The richest six days in horse racing is now named the FanDuel Meet at Kentucky Downs, where among America's largest fields run for some of the world's biggest purses Sept. 5, 6, 8, 9, 11 and 12.
Kentucky Downs and FanDuel — the parent company of the U.S. market-leader TVG racing network and betting platform — announced the three-year partnership today.
“TVG is America's undisputed leader in television horse racing, and Kentucky Downs has developed arguably the best betting product in the industry,” said Ron Winchell, Kentucky Downs' co-owner and co-managing partner. “That includes the largest purses and field sizes in the country combined with takeout rates that are very horseplayer friendly.”
“FanDuel and TVG recognize our value, and we're immensely proud that Kentucky Downs has been added to their sponsorship portfolio that includes the Breeders' Cup, Keeneland and Del Mar in horse racing, as well as FanDuel's association with the NFL, NBA, MLB and PGA Tour. That's impressive company to be keeping,” added Marc Falcone, who co-owns and manages Kentucky Downs with Winchell.
FanDuel Group is an innovative sports-tech entertainment company that is changing the way consumers engage with their favorite sports, teams and leagues. The premier gaming destination in the United States, FanDuel Group consists of a portfolio of leading brands across gaming, sports betting, daily fantasy sports, advance-deposit wagering and TV/media, including FanDuel and TVG, America's horse racing television network.
FanDuel Group has a presence across all 50 states and 12 million customers. The company is based in New York with offices in California, New Jersey, Florida, Oregon, Georgia and Scotland. FanDuel Group is a subsidiary of Flutter Entertainment PLC, the world's largest sports betting and gaming operator with a portfolio of globally recognized brands and a constituent of the FTSE 100 index of the London Stock Exchange.
“We are thrilled to add this unique meet to our stable of horse racing and sports sponsorships,” said Andrew Moore, Vice President of Racing for the FanDuel group. “Kentucky Downs is a special track and the exceptional purses demonstrate the commitment of Ron Winchell and Marc Falcone to staging top-class turf racing. The meet will be covered on the TVG Network, and we are looking forward to bringing some of the finest turf horses in the world into millions of homes across America.”
Kentucky Downs, whose elite all-grass meet is conducted over the only European-style course in North America, parlayed pari-mutuel Historical Horse Racing gaming into unparalleled purses while creating the blueprint for Kentucky racetracks to prosper. First installed in the state in 2011, HHR has transformed Kentucky Downs from a novelty track to industry leader while creating thousands of jobs and preserving exponentially more in the horse industry.
The three-year partnership includes:
// TVG becomes Kentucky Downs' official Advance Deposit Wagering (ADW) platform.
// Being title sponsor of the $1 million FanDuel Turf Sprint, a Grade 3 stakes Sept. 11 that is one of two Breeders' Cup Challenge Series races at the meet. The winner will receive a fees-paid berth in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar. (The other “Win and You're In” Challenge Series race is the $1 million Calumet Turf Cup (G2), a qualifier for the $4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf.)
// Kentucky Downs races will air exclusively on TVG for network and cable television, with the exception of NBC showing live the two Breeders' Cup Challenge races on Sept. 11.
// The $400,000 Tapit Stakes becomes the TVG Stakes. That Wednesday, Sept. 8, will be TVG Day, with the racing network the day sponsor.
// FanDuel signage will appear on the starting gate, finish line, paddock and winner's circle, with branding on all staff uniforms. The VIP Chalet — a glass-enclosed, air-conditioned facility with an outdoor terrace providing a spectacular view of the race course — now carries the name FanDuel VIP Chalet.
“It is very exciting to sponsor the FanDuel Turf Sprint,” Moore said. “Any owner of a classy turf sprinter is going to be attracted to a Breeders' Cup Challenge race with a purse of $1 million, and the race is sure to be a top-class event. The FanDuel brand will be exposing the Kentucky Downs product to millions of sports fans nationally and we are excited to be able to bring this unique content to them through the FanDuel Racing ADW product.”
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