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<\/div>\n<\/div>\nFamous celebrities that have owned Kentucky Derby horses<\/p>\n
These celebrities in sports, music, movies and more have all owned Kentucky Derby horses.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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- Many celebrities from sports, music, and Hollywood have owned horses that competed in the Kentucky Derby.<\/li>\n
- MC Hammer’s horse Dance Floor and Jack Klugman’s horse Jaklin Klugman had notable third-place finishes.<\/li>\n
- Former New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner had six different horses compete in the Kentucky Derby between 1977 and 2005.<\/li>\n
- Some celebrities, like Terry Bradshaw and Jayson Werth, have owned multiple horses that have run in the Kentucky Derby or Kentucky Oaks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The countdown is nearly over. The Kentucky Derby<\/a>, America’s most intoxicating blend of speed, spectacle, and star power, is about to roar back to life. And while the world focuses on the horses charging down the stretch, the spotlight inevitably widens to capture the famous figures who\u2019ve dared to chase their own slice of Derby glory.<\/p>\n
Take the late George Steinbrenner<\/a>, the formidable New York Yankees<\/a> owner. Nearly 50 years ago, he stood on Millionaires Row, eyes locked on the track as one of his own thoroughbreds thundered toward the wire. Even then, Churchill Downs<\/a> was more than a racetrack \u2014 it was a gravitational center for celebrities, power brokers, and cultural icons.<\/p>\n
Over the decades, celebrities who\u2019ve taken their shot at Kentucky Derby glory include a surprisingly eclectic cast. In fact, you may be surprised by some of the names who\u2019ve had a stake in the action on Derby Day.<\/p>\n
They’ve included everyone from Oscar-winning director Steven Spielberg, to a 2008 partnership of Pulaski County<\/a>, which included NFL greats Drew Brees, Sean Payton, and singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett to, more recently, social media influencer Griffin Johnson, who is part-owner of Sandman<\/a>, a prominent 2025 Kentucky Derby contender.<\/p>\n
Buy Kentucky Derby tickets<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
Johnson is back in the mix this year with Silent Tactic<\/a>, trained by Mark Casse, who has qualified for the 2026 Kentucky Derby.<\/p>\n
Here are 12 musicians, sports legends and Hollywood power players, listed in alphabetical order, who have owned Kentucky Derby or Kentucky Oaks hopefuls and added their name to racing history:<\/p>\n
Celebrities who have owned a Kentucky Derby horse<\/h2>\n
Burt Bacharach<\/h2>\n
Kentucky Derby contenders:<\/strong><\/strong> Soul of the Matter (1994), Afternoon Deelites (1995)<\/p>\n
The late, great hitmaker didn\u2019t just craft chart\u2011toppers, he bred them. Burt Bacharach carved out a second legacy in the sport, owning or breeding at least 15 stakes winners, including six graded stakes standouts. In 1994, his colt Soul of the Matter carried the Blue Seas Music silks to a strong fifth\u2011place finish in the Derby. A year later, his other hopeful, Afternoon Deelites, returned to Churchill Downs and finished eighth behind that year\u2019s winner, Thunder Gulch. For a man who shaped the soundtrack of a generation, Bacharach proved he could leave his mark on the track as well.<\/p>\n
Terry Bradshaw<\/h2>\n
Kentucky Derby contender:<\/strong> <\/strong>Mission Impazible (2010)<\/p>\n
Four\u2011time Super Bowl champion and longtime FOX NFL Sunday personality Terry Bradshaw has never shied away from a big stage \u2014 and that includes the racetrack. The former Steelers<\/a> quarterback once co\u2011owned Mission Impazible<\/a>, who took his shot at the 2010 Kentucky Derby and finished a respectable ninth.<\/p>\n
Bradshaw is back in the mix this year, teaming up with trainer Kenny McPeek<\/a> through Magdalena Racing<\/a>. The partnership is already paying dividends: their promising filly Taken by the Wind<\/a> stormed to victory in the Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill Downs on Sept. 13, 2025, earning 10 qualifying points toward the 2026 Kentucky Oaks<\/a> and keeping the Hall of Famer squarely in the heart of the action.<\/p>\n
Lindsay Czarniak<\/h2>\n
Kentucky Derby contender:<\/strong> Jace\u2019s Road (2023)<\/p>\n
The former ESPN SportsCenter<\/a> anchor, FOX Sports reporter and current host of the podcast “Things No One Tells You<\/a>” got into the horse racing game through the America\u2019s Best Racing A Stake in Stardom<\/a> program. In 2023, Czarniak, who is married to NBC Today Show host Craig Melvin, became a co-owner of Kentucky Derby contender Jace\u2019s Road<\/a>. Since then, Czarniak has become a familiar face at major racing events, from the Derby to the Eclipse Awards<\/a>, blending her broadcast polish with genuine fan\u2011energy.<\/p>\n
Another famous person who had minority ownership of Jace’s Road is Ian Rapoport, sportswriter, analyst, and NFL Network’s lead Insider.<\/p>\n