Longines to continue as official timekeeper and watch of Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course

by NYRA Press Office

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced that the Swiss watch brand Longines will continue to serve as the official timekeeper and official watch of Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course.

As part of this agreement, Longines will be designated as the official timekeeper, official watch and preferred partner of the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes, the centerpiece of the three-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival held during the first weekend of June.

First launched as a multi-day event in 2015, the 2019 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival included 18 stakes races over three days, including an unprecedented eight Grade 1 races on Belmont Stakes Day.

This partnership renewal means that Longines will continue to serve as the title sponsor of the Grade 1 Longines Just A Game on Belmont Stakes Day as well as the Grade 1 Longines Test at Saratoga Race Course, which is contested on Whitney Day.

"We are especially proud to renew our collaboration with NYRA, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course, as Preferred Partner, Official Timekeeper and Official Watch," said Longines Vice President Marketing, Matthieu Baumgartner. "Through these partnerships, our brand is honored to take an active part in Belmont Stakes Day and the Whitney Day. This exciting collaboration reinforces our long-lasting passion for horse racing, which dates back more than 140 years."

NYRA and Longines first partnered in 2012, and Longines has played a central role in each subsequent year at Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course.

"NYRA is pleased to partner with Longines and to feature this storied brand as the official timekeeper and official watch of Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course," said NYRA Chief Revenue Officer Tony Allevato. "We are also pleased to have Longines join us at Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course for two of racing's most prestigious events - Belmont Stakes Day and Whitney Day."

About Longines

Based in Saint-Imier in Switzerland since 1832, the watchmaking company Longines wields expertise steeped in tradition, elegance and performance. With generations of experience as official timekeeper of world championships, and as partner ofinternational sports federations, Longines has built strong and long-lasting relationships in the world of sport over the years. Known for the elegance of its timepieces, Longines is a member of Swatch Group Ltd., the world's leading watch manufacturer. The Longines brand, with its winged hourglass emblem, is established in over 150 countries.

About the New York Racing Association (NYRA)

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) holds the exclusive franchise to conduct thoroughbred racing at Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course. NYRA tracks are the cornerstone of New York State's thoroughbred industry, which is responsible for 19,000 jobs and more than $3 billion in annual economic impact to the State.

Over the course of 219 days of live racing in 2018, NYRA generated more than $2.1 billion in all-sources wagering handle with paid attendance exceeding 1.7 million for the fifth consecutive year.