BILLIONAIRE BodyArmor founder Mike Repole is ready to finally toast his Kentucky Derby victory after years of disappointment.
Repole, who made $1.6 billion from the sports drink business, is on a 0-9 losing streak at Churchill Downs.
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But now the New Yorker, who has spent more than $300 million buying horses, is poised to score his first victory in this year’s Kentucky Derby as the owner of 5-2 favorite Fierceness.
A year ago, Repole was the favorite for the Kentucky Derby at Fort – but the horse was scratched on race day with an injured leg.
Repole also owned Uncle Mo, the 2011 favorite, who did not compete because of illness.
“I went 0 for 9 even though I only ran seven times,” said Repole Blood Horse magazine.
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“For me, when you cross out the morning favorite for the Derby, it’s a loss.”
Ferocidade enters the Race for the Roses in good form after winning the Florida Derby by over 13 lengths.
The three-year-old is trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher and raced by three-time Kentucky Derby winner John Velazquez.
“This is our best chance,” Repole said Sport.
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“If I can be the third wheel and get one, I’ll be really happy and so will they.”
Repole says he learned a lot about the sport through business partners, NFL legend Tom Brady and late NBA icon Kobe Bryant.
Bryant was an investor in BodyArmor, which Repole sold to Coca-Cola for $5.6 billion in 2021.
Meanwhile, Repole owns activewear company NoBull, which recently merged with Brady’s wellness brand TB12.
“Tom Brady and Kobe Bryant, guys I know as friends, you ask them what their best championship was – the next one,” he said.
“You just have to move on.”
Repole was very successful in horse racing, but remains an outspoken critic of the sport.
“He’s trying to act like the Elon Musk or Donald Trump of horse racing,” said Resolute Racing owner John Stewart. The New York Times.
“The sport already has enough problems and we don’t need this.”
Repole remains philosophical about his chances of winning the Kentucky Derby.
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But he is not willing to go down without a fight, having invested so much time, energy and money into the sport.
“Let’s be clear: I want to win this Kentucky Derby and it will be great if I do,” he added.
“If I don’t win, I’ll be disappointed, but it will be great if I don’t win.
“If not this year, then I’ll really try next year. I will definitely die trying.”
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
