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‘It Did Not Disappoint’: Belinda Stronach On ‘Different Circumstances’ of 2021 Pegasus World Cup

On Saturday, the fifth running of the Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series was held at Gulfstream Park in South Florida. Gulfstream Park was transformed by 1/ST into a socially distant entertainment experience welcoming 1,500 fans (15% of typical Pegasus World Cup capacity) to the race track for the first time since the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Belinda Stronach, Chairman and President, 1/ST, hosted celebrity guests including, Amar'e Stoudemire (Six-time NBA All-Star Player and NBA's Brooklyn Nets Assistant Coach), Tyga (Rapper, Singer & TV Personality), Jasmine Sanders (Sports Illustrated Cover Model), Denis Savard (NHL Hall of Famer), Brian Poli-Dixon (Artist & Former NFL Player), David Grutman (Groot Hospitality Founder) and Isabela Rangel Grutman (Model).

Colonel Liam owned by Robert and Lawana Low, ridden by the Award-winning Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. and trained by Todd Pletcher, won the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1). Odds favorite, Knicks Go owned by Korea Racing Authority, ridden by Award-winning jockey Joel Rosario and trained by Brad Cox, won the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) and an automatic entry into the 2021 $20 million Saudi Cup. Belinda Stronach presented the winning owners of the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational and Pegasus World Cup Invitational with crystal Pegasus trophies provided by the official trophy partner, Baccarat. The winning trainers and jockeys from the Pegasus World Cup Championship Series races were presented with Championship Rings designed by local Miami jeweler, BooDaddy Diamonds.

Despite the limited crowd in attendance, total handle for the 2021 Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series topped $40.7 million dollars, the third highest handle in the race's history, due in part to the success of the 1/ST Bet app. Part of the 1/ST Technology suite of handicapping and betting products, 1/ST Bet uses AI-technology to deliver a user-friendly mobile wagering experience that suits everyone from the experienced horseplayer to the first-time bettor.

“The 2021 Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series was held under much different circumstances then all those that have come before it, but it did not disappoint,” said Belinda Stronach. “Today, thanks to the cooperation of the horsemen, our many partners, guests in attendance and the 1/ST team, the Pegasus World Cup successfully blended a day of safe, world-class Thoroughbred horse racing with a socially distant entertainment experience setting a new standard for events in our sport during the COVID-19 era.”

This year, 1/ST again teamed up with Groot Hospitality to create a socially distant Pegasus Swan Garden pop-up offering guests an exclusive VIP experience in a “Tulum meets Swan” setting. 1/ST also teamed up with Red Rooster Overtown to curate a menu of Southern classics and elevated sips for the racing connections in Gulfstream Park's Flamingo Room. Notorious Pink Rosé, Evian Natural Spring Water and Ferraelle Naturally Sparkling Water kept guests cool under the race day sunshine.

Musical performances took place both at the track and off-site. At Gulfstream Park, Yoli Mayor, the Miami-born semi-finalist on Season 12 of America's Got Talent on NBC, performed the national anthem, and Jakissa Taylor Semple, aka DJ Kiss, provided the beats in the trackside Pegasus Swan Garden. As part of NBC's Pegasus World Cup in-broadcast performance Aloe Blacc, the singer-songwriter of hits including “I Need a Dollar,” “The Man,” and “Wake Me Up,” performed live from Red Rooster Overtown as a tribute to Miami's diverse and vibrant culture.

Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, 1/ST has developed and implemented industry-leading COVID-19 safety measures at its tracks and facilities across the United States. The 2021 Pegasus World Cup implemented strict social distancing protocols and new health and safety guidelines for riders and spectators. On premise attendance for this year's event was reduced to 15% to allow all guests to socially distance accordingly. Thermal sensing cameras at all entrances checked guest temperatures, and masks were required. Cleaning protocols provided regular sanitizing of public spaces, and cashless wagering via 1/ST Bet eliminated the handling of currency.

The medication-free format, for both the 2021 Pegasus World Cup Invitational and Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational, is consistent with the International Federation of Horse Racing Authorities (IFHA) standards and reflects the commitment that 1/ST made in April 2019 to eliminate Lasix in all graded stakes races in 2021.

As part of 1/ST's mission to prioritize the care and safety of Thoroughbred racehorses before, during and after their careers, the 2021 Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series recognized the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance as a charitable partner of choice with a $50,000 donation.

Keep up with the Pegasus World Cup on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter: @PegasusWorldCup #PegasusWorldCup #RunWithUs.

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New Agreements With ADW Companies To Increase California Purses; TwinSpires Lone Holdout

The Thoroughbred Owners of California (“TOC”), Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, The Stronach Group's 1/ST Racing and FanDuel Group's TVG have announced a new purse enhancement program that will inject up to $15 million into California Thoroughbred purses in 2021 and 2022.

The parties to the agreement, all major stakeholders in California Thoroughbred racing, believed that working together on additional sponsorship and purse enhancements would help support the state's racing industry in light of the loss of purse revenue due to the cessation of live racing in California in 2020 and the restrictions on on-site attendance due to public health requirements. The parties also share a commitment to support and promote the significant equine health and safety advancements made by California racing interests over the last two years.

“California racing has always been very important to TVG, and we are committed to continuing our support of the racing industry here, especially given the challenging circumstances the industry faced in 2020,” said TVG CEO Kip Levin. “We feel the right strategy is to partner with the stakeholders to further strengthen what has always been a premier racing circuit in the United States.”

In anticipation of the program, Santa Anita Park recently announced a 10% across the board purse increase for its 2020-2021 Winter/Spring Meet. With a daily purse average of $533,000, Santa Anita Park's purses are now competitive with the top circuits in the U.S. despite not receiving any casino gaming revenues or government subsidies.

“This is a great development for California horse racing,” said Craig Fravel, The Stronach Group's CEO of Racing. “Along with our horsemen and regulators, we instituted historic safety reforms starting in 2019. We believe these reforms and the enhanced purses previously announced have created a great racing environment that has already attracted top stakes horses, trainers and riders from all over the country to our current Santa Anita Winter/Spring meet.”

With the support of these purse enhancements, the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club is projected to increase average daily purse levels at its summer meeting to more than $600,000 in 2021, Del Mar officials indicated. Josh Rubinstein, Del Mar's president, stated, “Coming off our extraordinarily successful summer and fall meets in 2020, these increased purses, coupled with the growing excitement for the 2021 Breeders' Cup World Championships, sets us up for a fantastic 2021.”

The purse enhancements come as a result of new hub agreements involving TOC and the advance deposit wagering companies TVG and 1/ST Bet, also known as Xpressbet. With the coronavirus pandemic eliminating virtually all on-track wagering, the ADW companies enjoyed a financial windfall for most of 2020 and into 2021, as betting shifted online. In recognition of that, TVG and 1/ST Bet agreed to accept a lower fee – 4.1% instead of 5% – on all wagers from California residents through their platforms. Other, smaller wagering platforms have also agreed to the new terms, according to TOC.

Churchill Downs Inc.'s ADW company, TwinSpires, did not agree to the fee reduction and the matter will go to arbitration in accordance with California Business and Professions Code 19604.

“This unprecedented level of partnership among California's horsemen and women, FanDuel/TVG, The Stronach Group and Del Mar is just the beginning,” said TOC President Greg Avioli. “With sports wagering on the horizon and its potential to both add millions more to purse accounts and to create new horse players, combined with the successful safety and welfare measures instituted over the last two years by our race tracks, we are well on the way to returning California to its historic place as the country's premier racing circuit.”

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Paul Williams Named Chief Executive Officer Of 1/ST Technology

1/ST announced today the appointment of Paul Williams to Chief Executive Officer, 1/ST Technology and to Chief Technology Officer, 1/ST. Williams joined The Stronach Group in 2018 as the company's first Chief Technology Officer, focused on building and delivering the digital and technology road map to maximize the company's world-class platforms and to expand the opportunities for innovation across The Stronach Group's racing and gaming verticals.

As Chief Executive Officer, 1/ST Technology, Williams will work directly with 1/ST Racing and 1/ST Content to amplify the company's innovative racing and content programs. He will lead the consolidation of 1/ST's digital businesses to drive revenue for some of horse racing's largest and most recognized racing and gaming brands including, AmTote, Xpressbet, 1/ST Bet, XB Select, XB Net, PariMAX and Betmix.

In addition, Williams will continue his responsibilities as Chief Technology Officer, 1/ST to build on the industry-leading internal and external IT infrastructure that is currently in place at 1/ST. He will focus on strengthening and improving the digital systems that support company-wide platforms to increase cyber defense capabilities, digital efficiencies and innovative customer interfaces.

“Paul's added appointment to Chief Executive Officer, 1/ST Technology, represents the ongoing evolution of 1/ST as Thoroughbred horse racing's premier operator,” said Belinda Stronach, Chairman and President, 1/ST. “I have tremendous confidence in the 1/ST team and their collective commitment to evolving our racing and gaming platforms with continued forward-thinking that will drive our company's growth for the future.”

“As we look to the future of Thoroughbred horse racing and to gaming in general, the opportunities for expansion and innovation are endless,” said Williams. “By structuring the 1/ST Technology, 1/ST Racing and 1/ST Content businesses as congruent brands, we will be able to offer our customers world-class racing and gaming products that reflect the new era in our sport.”

Since joining The Stronach Group, Williams has improved the Xpressbet legacy platform and has successfully engaged a new generation of customers with the development and roll out of the 1/ST Bet app, an innovative mobile platform that has changed the wagering experience for everyone from the first-timer to the experienced horse player.

Williams has a passion for building immersive technologies supported by world-class infrastructure and has led several large-scale global technology teams throughout his career. He formerly served as Chief Information Officer of IBEXGlobal and Chief Information Officer at Cantor Gaming and as Global Director of Trading Infrastructure at Cantor Fitzgerald, LLC.

For more information on 1/ST and 1/ST BET please visit www.1st.com and www.1stbet.com or @1ST_Racing and @1stbet.

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