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Wesley Ward Well-Represented in May 13 Road to Royal Ascot at Gulfstream
Trainer Wesley Ward, who has saddled 12 winners at Royal Ascot during his remarkable career, will be well represented at Gulfstream Park on May 13 when he sends out legendary former-jockey Steve Cauthen’s Holding the Line for a start in the $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile and Stonestreet Stables LLC’s Ocean Maid for a run in the $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies.
The Royal Palm Juvenile, a five-furlong turf stakes for 2-year-olds, and the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies, a five-furlong turf stakes for 2-year-old fillies, will both provide their respective winners with an automatic berth into one of six stakes during the June 20-24 Royal Ascot meeting, as well as a $25,000 equine travel stipend for shipping from the U.S. to England. The FTBOA will also offer a $25,000 bonus, above and beyond purse money won, to a Florida-bred winner in addition to the winner’s share of the purse.
These races represent the first-ever U.S. Automatic Qualifiers for the Royal meeting, building top-class international participation at Royal Ascot, boosting global awareness and deeper fan engagement around important industry innovations like the World Pool.
Holding the Line, an Irish-bred son of Soldier’s Call, is prominent in a field of 10 entered for the inaugural running of the Royal Palm Juvenile. Ocean Mermaid, a daughter of Kingman, will face 11 other fillies entered for the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies. Holding the Line was purchased for $71,070 at the 2022 Tattersalls October yearling sale by Cauthen, ‘The Kid’ who rode Affirmed for a sweep of the 1977 Triple Crown before enjoying a highly successful career riding in Europe.
“He’s a horse purchased over in England. Steve picked him out with the hopes he himself can get back to Royal Ascot. They had him there last year commentating,” Ward said.
Holding the Line is unraced due to the lack of turf opportunities for 2-year-olds at Keeneland this spring. “There was only one race, and every trainer was allowed only one horse in the race if it oversubscribed. That entrant was Fandom,” Ward said.
Ward saddled Stonestreet Stables’ Fandom for a 6 ¾-length triumph on turf April 27 to earn his way to Royal Ascot, and Holding the Line is well prepared for his career debut in the Royal Palm Juvenile. “He’s a beautiful colt. He improved in his workouts at Palm Meadows when he was down in Florida on the grass. He’s bred top and bottom for the turf, so I’m anxious to get him on there,” said Ward by phone from his Keeneland base.
Holding the Line continued his training at Keeneland before shipping to Payson Park, where he breezed three furlongs in 37 seconds Saturday morning. Hall of Famer John Velazquez has been named to ride Holding the Line, who figures to face a stern test in his debut.
Trainer George Weaver entered Dew Sweepers LLC’s Blast Furnace in the Royal Palm Juvenile, as well as unraced No Nay Mets, who was purchased for $335,000 at the OBS April 2-year-olds in training sale. Blast Furnace chased the Ward-trained Fandom at Keeneland in the April; 27 five-furlong maiden special weight race on turf before settling for second, No Nay Mets is a son of No Nay Never, whom Ward saddled for a victory in the 2013 Norfolk at Royal Ascot. Edwin Gonzalez has been named on Blast Furnace, while Luca Panici has the call on Irish-bred No Nay Mets.
Arindel’s revered breed-to-race farm has Reaper, an impressive 5 ¾-length winner over Gulfstream’s main track April 21, entered to make his turf debut in the Royal Palm Juvenile. Emisael Jaramillo was given the call aboard the homebred son of Brethren. Arindel will also be represented by Tiberian Sun, an unraced homebred son of Brethren. Reaper and Tiberian Sun are two of four Florida-bred entrants eligible for the FTBOA bonus. Jacks or Better Farm Inc.’s Northshore Drive, who finished third behind Reaper, and Iron Horse Racing Stable LLC and Harlow Stables LLC’s Mattingly, an unraced son of Bucchero, are also Florida-bred. Xaverius Racing Corp.’s Praiseworthy, Gerald James and Hall Performance LLC’s Shotgun Pro, and EAC Racing Stable LLC’s Zaino, round out the field.
Ward had been waiting patiently for Ocean Mermaid to make her debut before entering the Great Britain-bred filly in the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies.
“She’s a turf filly. She was purchased at Tattersalls. Unfortunately, there has been only one turf race in America, that being a colt race. The filly race at Keeneland here was rained off the turf,” Ward said. “Looking for a race with this race in mind from the onset, we sent her down there and had a nice breeze at Payson at my barn there. She’s ready to go.”
Ocean Mermaid breezed on turf at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream’s satellite training facility in Palm Beach County, before putting in four workouts at Keeneland. She breezed three-furlongs in 37.80 at Payson Park Saturday morning. The daughter of Kingman was bought by Barbara Banke’s Stonestreet Stables LLC for $252,546 at the Tattersalls October yearling sale.
“She was purchased to go to Royal Ascot. That was the whole reason for the purchase, as Barbara does each and every year. Bloodstock agent Ben McElroy goes over every year and picks out a few horses that look like Royal Ascot candidates,” Ward said. Velazquez has the call on Ocean Mermaid.
Dew Sweepers LLC’s Crimson Advocate goes into the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies off a promising debut at Keeneland April 26. The George Weaver-trained daughter of Nyquist raced wide and in traffic before finishing third in a five-furlong maiden special weight race on dirt. Edwin Gonzalez has the call on Crimson Advocate.
Christian Cruz’s She Has Class is the long entrant to have visited the winner’s circle. The Javier Gonzalez-trained daughter of Khozan closed from off the pace to capture her debut in a 4 ½-furlong maiden special weight race on Gulfstream’s main track April 10. She Has Class is one of four Florida-bred fillies eligible for the FTBOA bonus.
Gary Barber and D. J. Stable LLC’s The Myth, an unraced daughter of The Factor trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse; Robin Kaiser’s Bucchera, an unraced daughter of Bucchero trained by Laura Cazares; and Cornejo Racing LLC’s Girvin Girl, an unraced daughter of Girvin trained by Carlos David; are the other Florida-bred entrants.
D. J. Stables LLC is also represented in the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies by Fumblerooski, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Liam’s Map trained by Joe Orseno. Double D. Racing’s Turf Rocket, a daughter of More Than Ready, is scheduled to debut for trainer Jeremiah O’Dwyer, who enjoyed international success this season after saddling Sibelius for a victory in the Dubai Golden Shaheen. Arindel’s Kiss, Jeffrey Crooks’ My Sweetheart Dani and Starry Night Racing’s Scootaloo round out the field.
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Win Systems to showcase the future of connected gaming at the Southern Amusement & Entertainment Expo
Win Systems, a leading provider of technology for the gaming and entertainment industry, will participate in the Southern Amusement & Entertainment Expo (SAEE), which will take place on August 19–21 in Georgia, USA. This event, a benchmark for the distributed gaming market in the region, will serve as the ideal platform for Win Systems to showcase its comprehensive and cutting-edge ecosystem of solutions.
At SAEE Expo, the company will present WIGOS One, a flexible and scalable casino management system that can be seamlessly adapted to the specific requirements of the distributed gaming market in Georgia. WIGOS One enables operators to monitor and manage multiple venues and gaming terminals under a single, centralized platform, allowing real-time tracking of player activity, integration of loyalty and bonusing programs, and access to advanced analytics for strategic decision-making. The system supports the transition from anonymous play to a fully connected environment, enhancing operational control and opening new opportunities to boost player engagement and retention.
Additionally, Win Systems will present Win Up Wallet, a secure mobile solution that allows players to connect to gaming machines, access rewards, and manage their funds directly from their smartphones — eliminating the need for physical tickets or cash. In line with its digital-first approach, and in partnership with LoopPay, the company will also introduce a feature that enables players to redeem their winnings digitally through gift cards, without requiring TITO tickets or kiosks, while still offering the option to redeem traditional physical gift cards.
“We’re excited to bring our latest innovations to the SAEE Expo,” said Hunter Kampf, Country Manager USA & CANADA. “Georgia is a strategic market for distributed gaming, and WIGOS One precisely meets its unique requirements. Our connected solutions will enable operators to simplify management, reduce operational costs, and strengthen relationships with their players through real-time data and seamless digital tools.”
With a focus on integration, data-driven decision-making, and digital transformation, Win Systems continues to lead the way in offering robust and scalable solutions for today’s dynamic gaming landscape. The company’s presence at SAEE underscores its strong commitment to the U.S. distributed gaming market and its ongoing efforts to support local operators with the most advanced tools available.
Inspired Entertainment, Inc., a leading B2B provider of gaming content, technology, hardware, and services, is pleased to announce the launch of V-Play Football Brazil with EstrelaBet, a leading Brazilian gamingtech company. The integration is powered by Altenar, a leading sportsbook platform provider for licensed operators around the world.
This launch marks an exciting new chapter in Inspired’s expansion across Brazil delivering its market-leading Virtual Sports content to a local, LATAM focused operator. V-Play Football Brazil, designed specifically to capture the flair, passion, and energy of Brazilian football, provides fast-paced betting action with high-frequency, ultra-realistic match simulations.
“We’re thrilled to bring V-Play Football Brazil to EstrelaBet’s customers,” said Brooks Pierce, President and Chief Executive Officer of Inspired. “Brazil has a deep-rooted passion for football, and our latest Virtual Football product is tailor-made for that audience. This launch with EstrelaBet, through Altenar’s dynamic platform, represents a powerful combination of cutting-edge technology, local insight, and premium virtual content. It’s a major milestone in our commitment to growth in Brazil.”
EstrelaBet, known for its strong brand presence in Brazil and innovative approach to player engagement, continues to invest in new ways to enhance its sportsbook offering. V-Play Football Brazil is now available at estrela.bet.br, optimized for desktop and mobile platforms, as well as the Android app.
“Inspired’s V-Play Football Brazil delivers the quality, authenticity, and excitement that our players expect,” said Fellipe Fraga, CBO (Chief Business Officer) at EstrelaBet. “The launch of this product aligns perfectly with our mission to offer customers a dynamic and differentiated sports betting experience. We’re excited to bring Brazilian fans a product that feels made just for them.”
The launch was made possible through Altenar, whose scalable and flexible sportsbook platform supports operators across more than 30 countries.
“We are proud to power this exciting launch between Inspired and EstrelaBet,” said Antonis Karakousis, Director of Operations at Altenar. “Inspired’s V-Play Football Brazil is a perfect match for the Brazilian market, and this rollout exemplifies Altenar’s ability to support rapid integration and localization of best-in-class content. We look forward to seeing strong engagement and performance from this partnership.”
The Avalanche Foundation and Helika, a leading provider of technical and creative solutions for the video games industry, have officially launched their joint video game accelerator program and opened applications for the first cohort.
The newly announced strategic partnership is designed to engage both Web3-native studios and traditional game developers exploring blockchain integration. The accelerator aims to identify and support the next generation of studios building at the frontier of blockchain-based gaming.
The program is focused on product interaction and is designed to discover, support, and fast-track promising studios and projects building on the Avalanche blockchain. It will provide selected projects with unparalleled access to resources, mentorship from industry leaders, technical support, activations, and funding opportunities for qualifying or top-performing teams.
The accelerator is open to seasoned teams building high-quality, engaging experiences across platforms, from mobile to desktop and everything in between. Projects with prior traction or cross-platform aspirations are especially encouraged to apply.
The program will run for 3 months, with virtual onboarding and IRL showcases planned across major gaming and blockchain events.
What selected teams get:
Funding & Resources: $25,000 in initial support and up to $125,000 in additional funding for qualifying or top-performing teams.
Expert Guidance: Mentorship from game veterans, blockchain experts, and industry leaders through group sessions and 1:1 consultations.
Analytics Support: Comprehensive analytics solutions to track performance, improve retention, and optimize monetization strategies.
Blockchain Integration: Dedicated assistance for integrating with the Avalanche blockchain and optimizing technical performance.
Community & Growth: Activations with partner communities and platforms and support in player acquisition, community building, go-to-market strategies.
Helika Advisory Access: Access to specialized experts from Helika’s network for tailored support.
Ecosystem Access: Direct connection to a vibrant network of developers, investors, publishers, and Web3 enthusiasts.
Showcase Opportunities: A final Demo Day event to present games to investors, publishers, and ecosystem partners.
“We are excited to partner with the Avalanche Foundation to create a world-class accelerator for Web3 gaming. Avalanche’s robust and scalable infrastructure makes it an ideal environment for innovative game development. Studios need tools that work, data that matter, and real support from people who understand what it means to build in this space — this accelerator provides all of that, plus a direct line into a powerful Web3 ecosystem,” said Anton Umnov, Founder and CEO of Helika.
“Avalanche is focused on the long game. There’s no shortage of flashy ideas. What’s missing is the support that helps studios turn those ideas into real, playable, scalable games. Avalanche has long been the go-to chain for speed and innovation, and now we’re channeling that energy into the future of gaming, supporting teams who understand the nuance of player experience, community building, and long-term value creation,” said Parker Heath, Ava Labs Gaming Partnerships Lead.
Avalanche plays host to a vibrant lineup of video games, including Off The Grid and Maple Story Universe, all pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in blockchain-powered play. Thanks to its customizable Avalanche L1s, lightning-fast transaction speeds and low fees, developers can tailor unique environments for their games without compromising on user experience.
Helika has become a cornerstone for modern game studios, equipping developers with real-time insights into player behavior, on-chain economies, and engagement metrics. From Proof of Play and Parallel to Nexon, Ubisoft, and Com2Us, Helika’s platform is shaping how developers build, balance, and scale their games in real-time. This accelerator takes that impact further by embedding support into the earliest stages of development when it matters most.
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