Third Time Entertainment Launches Multi-Year Agreement with Churchill Downs to Bring the Kentucky Derby to the Virtual World

The deal will bring horse racing's most prestigious brand and events to the metaverse through the virtual horse racing platform Photo Finish™ LIVE. 

ORLANDO, Fla., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Orlando-based game development studio Third Time Entertainment , has signed a groundbreaking multi-year deal with Churchill Downs, the iconic home of the Kentucky Derby to bring the world's most prestigious horse race to the virtual world via the studio's cutting-edge virtual horse racing gaming experience, Photo Finish™ LIVE.

Beginning with the running of this year's 149th Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs and Third Time Games will bridge the legendary 'Run for the Roses™' into the digital world by holding month-long season events on the Photo Finish™ LIVE platform, each culminating in a grand race the virtual equivalent to that of the Kentucky Derby.

Through each event leading up to the Derby, Photo Finish™ LIVE players will race horses they've bought and/or bred and own with real money purse prizes on the line in a virtual Road to the Derby, all for a chance at earning the Kentucky Derby's virtual crown. 

"We are beyond excited to partner with Churchill Downs to bring the Kentucky Derby and Road to the Derby to the virtual world," said Ian Cummings, CEO of Photo Finish™ LIVE.

"Our technology is revolutionizing the way that fans experience horse racing, and we believe that this partnership will help to bring the sport to a whole new generation of fans."

The Third Time / Churchill Downs partnership marks a pivotal moment in the world of horse racing, as fans of the world's oldest sport are now capable of utilizing the world's newest technologies to experience the excitement and thrill of the Kentucky Derby in a whole new way.

"As we celebrate 149 years of the Kentucky Derby, we want to continue the growth of this sport for years to come, and we believe that this partnership will help bring our sport to a whole new audience" said Casey Ramage of Churchill Downs Racetrack.

Fans can visit the official Photo Finish™ LIVE website at www.photofinish.live to learn more about the technology and to stay up-to-date on the latest news and developments.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Ryan Yousefi
Head of Content, Third Time Games
[email protected]

Third Time is a startup game development studio and pioneer in virtual horse racing. Starting in 2021, Third Time has begun development on 2 of the most highly anticipated crypto-based blockchain projects, Photo Finish™ LIVE  and The MVP Society. The team and company are regarded as one of the true blue-chip companies developing in the Solana ecosystem and on the blockchain as a whole. All 3 original founders have worked for 15+ years in the game industry, with senior leadership positions held at Electronic Arts, Zynga, Row Sham Bow, Glu Mobile, and FanDuel. The first mobile game by the studio, Photo Finish™ Horse Racing, released in 2015, was one of the most popular horse racing mobile games in history, with over 13 million downloads to date. The follow-up sequel Horse Racing Manager, released in May of 2018, was featured multiple times globally at the top of the App Stores. Located in Orlando, FL, Third Time is focused on delivering innovative, addictive, highly polished, and fun games to players around the world.

Launching worldwide on April 24, 2023, Photo Finish™ LIVE is the most authentic virtual horse racing simulation ever created, offering its players an authentic and fun ecosystem where they may race against other real-life owners, build and breed their stable of champions, and take home real money prizes while doing it. Photo Finish™ LIVE offers a genetics-based breeding system that utilizes NFT-based horse genetics to create generations of unique offspring with 100% true-to-life accurate coat color genetics and in-depth attributes like Temper, Speed, Stamina, target distances, and preferred track conditions. The platform utilizes the most advanced simulated genetic breeding algorithm in the world, ensuring that each horse is a unique asset with its own set of traits and genetics.

The $3 million Kentucky Derby takes place on the first Saturday in May at historic Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Inaugurated in 1875, the legendary 1 1/4-mile race for three-year-olds is the longest continually-held major sporting event in North America and the first leg of horse racing's Triple Crown series. Also known as, "The Run for the Roses" and "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports," the Kentucky Derby is the most attended horse race in the nation. The 149th Kentucky Derby will take place on May 6, 2023. For more information, please visit www.KentuckyDerby.com. 

SOURCE Third Time Entertainment, Inc.