Affinity Interactive’s Daily Racing Form Partners with Horseshoe Indianapolis to Launch Groundbreaking AI Handicapping Technology for 2025 Racing Season

SHELBYVILLE, Ind.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 24, 2025--

Affinity Interactive, through its flagship brand, Daily Racing Form (DRF), is partnering with Horseshoe Indianapolis Racing & Casino to introduce a cutting-edge suite of artificial intelligence and data-driven handicapping tools for the 2025 racing season. The collaboration will debut an industry-first virtual AI handicapper, “A.I. Alan”, and expand DRF’s leading-edge analytics, offering fans deeper insight and engagement throughout the meet.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250622606576/en/

A pioneer in horse racing analytics since 1894, Daily Racing Form has been at the forefront of developing next-generation technology to betters. This latest partnership reflects DRF’s continued evolution under Affinity Interactive, combining data science and proprietary content to deliver innovative wagering experiences across the sport.

“We are very excited to take this next step in horse racing with our new technology abilities and Horseshoe Indianapolis is a great place to unveil our new package,” said Rich Rosa, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations for DRF. “We have been working closely with Eric Halstrom and his team in Indiana to perfect our graphics and information implemented into the racing production.”

Building on the success of DRF’s TimeformUS Pace Graphs and DRF Projected Odds—introduced at Horseshoe Indianapolis in 2024—the 2025 season will showcase a full suite of enhancements including: Runner and Race Profile Data, AI Generated Insights by DRF Statline, DRF Formulator Facts, and a custom digital website landing page dedicated to Horseshoe Indianapolis. These tools are designed to empower bettors with intuitive, actionable information, driving deeper engagement with every race.

“We could not be prouder to partner with DRF on this project,” said Halstrom, Vice President and General Manager of Racing. “We have worked closely with DRF to customize their offering to what we feel our customers need and will be most beneficial to them. I believe they will be so excited to have all of this added information right at their fingertips for every Thoroughbred race we run this year at Horseshoe Indianapolis.”

One of the most anticipated additions to the new platform is A.I. Alan, a virtual on-air handicapper powered by DRF’s proprietary artificial intelligence models. A.I. Alan will appear during daily simulcast coverage with auto-generated insights tailored specifically to Horseshoe Indianapolis races.

“A.I. Alan is our new on-air virtual handicapper,” explained Halstrom. “He will be featured daily with auto generated facts from DRF’s new AI data system. This information is specifically tailored to our racing product. We expect to have A.I. Alan fully functional by early June and his presence on our simulcasting program will be the first in the industry powered by AI.”

To further celebrate the partnership, Daily Racing Form will serve as title sponsor of the Grade 3, $200,000 Indiana Oaks, taking place on Indiana Derby Day, Saturday, July 5. As Indiana’s first-ever graded stakes race, the Oaks continues to attract top three-year-old fillies from across the country.

“Having DRF as the title sponsor of the Oaks adds so much validity to the race,” observed Halstrom. “We feel their association with the Oaks will catapult exposure and accelerate the race into the next level of competition beginning in 2025.”

The 23 rd season of live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing runs through Thursday, Nov. 13. For more information on racing at Horseshoe Indianapolis, visit www.caesars.com/horseshoe-indianapolis/racing or find details on social media @HSIndyRacing.

About Horseshoe Indianapolis
Horseshoe Indianapolis, owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: CZR), holds multiple awards for customer service, entertainment, gaming, racing, dining, and diversity. Located just minutes from Indianapolis in Shelbyville, Ind., this one-of-a-kind property has wall to wall excitement on the 105,940 square foot gaming floor, featuring more than 1,600 slots and 72 table games along with a state-of-the-art World Series of Poker Room containing 20 tables. In addition, Horseshoe Indianapolis offers the only live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing in the state showcased on a one-mile dirt racecourse and a seven-eighths mile turf course. Simulcast and sports wagering is offered year-round at Caesars Race & Sportsbook, also located on the casino floor, with additional gaming provided at Caesars Race & Sportsbook in Clarksville, Ind. Players can reap benefits from Caesars Rewards, the industry’s most lucrative bonus program now offered at more than 50 destinations. Please visit www.caesars.com/horseshoe-indianapolis for more information and find Horseshoe Indianapolis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing at racetracks and 21 or older to gamble at sports books and casinos. Please play responsibly. If you think you or someone you care about may have a gambling problem, call 1-800-9-WITH-IT (1-800-994-8448). ©2025 Caesars License Company, LLC.

About Affinity Interactive
Affinity Interactive is an omni-channel media, online, and gaming industry leader with an expanded suite of casino and online gaming offerings. Combining leading regional casinos in Nevada, Missouri and Iowa with advanced technology, digital and media platforms, and an online betting presence, Affinity Interactive has nearly 1 million combined customers and is positioned to capitalize on the continued momentum in sports betting and iGaming globally. Affinity Interactive companies also include: the iconic Daily Racing Form, “America's Turf Authority since 1894” for horse racing and sports enthusiasts throughout North America, one of America’s fastest-growing online and mobile wagering platforms; and DRF Sports, which provides fans with exclusive up-to-date sports betting stats, insights and analysis on all major U.S. sports and leagues. For more information, please visit affinityinteractive.com and DRF.com.

Affinity Interactive is a portfolio company of ZCG Private Equity, the private equity fund arm of ZCG ( www.zcg.com ), a leading, privately held merchant bank comprised of private markets asset management, business consulting services, and technology development and solutions.

About Daily Racing Form
Founded in 1894, Daily Racing Form (DRF) is the most trusted source for premium horse racing data, news, and analysis. For over 130 years, DRF has provided horseplayers and industry professionals with exclusive past performances, expert handicapping insights, and real-time coverage of the sport. Today, DRF continues to evolve, delivering innovative digital products and AI-powered tools that enhance the horse racing experience for bettors of all levels.

As part of its expansion, DRF has entered the sports affiliate business, leveraging its multi-channel platform to connect sports bettors with leading sportsbook operators. By combining its deep expertise in horse racing analytics with a growing presence in the broader sports betting market, DRF remains at the forefront of the gaming industry. For more information, visit www.DRF.com.

About ZCG
ZCG is a leading, privately held global firm comprised of private markets asset management, business consulting services, and technology development and solutions.

For nearly three decades, ZCG has invested tens of billions of dollars in private equity and credit-related strategies, through multiple economic cycles and across many industries, including consumer products, steel, steel processors, agriculture, consumer food, gaming, hospitality, manufacturing, specialty services, and automotive.

ZCG’s investors include prominent global sovereign wealth funds, endowments, pension funds, insurance companies, foundations, family offices, wealth management firms, and other financial institutions in North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

ZCG has a global team comprised of approximately 400 professionals. The company is headquartered in New York, with affiliate offices located in Pune and Mumbai, India, and Riyadh, KSA. For more information, please visit www.zcg.com.

Affinity Interactive’s Daily Racing Form Partners with Horseshoe Indianapolis to Launch Groundbreaking AI Handicapping Technology for 2025 Racing Season

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic over its bloody crackdown on protesters, a move coming as activists said Monday the death toll in the nationwide demonstrations rose to at least 544.

Iran had no immediate reaction to the news, which came after the foreign minister of Oman — long an interlocutor between Washington and Tehran — traveled to Iran this weekend. It also remains unclear just what Iran could promise, particularly as Trump has set strict demands over its nuclear program and its ballistic missile arsenal, which Tehran insists is crucial for its national defense.

Meanwhile Monday, Iran called for pro-government demonstrators to head to the streets in support of the theocracy, a show of force after days of protests directly challenging the rule of 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian state television aired chants from the crowd, who shouted “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!”

Trump and his national security team have been weighing a range of potential responses against Iran including cyberattacks and direct strikes by the U.S. or Israel, according to two people familiar with internal White House discussions who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

“The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night. Asked about Iran’s threats of retaliation, he said: “If they do that, we will hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before.”

Trump said that his administration was in talks to set up a meeting with Tehran, but cautioned that he may have to act first as reports of the death toll in Iran mount and the government continues to arrest protesters.

“I think they’re tired of being beat up by the United States,” Trump said. “Iran wants to negotiate.”

He added: “The meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting. But a meeting is being set up. Iran called, they want to negotiate.”

Iran through country's parliamentary speaker warned Sunday that the U.S. military and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if America uses force to protect demonstrators.

More than 10,600 people also have been detained over the two weeks of protests, said the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in previous unrest in recent years and gave the death toll. It relies on supporters in Iran crosschecking information. It said 496 of the dead were protesters and 48 were with security forces.

With the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the toll. Iran’s government has not offered overall casualty figures.

Those abroad fear the information blackout is emboldening hard-liners within Iran’s security services to launch a bloody crackdown. Protesters flooded the streets in the country’s capital and its second-largest city on Saturday night into Sunday morning. Online videos purported to show more demonstrations Sunday night into Monday, with a Tehran official acknowledging them in state media.

In Tehran, a witness told the AP that the streets of the capital empty at the sunset call to prayers each night. By the Isha, or nighttime prayer, the streets are deserted.

Part of that stems from the fear of getting caught in the crackdown. Police sent the public a text message that warned: “Given the presence of terrorist groups and armed individuals in some gatherings last night and their plans to cause death, and the firm decision to not tolerate any appeasement and to deal decisively with the rioters, families are strongly advised to take care of their youth and teenagers.”

Another text, which claimed to come from the intelligence arm of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, also directly warned people not to take part in demonstrations.

“Dear parents, in view of the enemy’s plan to increase the level of naked violence and the decision to kill people, ... refrain from being on the streets and gathering in places involved in violence, and inform your children about the consequences of cooperating with terrorist mercenaries, which is an example of treason against the country,” the text warned.

The witness spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing crackdown.

The demonstrations began Dec. 28 over the collapse of the Iranian rial currency, which trades at over 1.4 million to $1, as the country’s economy is squeezed by international sanctions in part levied over its nuclear program. The protests intensified and grew into calls directly challenging Iran’s theocracy.

Nikhinson reported from aboard Air Force One.

In this frame grab from video obtained by the AP outside Iran, a masked demonstrator holds a picture of Iran's Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi during a protest in Tehran, Iran, Friday, January. 9, 2026. (UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran shows protesters taking to the streets despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.(UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran showed protesters once again taking to the streets of Tehran despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Saturday Jan. 10, 2026. (UGC via AP)