(Edited press release)
The Breeders' Cup and Emirates Airline announced June 10 a renewal of their sponsorship agreement at the "Premier Partner" level through which Emirates will continue as the official commercial airline of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. As a Premier Partner, Emirates will again be title sponsor of the $2-million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (gr. IT) and the $3 million Breeders’ Cup Turf (gr. IT). Emirates has been a Breeders' Cup sponsor since 2005.
The 26th Breeders' Cup World Championships will be held on Nov. 6-7 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif.
As a part of the new agreement, Emirates will expand its presence in North America with additional partnerships at six other racetracks, becoming an official sponsor of Belmont Park in New York; Woodbine Race Course in Toronto; Lone Star Park near Dallas; Sam Houston Race Park in Houston; Del Mar Race Track near San Diego and Emerald Downs in Seattle. Emirates will sponsor a race at each of these tracks and will have print advertising, on-track signage and hospitality at selected sites during the summer and fall.
In addition to its continued presence on Breeders’ Cup Challenge telecasts in the fall, Emirates has also been named title sponsor of ESPN’s "Emirates Airline Summer Racing Series presented by NTRA" The series consists of three nationally televised racing programs from Del Mar, Arlington Park and Saratoga Race Course.
“Emirates is pleased to announce today our continued commitment to the sport of horse racing in America and around the world,” said Nigel Page, Emirates’ senior vice president, commercial operations Americas and Africa. “North America is a hugely important market to Emirates, we are currently operating non-stop flights to Dubai from New York, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Toronto. Our daily Los Angeles service will offer racing fans from the Middle East and Asia an easy route to Santa Anita Park to be part of the Breeders’ Cup experience,” added Page.
"Emirates continues to be an outstanding partner of the Breeders' Cup and a great supporter of Thoroughbred racing in North America,” said Breeders' Cup president and CEO Greg Avioli. "The Emirates expansion of its sponsorship is a testament to its commitment to our sport.”