Distribution deal sees leading racing provider for the Americas extend its scope into Italy’s local pool betting via governing body for horse racing

1/ST CONTENT, the pre-eminent provider of premium North and South American horse racing content and a key division of 1/ST, has continued to grow its international footprint in a new partnership with the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry (MASAF) in the run-up to the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, one of the true highlights on the global racing calendar.

The deal now opens a breakthrough gateway for local pool betting on North American, South American and Turkish racing in Italy – and was soft-launched over last month’s 100th edition of the Hambletonian at The Meadowlands, NJ. This milestone renewal, the pinnacle of harness racing and a format of the sport which is particularly popular with Italian racing fans, fostered immediate fan engagement, as reported by MASAF this month via https://www.grandeippicaitaliana.it/.

The agreement kicks off with the 2025 flagship finale at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships in Del Mar (31 October – 1 November) and brings many of the premier stateside races to Italy, including the Pegasus World Cup (24 January) and the Triple Crown contests of Preakness 151 (16 May) and the Belmont Stakes (6 June). In the aggregate, 1/ST CONTENT’s extensive content portfolio maps approximately 90% of all North American racetracks, alongside South American and Turkish venues, neatly complementing Italy’s domestic sporting action with a reliable source of fast-settling betting content between 18:00 and 05:00 CET.

Italian and North American horse racing currently enjoy a strong reciprocal bond, thanks to three of Italy’s leading jockeys in Frankie Dettori, Umberto Rispoli and Antonio Fresu plying their trade in North America. These three Italian ambassadors were recently introduced to a mainstream global audience via Netflix’s acclaimed Race For The Crown.

1/ST CONTENT’s worldwide experience and customer base for pools betting features the Americas, Morocco, Italy, Singapore, Australia, Turkey, Sweden, France, New Zealand and Hong Kong. As a result, by leveraging 1/ST CONTENT’s unparalleled expertise in capturing and streaming elite live-racing events, bettors across Italy can now enjoy a best-in-breed international racing experience.

Key features of the deal include but are not limited to:

1. Comprehensive Coverage: exclusive signals of all racetracks in the United States, Canada, South America and Turkey, ensuring an extensive and diverse range of racing content for Italian audiences.
2. Cutting-Edge Technology: high-quality, immersive broadcasts, providing viewers with an unparalleled access to live racing and informative content that both engages the seasoned viewer and educates those unfamiliar with the sport.
3. Enhanced Viewer Engagement: accompanying innovative marketing strategies, promotions, and engagement initiatives, enhancing the overall viewer experience and speaking to a dedicated racing community in Italy

Simon Fraser, Senior Vice President International at 1/ST CONTENT, said: “We’re thrilled to be working as a partner with MASAF on a program to rejuvenate their horse racing audience and breathe new life into the Italian industry. Our collaboration marks a cornerstone from which we can build together to ensure that racing is competitive with other betting options and further expands 1/ST’s global reach.”

Remo Chiodi, Director General for Horse Racing at MASAF, added: “This partnership is part of a broader framework aimed at strengthening relations between Italy and the United States in the horseracing sector: it is a path that consolidates ties between the two countries, enhances both our national excellence and international achievements, and opens up new opportunities for growth and exchange. It is a step that also involves breeding and training, while highlighting the image of Italian racing excellence in the United States, represented by our most renowned jockeys competing overseas.

“Thanks to this agreement, major American racing events will be broadcast free-to-air on EQU TV, expanding the television offering and allowing betting on the races within a fully integrated system. After years of challenges, Italian racing is redefining the entire sector to restore our sport to a position of strength, both at home and abroad.”

Distribution deal sees leading North American racing provider extend its scope of influence across LATAM, starting with new integration with leading Ecuadorian operator

1/ST CONTENT – the pre-eminent provider of premium content for North American horse racing and a key division of 1/ST, the biggest racing company in the Americas – has broadened its growing international footprint with the announcement of a progressive partnership with America Simulcast, a leading LATAM distributor.

Sportbet, a major operator in the Ecuador space, is already under contract to integrate exclusive data and signals (broadcast and video streaming) from the partnership’s content package. This deal has begun with commingling bets into the US pools via Sportbet’s retail outlets, before adding fixed-odds betting and online channels in the coming weeks, scaling activity which provides an immediate validation of this forward-thinking America Simulcast collaboration.

Overarchingly, this strategic agreement also grants America Simulcast the rights to distribute signals from all 1/ST CONTENT-participating racetracks in the United States and Canada, alongside Latin America and South America.

The collective aim is to bring the visceral thrill and engagement of North American horse racing to a broader audience in LATAM, fostering a new era of sports entertainment in a patchwork-quilt landscape of many previously underserved racing fans.

By leveraging 1/ST CONTENT’s unparalleled expertise in capturing and broadcasting live racing events, coupled with America Simulcast’s extensive distribution network and market reach, fans across LATAM can now enjoy the best-in-class racing experience from the comfort of their homes, or on the move.

Key highlights of the agreement include:

1. Comprehensive Coverage: America Simulcast will have access to the exclusive signals of all racetracks in the United States, Canada and South America (with Turkey to follow this summer), ensuring an extensive and diverse range of racing content for LATAM audiences.
2. Cutting-Edge Technology: 1/ST CONTENT‘s state-of-the-art technology will deliver high-quality, immersive broadcasts, providing viewers with an unparalleled access to live racing and informative content that both engages the seasoned viewer and educates those unfamiliar with the sport.
3. Enhanced Viewer Engagement: America Simulcast will work closely with 1/ST CONTENT to develop innovative marketing strategies, promotions, and engagement initiatives, enhancing the overall viewer experience and building a dedicated racing community in LATAM.

Simon Fraser, Senior Vice President International at 1/ST CONTENT, said: “1/ST CONTENT is delighted to establish a strategic relationship with America Simulcast to broaden the international reach of North American racing across LATAM.

“Thoroughbred racing already enjoys a storied heritage and strong following across countries like Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina and Peru, which have produced some high-class thoroughbreds, trainers and, above all, jockeys who have regularly plied their trade in the States as well.

“So, on the one hand, many LATAM enthusiasts are keen to back their local favourites in the U.S. and have already picked up an understanding as to the North American racing scene. On the other hand, in a continent where soccer is naturally king, we can also provide a more educational service and supporting marketing structure around this content in order to make it easily intelligible to unfamiliar audiences.

“North American racing will continue to help global operators engage new and underserved audiences by delivering 24/7 horse racing, allowing us to return the value to a host of U.S. racetracks and their key stakeholders.

“Thanks to this breakout relationship with our friends at America Simulcast and Sportbet, we can also provide a more educational service and supporting marketing structure around this content so that we can make it relevant to both seasoned fans and unfamiliar audiences.

“Additionally, working with our alliance partners at Racing1 – the newly founded complete service hub for international racing – we are now able to distribute this content more broadly than ever before. To which end, after the initial U.S. launch, our Racing1 partners from the UK and Australia will be able to take the opportunity to go live as well.”

Javier Pereira, CEO of America Simulcast, added: “Our collaboration with 1/ST CONTENT marks a momentous occasion for racing enthusiasts in LATAM. We are excited to be the exclusive distributor of the signals from all racetracks in the United States and Canada, delivering top-notch content to our viewers. This partnership aligns perfectly with our mission to provide premium sports entertainment, and we look forward to a successful journey with 1/ST CONTENT.”

1/ST CONTENT – the pre-eminent provider of premium content for North American horse racing and a key division of 1/ST RACING, the biggest racing company in the Americas – has broadened its growing international footprint with the announcement of a progressive partnership with American Racing Channel, a leading LatAm distributor which holds the rights to the two foremost racetracks in Uruguay at Hipódromo Nacional de Maroñas and the Las Piedras Racetrack.

Grupo Codere, the powerhouse international operator for Hispanic markets, has already agreed to integrate exclusive fixed-odds content, data and signals (broadcast and video streaming) from both Las Piedras and Maroñas. The latter track’s national flagship, the Group 1 Gran Premio José Pedro Ramírez, takes place on 6 January 2025, and also boasts a stellar racecard which features a host of other top-class action, like the Group 1 Ciudad de Montevideo, the Maroñas and the Piñeyrua (both Group 3s).

By leveraging 1/ST CONTENT’s unparalleled expertise in capturing and broadcasting live racing events, coupled to a truly international distribution network and worldwide reach, global fans can now enjoy a best-in-breed racing experience from the comfort of their homes, or on the move.

Simon Fraser, Senior Vice President of International at 1/ST CONTENT, said: “1/ST CONTENT is delighted to establish this partnership with American Racing Channel to broaden the international appeal of Uruguayan horse racing from these two elite racecourses, especially as the famous Ramírez festival hoves into view in early January in the capital of Montevideo.

“Horse racing already benefits from a strong history and robust following across Uruguay and proximate countries like Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Peru, which have produced some high-quality thoroughbreds, trainers and, above all, jockeys who have regularly showcased their skills in the States as well.

“Thanks to this breakout relationship with our friends at American Racing Channel and Codere, we can also provide a more educational service and supporting marketing structure around this content in order to make it easily intelligible to both seasoned fans and unfamiliar audiences.

“Furthermore, working with our alliance partners at Racing1 – the newly founded complete service hub for international racing – we are now able to distribute this content more broadly than ever before. Indeed, racing from the Americas is a great way to help global operators engage new and underserved audiences by delivering 24/7 horse racing, allowing us to return the value to two more stunning racetracks and their hard-working stakeholders.”

Horacio Esposito, Vice President of American Racing Channel (ARC), said: “We are very happy and excited to widen our services for Maroñas and Las Piedras racecourses, now including fixed-odds distribution, thanks to this partnership with our friends at 1/ST CONTENT. Our long-term relationship with the Uruguayan racing industry is a true commitment to collaborate in the growing of the business, and this latest deal demonstrates that progressive intent.”

1/ST CONTENT’s daily timetable of engaging action, whose chronology naturally complements international racing coverage across varied time-zones, provides 1/ST CONTENT’s global partners with a reliable source of fast-settling betting content at peak leisure-time viewing slots throughout diverse territories.