Daily Racing Form
An American horse-racing publication and data service providing past performances, statistics, handicapping information, and related wagering products.
Last updated October 10, 2026
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Overview
Daily Racing Form (DRF) is an American horse-racing publication and information brand whose core service is the collection and presentation of past-performance data for racehorses. Its principal audience consists of horse-racing bettors, handicappers, owners, trainers, journalists, and other participants in the North American racing industry. The brand is commonly abbreviated as DRF and has also been known informally as the Racing Form, the Form, the Telegraph, or the Telly. The publication was founded by Frank Brunell in Chicago, Illinois, and its first edition appeared in November 1894. From its beginning, the Daily Racing Form was designed not merely as a general sports newspaper but as a specialized statistical service. Its value rested on assembling information that could help readers evaluate a horse's prior races, including performance records and other data used in handicapping. This emphasis on structured racing information made the publication an important reference tool in a sport where wagering decisions depend heavily on historical results, race conditions, and comparative analysis. Over time, DRF developed a regional publishing system serving tracks and racing markets across North America. Reference material describes the paper as producing as many as 35 regional editions on a typical day, with publication suspended on Christmas. The regional model allowed racing information to be adapted to local programs and schedules while retaining the brand's broader national identity. In addition to its editorial and statistical role, DRF became connected with the formal recognition of excellence in American Thoroughbred racing. In cooperation with the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters Association, it participates in selecting winners of the annual Eclipse Awards. The brand has passed through several ownership structures. In 1922, the Daily Racing Form publishing company was sold to Moses Annenberg's Triangle Publications, a company that would eventually be associated with Walter Annenberg. In the twenty-first century, DRF operated within Sports Information Group, or SIG. The Wicks Group sold DRF to Arlington Capital Partners in 2007 in a transaction reported at nearly $200 million. Arlington later sold SIG to Z Capital Partners in 2017 for less than $100 million. In 2021, Z Capital combined SIG with sister company Affinity Gaming to create Affinity Interactive, placing DRF within a broader group focused on gaming, sports information, and digital wagering-related activities. DRF has expanded beyond its traditional print publication and paid handicapping information. In September 2021 it introduced the DRF Sport website, extending the brand into sports information beyond horse racing. In October of the same year it released DRF Cash Grab, a free-to-play sports prediction application. DRF and Affinity Interactive subsequently introduced an online sportsbook, with DRF Bets going live in Iowa in January 2022. These moves represent a shift from a specialist newspaper and racing-data service toward a wider digital sports and betting ecosystem. The brand's continuing identity remains rooted in authoritative racing information. Its modern offerings combine historical performance data, editorial analysis, digital content, and wagering-related services. While the available reference material does not establish a current corporate headquarters, detailed present-day leadership roster, or complete product catalog, DRF is documented as an active United States brand operating within the horse-racing and sports-gaming information sectors.
History
Daily Racing Form was established in Chicago, Illinois, by Frank Brunell in 1894. Its first issue was published in November of that year. The publication was created as a specialized horse-racing information service, with its principal purpose being the presentation of past performances and statistical material useful to people assessing North American races and making wagering decisions. Unlike a general newspaper that might cover racing as one subject among many, DRF developed around the informational needs of handicappers and racing professionals. Its historical records and race data gave readers a structured way to compare horses and interpret earlier results. The publication's identity consequently became closely associated with statistical detail, race analysis, and the practical preparation required before wagering on a race. The paper expanded through regional editions. Reference material states that it has published as many as 35 regional editions on a typical day, except on Christmas. These editions allowed the publication to cover different racing programs while maintaining a common national brand. DRF also became involved in the annual Eclipse Awards. Working with the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters Association, it helps select the winners of those awards, which recognize achievements in American Thoroughbred racing. A major ownership transition occurred in 1922, when the Daily Racing Form publishing company was sold to Moses Annenberg's Triangle Publications. Triangle Publications would eventually be owned by Walter Annenberg. The brand later became part of Sports Information Group, reflecting a broader corporate structure for sports and racing information. In 2007, the Wicks Group sold DRF to Arlington Capital Partners in a transaction reported at nearly $200 million. Arlington subsequently sold Sports Information Group, DRF's parent company, to Z Capital Partners in 2017 for less than $100 million. In 2021, Z Capital combined Sports Information Group with a sister company, Affinity Gaming, to form Affinity Interactive. This restructuring placed the long-running racing publication within a company with interests spanning gaming, sports information, and digital wagering. The 2021 period also marked a significant product and channel expansion. DRF launched the DRF Sport website in September, broadening its digital sports-information presence beyond its traditional horse-racing focus. In October it released DRF Cash Grab, a free-to-play sports prediction app. DRF and Affinity Interactive then moved into online sports betting, launching the DRF Bets sportsbook in Iowa in January 2022. Through these changes, DRF retained its historical role as a horse-racing data and handicapping brand while adding digital content, prediction products, and regulated wagering services. The available sources do not provide a complete current leadership list, a verified current headquarters, or a detailed account of every print and digital product. Its documented historical development nevertheless shows a progression from a Chicago racing newspaper to a broader sports-information and betting platform operating under Affinity Interactive.
- 2022
DRF Bets goes live in Iowa
[1]The DRF Bets online sportsbook launched in Iowa in January.
- 2021
Affinity Interactive is formed
[1]Z Capital combined Sports Information Group with Affinity Gaming to create Affinity Interactive.
- 2021
DRF expands into broader sports information
[1]DRF launched the DRF Sport website in September and the DRF Cash Grab prediction app in October.
- 2017
Sports Information Group is sold to Z Capital Partners
[1]Arlington sold DRF's parent company, Sports Information Group, to Z Capital Partners.
- 2007
Arlington Capital Partners acquires DRF
[1]The Wicks Group sold Daily Racing Form to Arlington Capital Partners for a reported amount near $200 million.
- 1922
Publishing company joins Triangle Publications
[1]The Daily Racing Form publishing company was sold to Moses Annenberg's Triangle Publications.
- 1894
Daily Racing Form is founded in Chicago
[1]Frank Brunell founded the publication in Chicago, Illinois, and its first edition appeared in November.
Products and positioning
A specialist North American horse-racing information brand built around past-performance data, statistical analysis, handicapping, and increasingly digital sports and wagering services.
Horse-racing publication · 1894
Daily Racing Form
The flagship publication is a specialized horse-racing newspaper and information service. It publishes past performances, statistics, and related racing material intended for bettors, handicappers, and industry participants. The publication has historically appeared in multiple regional editions, with reference material describing as many as 35 editions on a typical day except Christmas.
Racing data and handicapping
DRF Past Performances
DRF's past-performance service organizes historical race information and statistics about horses so users can compare form, results, and other relevant racing indicators. It is the core informational product associated with the brand and supports pre-race analysis and wagering decisions.
Digital sports information · 2021
DRF Sport
DRF Sport is a digital website introduced in September 2021 as an expansion beyond the brand's traditional horse-racing focus. The available reference identifies it as a broader sports-information offering but does not provide a complete description of its editorial sections or market coverage.
Free-to-play sports prediction · 2021
DRF Cash Grab
DRF Cash Grab is a free-to-play sports prediction application released in October 2021. It extended DRF into interactive sports engagement and prediction rather than relying solely on newspaper publishing or static racing data.
Online sportsbook · 2022
DRF Bets
DRF Bets is an online sportsbook developed with Affinity Interactive. The service went live in Iowa in January 2022, representing DRF's move into regulated online sports wagering. The available reference does not establish its complete current jurisdictional footprint.
Brand decisions
2022
Launch the DRF Bets sportsbook in IowaProduct launchBackground
DRF and Affinity Interactive pursued an online wagering offering alongside the brand's established racing-information business.
Action taken
The DRF Bets online sportsbook went live in Iowa in January 2022.
Aftermath
The launch extended DRF into regulated online sports betting, although the supplied sources do not document later expansion or performance.
2021
Expand from racing publication into digital sportsStrategyBackground
After becoming part of Affinity Interactive, DRF operated within a group combining sports information with gaming-related capabilities.
Action taken
DRF launched the DRF Sport website and DRF Cash Grab prediction app during 2021.
Aftermath
The launches broadened the brand's digital sports presence beyond its traditional horse-racing publication and data services.
Recent events
- 2022
DRF Bets launches in Iowa[1]
Product launch · Regulation
Daily Racing Form and Affinity Interactive launched their online sportsbook, DRF Bets, in Iowa in January.
- 2021
Sports Information Group and Affinity Gaming combine to form Affinity Interactive[1]
M&A
Z Capital merged Sports Information Group with a sister company, Affinity Gaming, creating Affinity Interactive and placing DRF within the new group.
- 2021
DRF launches DRF Sport[1]
Product launch
Daily Racing Form introduced the DRF Sport website in September as an expansion into broader sports information.
- 2021
DRF introduces DRF Cash Grab[1]
Product launch
In October, DRF released DRF Cash Grab, a free-to-play sports prediction application.
- 2017
Z Capital Partners acquires Sports Information Group[1]
M&A
Arlington Capital Partners sold Sports Information Group, the parent company associated with Daily Racing Form, to Z Capital Partners for less than $100 million.
- 2007
Daily Racing Form is sold to Arlington Capital Partners[1]
M&A
The Wicks Group sold Daily Racing Form to Arlington Capital Partners in a transaction reported at nearly $200 million.
Sources3 sources
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