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Gregory Shamus / Getty Images
Jockey John Velázquez, aboard Authentic, celebrates after winning the 146th Kentucky Derby race at Churchill Downs
“My God, I just won the Kentucky Derby!”
Those were the words that ran through the head of Trackside TV host and race media identity Aidan Rodley just seconds after witnessing the Authentic lead coached by Bob Baffert until the end of race 146 of the Gr. 1 Kentucky Derby. (2000m).
You could be forgiven for thinking that Rodley, who hails from Taranaki, had found an oil well, synonymous with many of the world’s leading racehorse owners.
Trish dunell
Aidan Rodley can call himself a Kentucky Derby winner.
But he is rather a micro-owner of the star colt, a property trend that is sure to grow in the years to come.
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Rodley builds on the reality that he and four of his classmates from Stratford High School are included in a group of 4,200 who took the opportunity to get a hair on the tail of the colt Into Mischief, already a proven gallop from Group One, to through your purchase of a $ 206 share in the horse offered through the online website MyRaceHorse.com.
Founded by Californian Michael Behrens, 43, MyRaceHorse.com has sold 70,000 shares in 47 horses in the last year and owns 12.5 percent of Authentic, divided into 12,500 shares that were bought by 4,200 people.
“We literally have a hair on his tail and we definitely don’t need to find some local oil to pay for the stock we buy,” Rodley said.
“It all grew out of a union that we put together for a core group of peers who went through high school together. Over the past few years, we’d grown a bit apart, so we thought about meeting for beers one day and finding ways to keep in touch a little better.
“We had talked about horse ownership, so five of us formed a union that we called McGraw Racing. We started with a couple of horses through New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing’s Social Racing Syndicates and it has grown from there. “
Rodley roared Authentic Home on the way to a family birthday party and admitted that his kids in the back seat of the car thought he had lost his mind when the horse fought the attentions of favorite Tiz The Law to take out one of the most famous. of the world. Races
“I was leaving when he was fighting Tiz The Law and I think my kids thought he was crazy,” Rodley said. “Being a racing stickler, you dream of this kind of thing, but watching it happen is crazy.”
Union member John Charlton began exploring international opportunities and came across a website in Australia called miRunners.com, which offers Australian-based micro stocks in horses.
“One of our guys, John Charlton, was looking for different opportunities and found the site of miRunners,” Rodley said.
“We now have shares of four horses there, including Dusty Tycoon, who participated in the AU $ 2M (1200m) Magic Millions 2YO Classic earlier in the year. They also have a slot on Everest (A $ 15 million, 1200m) at Randwick next month and have locked up Rothfire for that location, so we’ll have an Everest corridor to cheer us on.
“He also found the MyRaceHorse.com site which is the American equivalent and this is how we bought the Authentic share which cost us $ 40 each. As part of that offer, you will also be able to share in the rest of his racing career and any future career at the stud. “
Rodley is more than aware that his equity participation is at the lowest possible level, however, any monetary return is not the main objective of the exercise.
“What we get is something much better than a monetary return,” he said. “We can say that we have a rider in the Kentucky Derby, Everest and races like that that is priceless and helps us stick together as partners. The jokes before and during a race are legendary and what being friends is all about.
“Before Sunday we were comparing Mint Julep recipes to celebrate Kentucky Derby traditions, which was hilarious. We sat in our video chats, laughed at each other, and had a great time.
“We couldn’t be together to watch the Derby, but I’m pretty sure when we get together, the Mint Juleps will flow and so will the jokes.”
As for micro-ownership, expect it to grow in popularity, particularly with the instant gratification of having a racer in the world’s most prestigious races.
One of the key supporters of MyRaceHorse Stable is billionaire B. Wayne Hughes, owner of Spendthrift Farm, who also owns substantial equity in Authentic.
Hughes, who made his money in the self-storage business, is also a partner with Michael Behrens at MyRaceHorse.com and is concerned about the dwindling number of people involved in US races and wants to help attract more people. to sport.
There’s no question the concept has legs, as evidenced by a bevy of Taranaki dudes, who can now claim they own a Kentucky Derby winner. – NZ Racing desk
