MSG Plus, in partnership with The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA), will offer live coverage of the Grade 1, $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational from Belmont Park on Saturday, October 3 from 4:30 – 6:00 p.m. The telecast will also include coverage of four other prestigious Grade 1 races from Belmont Park.

As expected, the Jockey Club Gold Cup is lining up as one of the best races of the year. It marks the first time that Belmont Stakes and Shadwell Travers winner Summer Bird will compete against older horses. The 3-year-old son of Birdstone, trained by Tim Ice, has earned more than $1.5 million in only seven lifetime starts.

Horses likely to take on Summer Bird in the Jockey Club Gold Cup are 4-year-old Macho Again, who lost by a head to Rachel Alexandra in the Woodward at Saratoga, 5-year-old Bullsbay, who won the Whitney Handicap at Saratoga and ran 3rd in the Woodward, 3-year-old Quality Road, who set records in both the Florida Derby and the Amsterdam at Saratoga, and a host of other challengers.

The live coverage on MSG Plus will begin at 4:30 p.m. and feature expert race analysis from Jason Blewitt, Eric Donovan, and Andy Serling of NYRA Live. In addition to the Jockey Club Gold Cup, the broadcast will include coverage of four other Grade 1 races from Belmont Park, comprising the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational, the Vosburgh, the Beldame, and the Flower Bowl Invitational.

MSG Plus’ Jockey Club Gold Cup Day coverage continues the partnership with NYRA that also comprised live coverage of the 2009 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, the 2009 Mother Goose at Belmont Park, and five Saturdays at Saratoga Race Course. In addition to televising live racing action, MSG Plus currently telecasts “Belmont Park/Aqueduct/Saratoga in 30,” a daily half-hour race-replay show and “Thoroughbred Weekly,” a weekly half-hour show including timely features and races of the week.

About MSG Media

MSG Media is an industry leader in production and content development for all broadcast and digital platforms. A part of Madison Square Garden, L.P., MSG Media is comprised of television networks MSG, MSG Plus and Fuse, as well as MSG Interactive, which oversees all Madison Square Garden wireless and online initiatives, and the Media Sales division. Madison Square Garden, L.P. is owned by Cablevision Systems Corporation and includes the New York Knicks (NBA); the New York Rangers (NHL); the New York Liberty (WNBA); the Hartford Wolf Pack (American Hockey League); MSG Entertainment, which includes concerts and events at Radio City Music Hall, Madison Square Garden, The WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden, the Beacon Theatre, the legendary Chicago Theatre, as well as an exclusive co-booking agreement with the venerable Wang Theatre in Boston; and which manages wholly-owned live entertainment properties including the Radio City Rockettes and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular; and the Madison Square Garden arena complex, located in the heart of the New York metropolitan area.

About NYRA

Founded in 1955, and franchised to run thoroughbred racing at New York’s three major tracks through 2033, the New York Racing Association boasts a lineage that actually stretches back almost 150 years. NYRA tracks are the cornerstone of the state’s thoroughbred business, which contributes more than $2 billion annually to New York State’s urban, suburban and rural economy. In 2008, 1,735,715 people attended the live races at NYRA tracks. Factoring nationwide off track wagering, the average daily betting handle on NYRA races alone totals more than $9.7 million every race day. NYRA has a vast network of websites, including www.nyra.com, www.belmontstakes.com, and www.nyragroupsales.com.