The Stronach Group

What The Stronach Group does

The Stronach Group is a privately held Canadian holding company controlled by founder Frank Stronach and his family, operating a vertically integrated horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering enterprise concentrated in the United States. Through its wholly owned 1/ST Group of Companies subsidiary, the company owns and operates two premier Thoroughbred racetracks—Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida, and Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California—and previously owned Golden Gate Fields (California) and Laurel Park (Maryland). Its core technology product, 1/ST BET, provides a mobile-first wagering experience; the company also operates historical horse racing (HHR) gaming machines at Santa Anita Park for on-demand wagering on previously run races.

Revenue is generated through pari-mutuel wagering commissions at physical venues, transaction-based mobile betting on 1/ST BET, ancillary venue operations (food, beverage, events), and media/event rights for premium racing content including the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (launched 2017, broadcast on NBC) and—until April 2026—the Preakness Stakes intellectual property. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via owned retail venues and the 1/ST BET app, supplemented by signature event marketing, NBC broadcast exposure, and a joint venture interest in Elite Turf Club (high-volume computer-assisted wagering with NYRA). The customer base is highly fragmented, comprising individual horse racing fans, bettors, and event attendees.

Strategic posture in 2026 is defined by material portfolio rationalization: the sale of Golden Gate Fields for $175 million (announced April 2026), the pending sale of Laurel Park to the Maryland Stadium Authority, and the sale of the Preakness Stakes IP to Churchill Downs for an aggregate reported value of approximately $85 million (definitive agreement April 23, 2026). The combined effect is a deliberate concentration of operations around Gulfstream Park, Santa Anita Park, the Pegasus franchise, and the 1/ST BET digital platform, while generating liquidity that—based on recent partnership discussions—may be redeployed into adjacent verticals such as pari-mutuel motorsports wagering with NASCAR.

Name

The Stronach Group

Legal name

The Stronach Group

Website

https://stronachgroup.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Stronach Group operates premier Thoroughbred horse racing venues (Gulfstream Park, Santa Anita Park), the 1/ST BET mobile wagering platform, and signature events including the Pegasus World Cup, serving individual racing fans and bettors in the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Horse Racing Entertainment and Wagering

NAICS

Racetracks (711212), Gambling Industries (7132)

SIC

Services-Racing, Including Track Operation (7948)

akta.pro primary industry

Racetrack & Race Meeting Operations (MPAEADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Online Horse Racing Betting (Advance Deposit Wagering/ADW) (MPAEADAD), Racecourse Hospitality, Sponsorship & On-Track Experiences (MPAEADAM)

Keywords

• Horse racing venues
• Pari-mutuel wagering
• Mobile betting platform
• Thoroughbred racing
• Horse racing events

Headquarters

HQ city

Aurora

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Pari-mutuel Wagering: Core revenue from horse racing wagering at physical venues and through 1/ST BET digital platform
2. Venue Operations: Revenue from horse racing venue operations including Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita Park, hosting events and managing racing operations
3. Real Estate Transactions: Sale of horse racing track properties (Golden Gate Fields for $175M) as part of strategic portfolio management

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Stronach Group operates a portfolio of premier Thoroughbred horse racing venues, including Gulfstream Park (Florida) and Santa Anita Park (California), and provides pari-mutuel wagering through its proprietary mobile platform 1/ST BET. The group also produces signature racing events such as the Pegasus World Cup Invitational and historically held the Preakness Stakes intellectual property, positioning horse racing entertainment and wagering as its core offerings.

Product overview

The Stronach Group operates a multi-platform horse racing and wagering enterprise comprising physical venues (Gulfstream Park, Santa Anita Park, Golden Gate Fields, Laurel Park) and digital products. The 1/ST BET mobile betting platform serves as the core technology product, enabling fan-first wagering experiences. Signature events like the Pegasus World Cup Invitational anchor the entertainment portfolio. The group also holds a joint venture interest in Elite Turf Club via NYRA partnership for computer-assisted wagering operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gulfstream Park: Premier horse racing venue in Hallandale Beach, Florida
• Santa Anita Park
• 1/ST BET
• Pegasus World Cup
• Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational
• Santa Anita Equestrian

Products and services

• Gulfstream Park Premier Thoroughbred horse racing venue and entertainment destination in Hallandale Beach, Florida, offering live racing events and on-site pari-mutuel wagering to individual racing fans and bettors.
• Santa Anita Park Historic Thoroughbred horse racing venue in Arcadia, California, featuring live racing and historical horse racing (HHR) gaming machines for on-demand pari-mutuel wagering on previously run races.
• 1/ST BET Mobile-first horse racing betting application described as the largest, most innovative gaming technology in the horse racing industry, providing digital pari-mutuel wagering and a fan-first betting experience to individual consumers.
• Pegasus World Cup Invitational Signature annual Thoroughbred horse racing championship event at Gulfstream Park featuring Grade 1 stakes races, broadcast on NBC, attracting racing industry, celebrities and patrons worldwide.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Elite Turf Club (with New York Racing Association)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 April 2026The Elite Turf Club is jointly owned by the New York Racing Association and The Stronach Group. It is named as a defendant in a class action lawsuit alleging manipulation of parimutuel betting pools on horse racing, including the Kentucky Derby, through high-volume computer-assisted wagering (CAW) groups.
• Trust for Public LandminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026The Trust for Public Land has reached an agreement to purchase the 161-acre Golden Gate Fields horse racing track site for $175 million, with plans to transfer it to the East Bay Regional Park District to create a new public park along the bay's eastern shore. The Stronach Group has agreed to demolish existing structures.
• NASCARminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 February 2026NASCAR held discussions with teams during Daytona 500 weekend about new revenue streams including parimutuel betting with the Stronach Group and shared hospitality units at racetracks.
• Maryland Stadium AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 January 2026The Maryland Stadium Authority has reached a tentative agreement with The Stronach Group to acquire Laurel Park, a 229-acre horse racing facility in Anne Arundel County. Plans include transforming it into a thoroughbred training hub. The state began leasing Laurel Park in January 2025 while Pimlico undergoes redevelopment.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Keeneland Association: Iconic Kentucky thoroughbred racetrack and premier horse sales company. Comparable to Stronach's flagship venues as a high-prestige racing and auction brand serving breeders, owners, and fans across the U.S. industry.
• New York Racing Association (NYRA): Operates Belmont Park, Saratoga, and Aqueduct racetracks and runs NYRA Bets, an ADW platform. NYRA is both a direct competitor (premier East Coast racing venues) and Stronach's JV partner in Elite Turf Club, making it the closest operational peer.
• Churchill Downs Incorporated: Operates the Kentucky Derby and a portfolio of major U.S. racetracks (Churchill Downs, Arlington, Turfway Park) plus retail and online wagering via TwinSpires and Exacta. Highly comparable to Stronach as a multi-venue thoroughbred operator with pari-mutuel and sports betting, and recently acquired Stronach's Preakness Stakes IP.

Broad incumbents

• DraftKings: Leading U.S. online sportsbook and iGaming operator with growing horse racing product. Comparable to Stronach in competing for digital wagering wallet share and in negotiating content/simulcast agreements with racetracks.
• Caesars Entertainment: Major U.S. gaming and sportsbook operator with extensive land-based casino footprint and Caesars Sportsbook digital product. Comparable as a diversified gaming incumbent whose sportsbook partners with and competes against racetrack wagering platforms.
• Boyd Gaming: Diversified regional casino operator with FanDuel partnership exposure. Comparable as a multi-property gaming incumbent whose land-based footprint and digital partnerships parallel Stronach's venue-plus-1/ST-BET model.
• Penn Entertainment: Operates a national portfolio of regional casinos and racetracks and runs a leading omni-channel sportsbook/iCasino offering. Comparable to Stronach as a gaming-and-racing conglomerate pursuing convergence between pari-mutuel wagering and digital sports betting.
• Flutter Entertainment (FanDuel): Global online sports betting and iGaming leader via FanDuel. Relevant as the dominant omni-channel sportsbook competing for the same digital wagering dollars that Stronach's 1/ST BET platform targets, including for horse racing content distribution.

Regional players

• Del Mar Thoroughbred Club: Operates the Del Mar racetrack in Southern California and hosts the Breeders' Cup. A direct geographic peer to Santa Anita Park and competes for the same California racing and simulcast audience.

Emerging players

• 1/ST Technology (AmTote) / horse racing ADW peers: AmTote (now part of 1/ST Technology) provides totalisator and ADW technology underpinning many U.S. racetracks and betting platforms. Comparable to 1/ST BET as a horse-racing-specific wagering technology provider and infrastructure layer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-stronach-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Stronach Group