Pegasus World Cup Kicks Off International Contest with Prizes to Global Racing Events

[Wandering Eyes]

In conjunction with this Saturday's GI Pegasus World Cup, 1/ST Racing is partnering with an international horse racing media rights firm to launch a free-to-play contest that will offer a VIP trip for two to the 2025 GI California Crown at Santa Anita Park in September, including flights, accommodations and raceday hospitality.

The contest, called Crown Jewels Racing (website here) is linked to a larger series of international races distributed by HBA Media in England, and the Pegasus contest is the first in a larger series of “league” Crown Jewels games that features a grand prize of a VIP trip for two to the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in 2026.

“HBA is a company in the UK that is basically a global distribution for horse racing,” Peter Rotondo, the senior vice president of racing and wagering for 1/ST, told TDN. “They have deals with all the major race meets around the world, and they distribute their content.”

Although NBC and Peacock will exclusively broadcast and stream the Jan. 25 Pegasus here in the United States, HBA will be carrying the event on other platforms around the globe.

Rotondo said that's an advantageous global opportunity, because it allows 1/ST (and other participating U.S. racing entities that host later races in the series) to arrange for major Thoroughbred events to get broad publicity and coverage outside of America.

“Really, their entire focus is horse racing media rights, which, in this day and age, it's great that someone is that invested in it,” Rotondo said.

“What makes it unique is the idea that they actually have all of these race meets as partners–the Pegasus World Cup, Cheltenham, the [GI] Belmont, the [GI] Preakness, the [GI Kentucky] Derby, the Breeders' Cup. In horse racing, it's usually so difficult for everyone to work together, and [it's noteworthy] that this company has come on over the years and acquired the rights to all of these major races and now works as one entity that networks have to talk to to get all of these races on the air,” Rotondo said.

“That is such a smart advantage, because on the world stage, usually you have to talk to so many different entities [to get international broadcast or streaming deals done]. But now HBA is the entity that brought all of these race meets together, not only on television, but with a fun, free-to-play game that they've launched, and it all kicks off with the Pegasus,” Rotondo said.

“HBA is bringing over [ITV Racing and Channel 10 presenter] Francesca Cumani to host the Pegasus show,” Rotondo said. “They basically use the NBC broadcast as the 'host' broadcast, but she does features in and around Miami and Gulfstream to bring the lifestyle and the [flavor of the] event to a global audience. So you can't see this broadcast in the U.S., but [viewers in other countries] will be able to see it all over the world.”

Although the broadcast won't be shown in America, U.S. residents can, however, play the Crown Jewels game, Rotondo confirmed.

In recent years, HBA has represented the rights races from the UK, Australia, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Japan, Singapore, France, Italy, Germany, South Africa and Hong Kong.

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