On Saturday (May 2), the Kentucky Derby will become a major sporting event in the US - the virtual version that is.
The spectacular Triple Crown Showdown will be held from 3pm till 6pm Eastern Time. Inspired Entertainment is behind the plan, put together with casino and racetrack company Churchill Downs, owner of the Kentucky Derby venue. It will be televised on the NBC television channel.
Sports betting fans will see a realistic 3D CGI representation of the Derby featuring the 13 Triple Crown winners from the past century in an ultimate face-off. The Kentucky Derby: Triple Crown Showdown is a computer-simulated version of a race at Churchill Downs Racetrack. Historical information about these horses and their racing records has been utilised in the software, which helps to determine the probability of their potential finishing positions. This probability is based on their past form and performance in other races,” said Brooks Pierce, president and COO of Inspired. Fans will be able to visit www.KentuckyDerby.com to choose their favourite horse to win and join Churchill Downs in making a charitable donation to Covid-19 emergency relief efforts, which the Churchill Downs Foundation will match up to $1m. Inspired will also be making a contribution. Inspired has already created the Virtual Grand National UK horse race that drew 4.8 million viewers.
