partnerships
1/ST CONTENT and Assiniboia Downs announce long-term distribution deal
1/ST CONTENT, the leading provider of premium content for North American horse racing, has bolstered its international portfolio with the timely addition of Assiniboia Downs (ASD), the popular Canadian racetrack located in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
ASD’s season commences today (20 May), with live racing typically staged every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 7:30pm local time as part of a competitive 50-fixture schedule that stretches from May to mid-September each year.
Forthcoming highlights include the prestigious Manitoba Derby, the opening leg of the Western Canadian Derby Series, alongside other Listed stakes action. Other classic championship races comprise the Gold Cup, the Manitoba Matron and the Winnipeg Futurity, while there will also be multiple stakes contests for rising-star juveniles, beginning with the Debutante in July.
Accordingly, ASD now sits alongside other Canadian racetracks – such as Woodbine, Fort Erie and Hastings – on 1/ST CONTENT’s flexible program of top-quality action. This weekly timetable of engaging content, whose chronology naturally complements international racing coverage across varied time-zones from Europe to South Africa and Australia, provides 1/ST CONTENT’s global partners with a reliable source of fast-settling betting content at both primetime and off-peak viewing slots.
This progressive deal is emblematic of 1/ST CONTENT’s broader commitment to ensuring that North American racing’s stakeholders, whether they hail from the biggest tracks or overlooked regional diamonds, become the primary beneficiaries of revenues generated through international wagering.
As a result, 1/ST CONTENT stands alone as the proven pacesetter for live horse racing content, mapping approximately 80% of all North American racing, and providing rights, betting data, live broadcast and video streaming on behalf of its growing global portfolio of partners. Corralling low-latency feeds from thousands of annual meetings (and showcasing tens of thousands of races each year) North American racing is helping worldwide operators to engage untapped audiences by delivering 24/7 horse racing.
Darren Dunn, CEO of Assiniboia Downs, said: “The sheer distributional scope of 1/ST CONTENT’s international operator network is second to none. Therefore, it was a logical step for ASD to partner with them to distribute our upcoming calendar to a new legion of bettors outside Canada, thereby increasing returns to the core stakeholders of our domestic scene here in Winnipeg.”
Simon Fraser, Senior Vice President International at 1/ST CONTENT, added: “1/ST CONTENT is delighted to have added Assiniboia Downs to our all-encompassing North American roster, optimizing our wider Canadian content and introducing a fresh cohort of global racing fans to one of the true hidden gems in North America. ASD’s reliable off times and inimitable content, which sometimes shows events such as team-based bareback Indian Horse Relay racing, offers something different in an often homogenized marketplace.
“Observing other unsupportive models, we are more dedicated than ever to returning the value to racing’s stakeholders, who have historically missed out with grasping suppliers that return funds to non-racing organizations and simply aren’t committed to the sustainability and welfare of the sport.
“We look forward to delivering more coverage of high-class Canadian racing than ever before to fans and bettors around the world.”
Woodbine Entertainment has announced a partnership with 1/ST that will see the bet365 Dance Smartly Stakes (G2) become a qualifying race for the Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf Invitational Stakes (G2).
The winner of this year’s $200,000 bet365 Dance Smartly Stakes at Woodbine Racetrack will receive an automatic invitation to the 2026 $500,000 Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida.
The Dance Smartly, to be held on Saturday, October 4 at Woodbine, will be contested at 1 1/16 miles on the bet365 Inner Turf Course and is part of a stacked card headlined by the returning $750,000 Canadian International (G1).
“We’re pleased to partner with the team at 1/ST Racing to add this unique bonus to the Dance Smartly,” said Tim Lawson, Vice-President of Thoroughbred Racing for Woodbine. “Pegasus World Cup Day has become an outstanding showcase of our sport and it’s exciting that the opportunity to be part of it will be connected to a prominent race on one of our biggest days of the season.”
The 2026 Pegasus World Cup will celebrate the 10-year anniversary of racing’s leading luxury, lifestyle and sporting event. The Pegasus World Cup debuted in 2017 as part of 1/ST’s mission to excite, energize and modernize the sport of racing for a new generation of fans and to provide lucrative opportunities for Thoroughbred owners and trainers. The event annually attracts the sport’s biggest names and is viewed globally.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Woodbine in linking the Dance Smartly to Pegasus World Cup Day,” said Aidan Butler, President of 1/ST. “This collaboration strengthens the global profile of both events, while providing horsemen and fans with a world-class pathway from Toronto to South Florida.”
The 2026 Pegasus World Cup will be held in January.
Gaming
Monster Energy and Call of Duty Unite Again with Exclusive In-Game Rewards and Expanded Program Timing
Monster Energy is teaming up once again with Call of Duty to deliver bonus in-game rewards, bonus 2XP and an expanded promotional window that gives fans even more opportunities to fuel up and power their gameplay.
Gamers and Monster fans can start collecting codes to stockpile rewards ahead of the highly anticipated release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 on November 14. Following the record-breaking success of the last year’s program – the 2025 campaign has been extended and will run through March 31, 2026, with code redemption available until April 30, 2026.
Players who purchase specially marked Call of Duty cans of Monster Energy, Monster Zero Sugar, or Monster Zero Ultra can find a unique code under the tab and redeem it online at callofduty.monsterenergy.com. Every can unlocks bonus in-game items and double experience points.
2025 in-game rewards include:
• 1 Can = “Energy Flash” Large Decal + 15 min 2XP
• 2 Cans = “Peacekeeper MK1 – Hyper Green” Weapon Blueprint + 15 min 2XP
• 3 Cans = “Green Fury” Operator Skin + 15 min 2XP
• 4 Cans = “VS Recon – Green Thunder” Weapon Blueprint + 15 min 2XP
• 5 Cans = “Daylight Ripper” Operator Skin Recolor + 15 min 2XP
In addition, select retailers will feature specialty bonus in-game content such as Emblems, Charms, Weapon Stickers, and Dual 2XP.
And as an added bonus, fans who create an account on callofduty.monsterenergy.com before October 31 will score a Black Ops 6 in-game skin – no purchase required.
“Monster Energy is built on fueling competitive spirit and our collaboration with Call of Duty continues to push that to new levels. With expanded timing, bonus rewards and the unmatched value of Double XP in every can, this year’s program is our biggest and most exciting yet,” said Dan McHugh, Global Chief Marketing Officer at Monster Energy.
“We’re proud to continue building on the success of our partnership with Monster Energy. Monster is the go-to fuel of gamers and they are going to drink up these exciting in-game rewards,” added Cody Neal, Associate Director of Global Partnerships, Call of Duty.
The limited-edition Monster Energy Call of Duty cans are available in 16oz in Original Monster Energy, Monster Zero Sugar and Monster Zero Ultra. Special 4, 12, and 15 can Monster Energy Call of Duty multipacks are on shelves now.
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