1/ST Racing and Gaming Issues Statement on Irregularity of Quinella Betting Pool

By David Joseph —-

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – 1/ST Racing and Gaming is aware of an irregularity of the betting pools for the Quinella on the first race on November 11th at Gulfstream Park. The account from which this wager was played has been identified and that account has been closed. Our team is working with the Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau (TRPB) and other agencies to investigate the full impact of the manipulation of the pools, which appear to involve offshore betting sites.

“Integrity and safety are the two cornerstones of 1/ST’s foundation, and we are continuing to thoroughly review all actions associated with this incident,” said Aidan Butler, CEO of 1/ST Racing and Gaming. “Ensuring the protection of our stakeholders, including the important constituency who wager on our races, is of paramount importance.”

“TRPB’s Wagering Integrity Unit is assisting the investigation into the betting,” said Curtis Linnell, Executive Vice President of the TRBP. “There is no indication at this time of malfeasance by any participants in the race itself.”

Pari-Mutuel pools are, by their very nature, self-correcting as parties effectively wager against each other with the racing association taking the identical commission percentage on the bets regardless of the odds. The odds are transparent as they are determined by the amount of money bet on an individual interest or, in the case of exotic wagers, on the combination. Because of the manipulation, the Quinella wager on the race returned a higher price than it traditionally would have paid.

The Quinella wager is a marginal bet, generating much smaller pools than straight bets and other exotic wagers, thus it can be easier to manipulate. Most horseplayers traditionally place an Exacta box bet instead of a Quinella – picking the first two finishers in either order. Gulfstream Park has removed the Quinella from the betting menu effective immediately.

About The Stronach Group and 1/ST

The Stronach Group is a world-class technology, entertainment and real estate development company with Thoroughbred horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering at the core. The company’s consumer facing brand 1/ST (pronounced “First”) powers The Stronach Group’s forward-thinking 1/ST RACING & GAMING, 1/ST CONTENT, 1/ST TECHNOLOGY, 1/ST EXPERIENCE, and 1/ST PROPERTIES businesses, while advocating for and driving the 1/ST HORSE CARE mission. 1/ST represents The Stronach Group’s continued movement toward redefining Thoroughbred horse racing and the ecosystem that drives it. 1/ST RACING & GAMING drives the best-in-class horse racing operations and gaming offerings at the company’s premier racetracks and training centers including: Santa Anita Park, Golden Gate Fields and San Luis Rey Downs (California); Gulfstream Park – home of the Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series, Gulfstream Park West and Palm Meadows Thoroughbred Training Center (Florida); the Maryland Jockey Club at Laurel Park, Pimlico Race Course – home of the legendary Preakness Stakes, Rosecroft Raceway and Bowie Training Center (Maryland). 1/ST CONTENT is the newly formed operating group for all of 1/ST’s media and content companies including: Monarch Content Management, Elite, TSG Global Wagering Solutions (GWS) and XBTV. 1/ST TECHNOLOGY is horse racing’s largest racing and gaming technology company offering world-class products via its AmTote, Xpressbet, 1/ST BET, XB SELECT, XB NET, PariMAX and Betmix brands. 1/ST EXPERIENCE blends the worlds of sports, entertainment and hospitality through innovative content development, elevated national and local venue management and hospitality, strategic partnerships, sponsorships, and procurement development. 1/ST PROPERTIES is responsible for the development of the company’s live, work and play communities surrounding its racing venues including: The Village at Gulfstream Park (Florida) and Paddock Pointe (Maryland). As the advocate for critical industry reforms and by making meaningful investments into aftercare programs for retired horses and jockeys, 1/ST HORSE CARE represents The Stronach Group’s commitment to achieving the highest level of horse and rider care and safety standards in Thoroughbred horse racing on and off the track. For more information, please visit www.1st.com or follow @1ST_racing on Twitter or @1stracing on Instagram and Facebook.

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