Belinda Stronach

The Stronach Group's Belinda Stronach introduced 1/ST RACING & GAMING, an enhanced division of the company designed to position the core Thoroughbred horse racing business to fully capitalize on the future of sports wagering and gaming. According to a Wednesday evening press release from the company, the 1/ST RACING & GAMING division will continue to oversee racing operations at 1/ST tracks and training centers while working to expand the company's gaming footprint in collaboration with 1/ST TECHNOLOGY led by the divisions' Chief Executive Officer, Paul Williams. "The shifting landscape of...

Gregg Colvin has been appointed chief executive officer of 1/ST Content, the operating group of 1/ST's media and content companies. Colvin will work with chief operating officer Jason Wilson to further develop 1/ST CONTENT brands to attract and retain a new group of consumers. He will also coordinate with Craig Fravel, Aidan Butler and the 1/ST RACING team along with Paul Williams and the 1/ST TECHNOLOGY team to produce and deliver new content offerings, enhanced quality of production and new simulcast distribution platforms for the company's Thoroughbred horse racing and...

According to a June 15 report from Bloomberg.com, The Stronach Group (TSG) has fielded interest from special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) and others and is exploring options for parts of its portfolio. The Bloomberg report cited "people with knowledge of the matter" as its source. The Bloomberg report states that TSG is working with an outside advisor and has been approached by a number of parties, among them digital betting and media companies, that have expressed interest in aspects of the business. Bloomberg estimated the Stronach company portfolio is  worth...

The Preakness Stakes card will be run in front of a limited crowd of 10,000 when it returns to its traditional date May 15 at Pimlico, 1/ST and the Maryland Jockey Club announced Tuesday. The decision to include fans was made in consultation with, and by approval of, local and state health and governmental authorities and includes the approval for a limited number of fans for Black-Eyed Susan Day May 14. A limited number of tickets will go on sale to the public Apr. 5. Tickets will be available for...

1/ST has appointed former Federal Bureau of Investigation Supervisory Special Agent Rob D'Amico as Chief Security Officer for the 1/ST group of companies. D'Amico will lead an integrated security team that will focus on elevating and enforcing safety and integrity protocols across 1/ST businesses. The appointment of D'Amico as Chief Security Officer provides an increased layer of protection and security oversight on the backstretch, for guests at 1/ST venues and online, for employees and the company's advanced IT systems. "I am thrilled that Rob has joined our team as Chief...

After viewing PETA's video expose of the slaughter of racehorses in South Korea, including the stallion Private Vow, The Stronach Group is endorsing PETA's efforts to ban the sale of North American Thoroughbreds to South Korean racing interests. PETA can now show that Private Vow was sold to South Korea for stud duty in 2014 and ended up being slaughtered for meat in July. He sired 196 foals in the U.S. and South Korea. Belinda Stronach, chair and president of The Stronach Group, said, "The Stronach Group is urging all...

The Stronach Group and the Maryland Jockey Club announced that Oct. 3 GI Preakness S. at Pimlico will proceed without fans in attendance. The 145th Preakness will air live on NBC from 4:30-6:00 p.m. ET. The Preakness, like the other two Triple Crown races, are a Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' events for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic in November. "The Stronach Group and the Maryland Jockey Club have been working closely in consultation with local and state health and governmental authorities for the past several months to thoughtfully...

The litigation between Frank and Elfriede Stronach, Belinda Stronach, Frank and Nicole Walker, Alon Ossip and Stronach Consulting Corp. has been dismissed by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice as the result of a settlement, The Stronach Group announced in a statement issued Thursday. Belinda Stronach will remain Chairman and President of The Stronach Group with full control of all of the company's racing, gaming, real estate and related assets, including the new 1/ST brands. Frank and Elfriede Stronach, through their own personal entity, will take control and ownership of...

The Maryland Jockey Club has informed the Maryland Racing Commission of its plans to restrict races for 2-year-olds to connections who opt not to administer Lasix on race day. "The time has come to phase out Lasix beginning with 2-year-old horses," said Belinda Stronach, Chairman and President, The Stronach Group and 1/ST. "We are following through on 1/ST Racing's commitment to put horse and rider safety and welfare at the forefront. We believe in the principle that horses should only be racing free of medication. By taking this important step...

The GI Preakness S. will be run at Pimlico on Oct. 3, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announced on NBC Saturday on what would have been Preakness Day under normal circumstances. The announcement confirmed a report from earlier in the week from WBAL, the NBC affiliate in Baltimore. With Churchill Downs having announced that the GI Kentucky Derby will be run Sept. 5, among the Triple Crown races, only the GI Belmont S. has yet to be scheduled. While NYRA officials have not made an official announcement regarding the timing of...

Stronach Group Chairman and President Belinda Stronach and Maryland Governor Larry Hogan will announce the rescheduled date for the 145th GI Preakness S. on NBC Sports Saturday. NBC Sports will present a special show on NBC at 5 p.m. ET this Saturday, May 16--the original date for the race--headlined by American Pharoah's memorable Preakness S. win five years ago. The one-hour special--The Middle Jewel: American Pharoah's Run to the Triple Crown--will look back at American Pharoah's dominating win in the 140th Preakness S. Just prior to post time in 2015,...

The following op-ed appeared in Friday's print editions of newspapers owned by the Southern California News Group, which includes the Orange County Register, the Pasadena Star-News, and others. Let horse races resume in L.A. without an audience By Belinda Stronach On March 12, a full week before any stay-at-home orders were issued, Santa Anita Park voluntarily closed to the public for the protection of the people and horses who call it home. Since then, we have demonstrated our capacity to operate as a safe, self-contained, lockeddown community working under stringent...