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DraftKings and the New York Racing Association (NYRA) signed an agreement establishing DraftKings as an official betting partner of both Saratoga Race Course and the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.
DraftKings will also become the presenting sponsor of the 155th running of the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers.
Christopher Cipolla, general manager of horse racing at DraftKings, said in the press release:
“Bringing DraftKings and DK Horse back to Saratoga for a second consecutive year is a tremendous honor. Having our branding present throughout the summer at one of the most beautiful and well-attended race tracks in all of the world and being named the presenting sponsor of this year’s Travers and Acorn further cements our commitment to the sport of horse racing.”
While NYRA’s Belmont Park is being renovated, the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will be held at Saratoga this year.
DraftKings Travers to highpoint Saratoga 2024 summer meet
The DraftKings Travers will be the centerpiece of the 2024 summer meet at Saratoga Race Course, which will run from Jul. 11 to Sept. 2.
The blockbuster DraftKings Travers Day, on Aug. 24, will feature five prestigious Grade 1 events in total, with live national television coverage on FOX and the FOX Sports family of networks.
NYRA runs its betting app, NYRA Bets. NYRA Bets has agreements with several other sportsbooks, like Caesars Sportsbook and BetMGM. DraftKings is now part of its selection of partners.
NYRA Chief Revenue Officer Tony Allevato said:
“DraftKings is a premier brand within the rapidly growing sports wagering marketplace, and this arrangement will help to introduce world-class racing to a wider audience of fans and bettors. This will be a tremendously exciting year at Saratoga Race Course, and we thank DraftKings for supporting New York horse racing.”
Starting in June, the DraftKings and DK Horse brands will be displayed throughout the Saratoga property. There will be various on-site activations reminding fans of the broad availability of DraftKings products.
DK Horse Acorn to anchor day two of Belmont Stakes Racing Festival
The 2024 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will begin on June 6 and run through June 9.
According to the sponsorship agreement, DraftKings’ advance deposit wagering offering, DK Horse, will play a significant role during the festival as a presenting sponsor of the Grade 1, $500,000 DK Horse Acorn.
The DK Horse Acorn will anchor day two of the festival, June 7, which will include three Grade 1 events among four stakes in total.
The four-day Festival at Saratoga Race Course will include 23 stakes races, with rewards totaling $9.7 million. It is the highest purse level and number of stakes offered since the launch of the multi-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival in 2014.
Launched last year, DraftKings’ (NASDAQ: DKNG) standalone horse race betting app is currently available in 20 states. It allows eligible users access to pari-mutuel wagering on domestic and international racing.
