DraftKings has announced a collaboration with the New York Racing Association, designating the sports wagering giant an official betting partner for both Saratoga Race Course and the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. Additionally, DraftKings will act as the presenting sponsor of the 155th running of the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers.
The partnership marks an expansion of DraftKings’ previous agreement with NYRA, highlighted by its sponsorship of the Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga last year. Now, DraftKings will serve as an official betting partner for the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, hosted at Saratoga this year due to renovations at NYRA’s Belmont Park.
Christopher Cipolla, General Manager of Horse Racing at DraftKings, said: “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 racetracks 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.”
The DraftKings Travers will serve as the centerpiece of the 2024 summer meet at the historic Saratoga Race Course, which will open Thursday, July 11 and continue through Monday, September 2. The DraftKings Travers Day on August 24 will include five Grade 1 events in total, with live television coverage on FOX and the FOX Sports family of networks.
In addition to its role as an official betting partner, DraftKings’ advance deposit wagering platform, DK Horse, will be highlighted in the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. DK Horse, available in 20 states, will be the presenting sponsor of the Grade 1, $500,000 DK Horse Acorn, anchoring day two of the Festival on June 7.
Highlighted by the 156th edition of the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, June 8, the 2024 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will begin on Thursday, June 6 and continue through Sunday, June 9. The four-day Festival at Saratoga Race Course will include 24 stakes races with purses exceeding $10.1 million.
Tony Allevato, NYRA Chief Revenue Officer, 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, DraftKings and DK Horse branding will be prominently displayed throughout the Saratoga property, engaging fans with various on-site activations.
