Category: Horse Racing

Travis Kelce talks ‘stars aligning’ with buying horse named for Taylor Swift on New Heights

Travis Kelce broke down buying the horse named Swift Delivery.

The internet predictably buzzed about whether Travis Kelce had bought a share in a thoroughbred horse because it happened to be named Swift Delivery, which turned out to indeed be named for his girlfriend, Taylor Swift.

On Wednesday, with a brand new episode of the New Heights podcast, Travis told the tale of buying the horse to his brother, Jason Kelce. The Kansas City Chiefs tight end explained that he was friends with a family that owned horses, who asked if he wanted in on this one.

When his brother Jason asked if the name was the reason behind the purchase, Travis had this to say: “When the stars align, it feels good to jump on board.”

https://twitter.com/TayvisHaze/status/1831254271221805249

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A fun TikTok video confirms the horse Travis Kelce bought was named after Taylor Swift

It’s true!

Travis Kelce smartly put his money into a horse that had a name that sure sounded like it was associated with his girlfriend, Taylor Swift: that would be gelding Swift Delivery.

But we all wondered: was this horse really named after Swift? Or was it a coincidence?

Turns out it was named after Swift for sure, and it was thanks to a woman named Emily Slavkin and her boyfriend on TikTok, per the New York Post.

Slavkin was dating a member of the family that owned the horse and they came up with names, and yes, Swift Delivery named is after Taylor:

@emslavs

Disclaimer: this is rhe most right wing thing ive ever done and i promise im still a democrat. Also @taylorswift ily and @octopusslover8 im your biggest fan 💕 #kentuckyderby #fyp

♬ original sound – Emily Slavkin

Here’s Slavkin reacting to buying the horse:

@emslavs

@Taylor Swift @Travis Kelce @Taylor Nation I LOVE YOU!!!! So happy to see my girlie get the best new home and owner!

♬ original sound – Emily Slavkin

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Travis Kelce bought a horse with possible Taylor Swift reference and Jason Kelce made the perfect joke

A perfect response from Jason Kelce.

Travis Kelce isn’t just investing in his relationship with Taylor Swift. He’s also investing in a horse apparently named after his girlfriend.

Per Blood Horse, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end “recently acquired a significant share of Team Valor’s interest in the 3-year-old gelding Swift Delivery, which Team Valor owns with Gary Barber.”

No one has seemingly confirmed if the horse is actually named for Swift, but it seems obvious why Kelce would pour some money into a thoroughbred with that name.

Now, here’s the funny part: remember that time earlier this year when his brother Jason Kelce talked about horse racing legend Secretariat and theorized about the thoroughbred’s possibly enlarged heart? And how he had to apologize after?

Well, this tweet should now make more sense:

A wink to that old rant AND a Swift lyrics joke! All in one!

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2024 Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan will race at Preakness Stakes after all

2024 Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan is headed to the Preakness Stakes next weekend.

This year’s Preakness Stakes will feature the 2024 Kentucky Derby winner after all.

While it wasn’t a sure bet after Mystik Dan won the Run of the Roses last weekend, the horse will indeed participate at next Saturday’s Preakness Stakes in Baltimore.

Trainer Kenny McPeek said it’s “all systems go” for Mystik Dan to race next weekend and that “the horse is doing fantastic,” per ESPN.

That’ll give Mystik Dan a chance at achieving the Triple Crown with the Belmont Stakes in June another realistic goal for the horse.

If you’re headed out to Pimlico Race Course next weekend, you’ll now get the chance to see a Kentucky Derby-winning horse run for a further chance at history.

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Jason Kelce wrote a novel-length tweet in response to questions about Secretariat and steroids

Jason Kelce is apparently really passionate about Secretariat and PED allegations.

Hey, there’s a headline I never thought I’d be writing.

But there you have it. Someone on Twitter told Jason Kelce that legendary thoroughbred Secretariat wasn’t on steroids and that “His heart was 3x the size of a normal thoroughbred so he was able to supply his body with oxygen faster. His heart weighed over 20lbs when he died and normal is 8.”

Per the Courier Journal, the number was about 22 pounds and was not “pathologically enlarged,” which I’m guessing refers to the idea it could be performance enhancing drugs that helped.

But Kelce apparently had the time to write out a tweet the length of a book in response:

“The enlarged heart in my mind is actually more evidence that at some point the horse was being juiced,” he replied. “There is a gene that some thoroughbreds carry that causes a larger heart, but this wasn’t just a larger heart, this was a heart large enough for the vet to say it was the largest heart he had ever seen.”

I think he wanted us to read this Business Insider article, but fans wanted to say other things:

UPDATE: Here’s an apology from Kelce:

Will Mystik Dan run at the 2024 Preakness Stakes? Here’s what we know

Why Mystik Dan’s trainer will wait until the “last minute” to decide on the Preakness

After stunning the field at the 2024 Kentucky Derby, horse Mystik Dan might not contend for the Triple Crown at the Preakness Stakes.

Mystik Dan’s photo finish at Churchill Downs on Saturday turned him into an instant celebrity in the horse racing world. However, he may not make the trip to Pimlico Race Course on May 18.

Trainer Kenny McPeek cast doubt on Mystik Dan being locked into the Preakness, understandably saying it’ll be up to how the horse is feeling as to whether or not it will compete, via the Louisville Courier Journal:

“We’re not committed to the Preakness. No, not yet,” McPeek said on Sunday. “We’ll just watch him over the next week. It will be one of those where we’ll probably take (the decision) up to the last minute. … We’ll let him tell us. If he’s not in the feed tub, he won’t run.”

We’ll know soon enough if Mystik Dan is acclimated enough to run for the Preakness, with the June 8 Belmont Stakes in New York (relocated to Saratoga during renovations in Elmont) a more realistic goal for this year’s Kentucky Derby winner.

The post position draw for the Preakness is slated for Monday, May 13 at 5:30 p.m. ET.

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Larry Collmus absolutely nailed his call of the electric 2024 Kentucky Derby photo finish for Mystik Dan

Larry Collmus’ broadcast call for the 2024 Kentucky Derby photo finish was outstanding.

In what’s easily the closest finish in recent Kentucky Derby history, Mystik Dan edged out the field by a nose to claim the 150th Run of the Roses on Saturday evening at Churchill Downs.

The photo finish left the crowd and viewers at home breathless and waiting to see which horse would be crowned the victor, but Mystik Dan and jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. got just enough distance in the end to win.

Legendary Kentucky Derby broadcaster Larry Collmus knew exactly what an electric finish this was, and his broadcast call was absolutely fantastic.

You can hear the excitement in his voice as he clearly knows he’s calling history.

This was as exciting a Kentucky Debry as we’ve gotten in a while, as Mystik Dan ran its way into history and Collmus cemented the moment as legend with his stellar broadcast call.

You’ll want to rewind this one back and watch it again and again.

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Jockey Florent Geroux is wearing customized Creed pants during the 2024 Kentucky Derby

We didn’t have this on our 2024 Kentucky Derby bingo card.

During Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, jockey Florent Geroux and racing horse Just A Touch will hope to go … higher … in the Run for the Roses.

On his custom race pants, Geroux will be wearing the logo for the band Creed in honor of its 2024 reunion tour.

Geroux must be a big fan of the “Higher” and “My Sacrifice” rock group to spot them on his jockey pants for the 150th Kentucky Derby, so he’s got to win “Creed fan of the year” for repping the band in such a visible way.

We didn’t have Creed on our 2024 Kentucky Derby bingo card this year, but we’ll definitely take it.

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Travis Kelce showed up at the 2024 Kentucky Derby in a sleek white suit

Now THIS is a derby look.

The running of the 150th Kentucky Derby takes place on Saturday, May 4, and, as expected, the fashion is on point. Every year, locals and celebrities descend upon Churchill Downs in stunning (and sometimes over-the-top) outfits to watch some horse races.

MORE: 15 photos of Kentucky Derby fans in hilarious and absurd horse hats

Seersucker, giant hats and pastels are generally the stars of the show. Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce made an appearance on Saturday in a fantastic all-white suit, looking sleek for the prestigious affair. Kelce, who is coming off a huge extension that will keep him with the Chiefs for two more years, paired the pinstriped look with a light blue shirt, patterned tie and gray hat.

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Every Kentucky Derby winner since 2000

A look back at some Kentucky Derby history, including a couple Triple Crown winners.

The Kentucky Derby is one of the biggest and most prestigious horse races in the world, and it has a rich history leading into Saturday’s 150th running.

It’s nicknamed “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports” because the 1.25-mile race on Churchill Downs’ dirt track often produces riveting racing and thrilling finishes. Even in the 2022 Kentucky Derby, Rich Strike appeared seemingly out of nowhere to steal the victory, despite the longest odds in the field at 80-1.

So ahead of Saturday’s 150th Kentucky Derby, here’s a look back at some Derby history with all the winning horses, plus jockeys and trainers, since 2000.

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