In a continuing effort to expand its global presence, the international gaming company Codere has initiated an agreement with Churchill Downs Incorporated to have racing from Hipodromo de Las Americas in Mexico City simulcast throughout North America on TwinSpires.com.
The move announced July 24 will allow common pool wagering on races from Hipodromo de Las Americas, creating an increase in purses to benefit horsemen in Mexico. The signal from Hipodromo de las Americas is already beamed to Lone Star Park in Dallas, Texas, and Remington Park in Oklahoma City, Okla., where common pool wagering is offered.
Ramon Rionda, vice president of racing operations for Codere, called the move "a significant step toward expanding our signal distribution for all of our racing operations in Latin America."
Codere is already commingling the wagering from Hipodromo de Las Americas to its racetracks and their country-wide off-track wagering networks in Panama (Hipodromo Presidente Remon) and Uruguay (Maroñas National Racetrack).
"Our ongoing goal is to maximize signal distribution for all of Codere's racing operations throughout Latin America," Rionda said.
Codere is active in the private gaming sector in Europe and Latin America with more than 20,000 employees, 184 gaming halls, three racetracks, and 926 betting locations in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Spain, Italy, Mexico, Panama, and Uruguay. The group also runs internet gaming activities in Italy.
Codere has managed betting and international simulcasting in Brazil with Jockey Club Brasileiro, Jockey Club do Paraná, and Jockey Club do Rio Grande do Sul since 2005.
Andre Gelfi, managing director for Codere in Brazil, said the agreement could serve as a springboard for additional simulcasting in the future.
"We are very pleased with the most recent developments and definitely feel they expand our international awareness and fit our business model for the future," Gelfi said.
