thoroughbred racing," said Keith Chamblin, senior vice president of the NTRA. "It is a key component of our social networking strategy designed to grow the online community of horse racing fans in a manner that allows them to engage with our sport on their terms and at a level and pace of their choosing." The NTRA Virtual Horse Racing Game is operated by Horse Racing Simulation. "The power of the NTRA Virtual Horse Racing Game is its ability to bring together all levels of fans. Most importantly, it allows new racing enthusiasts the chance to learn all about the sport," said Michael Calderone, CEO of Horse Racing Simulation. "The game and community will provide endless hours of entertainment whether you want to climb aboard some of the greatest Thoroughbreds who ever lived like Man o’ War, Pharlap or Zenyatta, or actually manage a full stable of virtual horses and compete for prizes and awards."