149th Preakness Stakes Purse Increases to $2 Million to Kick Off Series

$5 Million Challenge Coast-To-Coast Pick’ Em Challenge Sweepstakes Connects 1/ST Premier Events

1/ST, the innovative brand behind North America’s most prestigious thoroughbred horse racing, entertainment and wagering events, has announced a $25 million dollar racing and incentive series connecting Preakness 149, The California Crown and the 2025 Pegasus World Cup.

Kicking off at Preakness 149, 1/ST’s three premier race days will feature more than $12.5 million in elevated purses and $7.5 million in incentives for both dirt and turf participants. 1/ST is offering a $5 million bonus in addition to the respective purses to the owner(s) of the horse who wins the 149th Preakness Stakes (GI), The California Crown (GI) and the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (GI). For turf stars, 1/ST will award a $2.5 million bonus, added to the elevated purses, to the connections who win the Dinner Party Stakes (GIII), The California Crown John Henry Turf (GII) and the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (GI).

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Preakness 149 celebrations, taking place on May 18 at Pimlico Race Course, will mark the inaugural races in this new series. The 149th Preakness Stakes purse will increase to $2 million and the Dinner Party Stakes will increase to $500,000, making Preakness 149 race day the most lucrative in the event’s history with a total of $3.3 million on the line. The decision to elevate the purses for the 149th Preakness Stakes and for the Dinner Party Stakes reflects 1/ST’s ongoing commitment to maintaining and growing the thoroughbred horse racing industry to usher in a new era for racing in Maryland.

On September 28, The California Crown will debut at Santa Anita Park for a reimagined opening day experience for the track’s 2024 fall meet. The California Crown will replace the Awesome Again Stakes for three-year-olds and up and will be run on 1 1/8 mile offering a $1 million-dollar purse. The $750,000 California Crown John Henry Turf along with the $750,000 California Crown Eddie D Turf Sprint (GII), taking place on Santa Anita Park’s famed downhill turf course featuring American racing’s only right-hand turn, will add to the excitement of what will be California’s richest day of racing.

Since 2017, the Pegasus World Cup has become the premier luxury event in the sport and has set the standard for the modern thoroughbred horse racing experience. The 2025 Pegasus World Cup, to be held on January 25 at 1/ST’s Gulfstream Park, will feature the coveted $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational and the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational. The live broadcast of the Pegasus World Cup – horse racing’s hottest party – will feature the presentation of the potential $7.5 million in bonuses for any owner(s) who manage to achieve this remarkable feat.

In its continued effort to engage the next generation and provide game-changing opportunities for existing customers, 1/ST is putting up $5 million for a Coast-To-Coast Pick’ Em Challenge sweepstakes to successfully pick the first four finishers of each race, in order, for the 149th Preakness Stakes, The California Crown and the 2025 Pegasus World Cup Invitational. The challenge is free to enter through the innovative 1/ST Bet app. If there is no perfect winning entry, the entry with the most overall correct selections will win a $100,000 cash prize.

“My team and I continue to believe and invest in the modernization of thoroughbred horse racing with a commitment to the highest level of international safety standards and horse care as we continue to elevate our already industry-leading wagering, entertainment and hospitality programs,” the Chairwoman and Chief Executive Officer for 1/ST, Belinda Stronach, said. “To back this up, 1/ST is adding to the legacy of the Preakness by increasing the purse, creating a new marquee race event for the majestic Santa Anita Park – The California Crown – and continuing to build on the phenomenal success of the Pegasus World Cup. We’re proud to work with incredible partners who share our vision and see the future of world-class thoroughbred racing combined with unique and elevated guest experiences.”

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“The $25 million in racing purses and bonus incentives available for Preakness 149, The California Crown and the Pegasus World Cup including a $5 million sweepstakes for bettors and fans shows our commitment to innovation and excellence in thoroughbred racing,” the President for 1/ST, Aidan Butler, said. “Providing lucrative opportunities for owners and bettors while also delivering exceptional entertainment experiences is our speciality.”

1/ST’s industry-leading horse care and safety protocols including increased veterinary oversight will be strictly enforced throughout the new racing series under the leadership of Dr Dionne Benson, Chief Veterinary Officer for 1/ST Racing.

For more information and to purchase tickets to Preakness 149, visit www .Preakness. com or @ PreaknessStakes on social.

To stay connected on The California Crown, visit @ CaliforniaCrownOfficial on Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, YouTube and @ TheCaliCrown on Snapchat. Tickets for California Crown go on sale in the spring 2024.

For more information on the Pegasus World Cup, visit www .PegasusWorldCup. com or follow on social @ PegasusWorldCup.

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The Public Policy and Government Affairs Senior Vice-President for Scientific Games, Christine Wechsler, testified today before the Maryland House Ways and Means Committee to share the company’s support of House Bill 1218, State Lottery – Internet Sales Authorization and Distribution of Proceeds. If adopted, the legislation would authorize the Maryland Lottery to offer its games to in-state consumers through online sales channels.

Wechsler discussed the importance of remaining competitive and modernizing at the same pace as other gaming products offered in the market in order to maintain and grow the Maryland Lottery’s more than $714 million in profits returned annually.

“The Maryland Lottery is like all other businesses selling products to consumers; it must modernize to meet changing consumer demand,” Wechsler said in a prepared testimony. “Providing convenient and relevant experiences to consumers online and at retail will be critical to enable the Maryland Lottery’s sustainability and maximize revenue potential for the state.”

Wechsler also shared key iLottery facts with the Committee as it considers this legislation, which included:

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• iLottery doesn’t cannibalize bricks-and-mortar retail sales. Of the twelve United States lotteries selling online today, none have experienced cannibalization at retail. Retail sales have grown faster in iLottery jurisdictions than in states that do not sell online.
• Online sales platforms provide player protections and tools that support healthy, responsible lottery play. Key platform features can include the ability to self-exclude, engage in cooling-off periods and/or set limits on deposit and play amounts.
• iLottery is a new, convenient sales channel to offer lottery products; it is not designed to be a substitute for or compete with casino games. iLottery has proven in other states to successfully co-exist with iCasino, sports betting and other forms of gaming.

As a 27-year partner to the Maryland Lottery, Scientific Games provides the systems technology, terminals and communications infrastructure supporting sales of its lottery games at retail. The company also provides the Maryland Lottery with other key products and services including printed instant games and inventory management software as well as manages the entire interactive category which includes the My Lottery Rewards loyalty program, associated mobile app and second-chance promotions.

“Our focus has always been on delivering solutions and services to facilitate retail growth and maximize profit returned to Maryland’s beneficiaries,” Wechsler said. “And we are invested and fully committed to helping shape a successful iLottery framework for the state that responsibly drives continued growth across the Maryland Lottery’s established bricks-and-mortar retailer network while providing incremental online revenue.

Scientific Games is the global leader in retail instant games, a major provider of retail systems and technology and an industry pioneer in iLottery and digital lottery solutions that drive profits for government-sponsored lottery programs. The company is a trusted partner to more than 130 lotteries spanning 50 countries including over 30 iLottery customers.

While Delaware, which is affectionately known as ‘The First State’, was the first to move on legal sports betting, it was quite late to offer online sports wagering. Better late than never, though.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Legal and regulated sports betting has been available in Delaware since June of 2018 soon after the United States Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA).
• Neighboring states Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland have all established online sports betting programs in the years afterwards while Delaware sat on single-event sports betting and parlay cards at in-person casinos and retail outlets.
• Yesterday, Delaware finally made the move to offer legal sports betting apps and iGaming on computers and mobile devices.
• The Delaware State Lottery is partnering with Rush Street Interactive to bring these offerings to Delaware’s online gamblers via the BetRivers Sportsbook brand.
• The new online gambling will be offered in conjunction with the state’s three casinos.

For the full story, please visit Delaware Online Sports Betting Launches at Last (USBettingReport.com).