Standing in the winner’s circle at the Kentucky Derby. Walking the shedrow to visit your horse. Examining morning workouts alongside the trainer.

For decades, those moments were largely reserved for racing’s wealthiest participants.

Today, increasingly, they are not.

There was a time when owning a racehorse felt like a distant dream reserved for the well-connected or the deeply embedded insiders of the sport. Today, that perception is shifting and not just because access has widened. It’s because the very meaning of ownership is evolving.

MyRacehorse owner Stephen Carpenter with Straight No Chaser (Stephen Carpenter photo)

Since 2019, nearly 100,000 fans have become owners through MyRacehorse, a platform that has helped introduce a broader audience to shared ownership at a scale the sport had rarely seen. But as CEO Michael Behrens explains, the story isn’t just about access. It’s about what happens after you take that first step into ownership.

“What we’ve found,” Behrens says, “is that people who absolutely love horse ownership are those looking for really cool things to do.”

That seemingly simple insight has become foundational. In a world where experiences increasingly outweigh possessions, racehorse ownership has emerged as something unexpected: a form of immersive, ongoing adventure.

The traditional pitch for fractional ownership has long been rooted in accessibility. MyRacehorse still delivers on that front, offering shares in Thoroughbreds at price points that can start under $100.

At its core, the model is straightforward: owners purchase a fractional interest in a horse through a one-time investment, sharing in both the risks and rewards of ownership while gaining access to the experiences, updates, and owner privileges tied to that horse. The structure lowers the barrier to entry but preserves the authenticity of ownership itself.

What MyRacehorse is now trying to articulate, and what its growing ownership base is already discovering, is that the horse itself becomes the vehicle for something much bigger.

“Our whole idea is that you’re going to go on a journey,” Behrens says. “The horse is going to take you on a unique, energizing, thrilling journey.”

That journey might begin with a modest investment, but it quickly expands into something far more immersive, including mornings on the backside, conversations with trainers, paddock access, and, for some, the unforgettable moment of standing in the winner’s circle.

Unforgettable Preakness journey with Seize the Grey (Eclipse Sportswire)

For decades, fans have experienced racing from the outside looking in. They’re watching from the grandstand, placing wagers, attending marquee events like the Kentucky Derby or Breeders’ Cup. Those experiences remain powerful, but ownership introduces an entirely different dimension.

“You knew you could go to the Derby,” Behrens says. “You didn’t know owning the horse was accessible. You didn’t know going to the shedrow was accessible. You didn’t know being in the winner’s circle was accessible.”

That behind-the-scenes access is where the MyRacehorse model begins to separate itself. Ownership unlocks entry into a world that most view from afar. The barns of Lexington, the sun-splashed tracks of Southern California, the farms where future stars are foaled and raised.

“MyRacehorse is worth every penny in the wonderful experiences I've had at the track watching our horses run and win with fellow owners,” said MyRacehorse partner Rita Ann. “The barn visits, numerous video updates on the horses, paddock and winner’s circle lotteries, and countless events and experiences make joining MyRacehorse one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”

And while not every owner can attend every event, the platform is designed to maximize opportunities. Through a combination of raffled perks, large-scale owner events, and premium travel experiences, participants find multiple pathways into the sport’s inner circle.

“The most powerful experience that we have is actually in the app,” Behrens explains. “Perks are tours to come see your horse, paddock passes, winner’s circle opportunities, and farm tours. Those are all included in ownership.”

Equally important, and perhaps more surprising, is how much of the ownership experience lives in the digital space.

“When I say experience, I’m talking about the content, the video, the opportunities to pet your horse, all of it,” Behrens says. “It’s the digital and the physical experiences that make owning a racehorse so cool.”

Behrens with 2024 FanDuel Moment of The Year Award (NTRA/Sara Kauss Photography)

Each owner gains access to exclusive updates through the MyRacehorse app, tailored specifically to the horses they own. Trainers provide insights, jockeys offer post-race reactions, and behind-the-scenes footage brings owners closer to the daily life of their horse.

For many, this constant stream of information becomes the heartbeat of the experience.

“I didn’t realize that was going to be what was so important,” Behrens admits. “I thought the financial participation would be the pillar, but the reality is people want the insight. They want to feel connected.”

That connection transforms ownership from a passive investment into an active, ongoing narrative where every workout, every race, and every decision carries meaning.

Despite its accessibility, MyRacehorse is careful not to blur the line between experience and authenticity. This is not a fan club. It is real ownership, complete with its inherent risks and rewards.

“You share in the upside,” Behrens says. “But for every great horse, you’re going to have one that never wins a race. It’s real ownership.”

That balance is critical. The thrill of victory is amplified by the reality of loss, creating an emotional investment that goes far beyond the financial.

And when success does come, it can arrive on the sport’s biggest stages. MyRacehorse owners have collectively celebrated wins in races like the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Breeders’ Cup. Each unique experience once thought unattainable for everyday fans.

“It’s accessibility to the most aspirational parts of racing,” Behrens says.

Authentic wins 2020 Kentucky Derby in MyRacehorse silks (Eclipse Sportswire)

For Ken Myles, a technology executive from Cleveland, Ohio, the journey began with a goal that seemed almost impossible: win the Kentucky Derby.

“Years ago, a mentor challenged me to write down my life goals, and one of them was to win the Kentucky Derby,” Myles said. “I had no idea where to start, but I knew I was going to do everything in my power to make it happen.”

Years later, he bought a fractional share in a colt named Authentic.

Four months later, Authentic won the Kentucky Derby.

“Suddenly, I was part of something I never thought possible,” Myles said.

Since then, Myles and his wife, Mary, have invested in more than 50 horses.

“The experiences we have had, the friends we have made, and the memories created are priceless,” he said. “We have traveled to support our horses and stood in some of the most prestigious winner’s circles. It has been a dream come true.”

But not every ownership story begins with a lifelong goal. Others begin almost by accident.

Carpenter with Straight No Chaser after Riyadh Dirt Sprint (Stephen Carpenter photo)

Stephen Carpenter’s journey into racehorse ownership began with a simple idea: he wanted a rooting interest.

A longtime racing fan who spends his summers at Del Mar, Carpenter purchased a share in Straight No Chaser while the horse was still a maiden, giving him the opportunity to experience the sport from an entirely different perspective. He was no longer just as a spectator. Carpenter was an owner following every step of his horse’s development.

That decision quickly became something much bigger.

Carpenter was at Del Mar when Straight No Chaser captured the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, transforming a familiar afternoon at his home track into an unforgettable championship moment. What started as a modest ownership stake suddenly carried him into the sport’s biggest moments and deepest emotions.

The journey eventually extended far beyond Southern California. Carpenter traveled to Saudi Arabia to watch Straight No Chaser compete on one of racing’s grandest international stages. After his horse won the Riyadh Dirt Sprint, Carpenter stood in the winner’s circle alongside fellow owners, a surreal moment that underscored how a single share in an unraced horse had evolved into a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

These stories, and many more like them, point to something larger taking shape within the sport.

If the horse is the catalyst and the experience is the journey, the community is what sustains it.

Owners don’t just follow their horses. They connect with one another, sharing in the highs and lows of the sport. Whether at the track, on a farm tour, or during a premium event weekend, the common thread is a shared passion.

“You’re hanging out with people who have the same love for racing,” Behrens says. “That’s a very different way of enjoying the sport.”

Pennsylvania Derby winner's circle celebration with Seize the Grey (Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO)

This communal aspect mirrors trends seen across the broader sports landscape, where fans increasingly seek deeper, more interactive engagement. But in racing, ownership offers something uniquely personal.

Tom Lazenby, a longtime MyRacehorse owner, began investing in micro-shares hoping to have his photo taken in the winner’s circle at Oaklawn Park.

“Now I can scratch that off my bucket list,” he said after witnessing Caldera break his maiden in Hot Springs, Ark., in January 2025.

“Since being at Churchill Downs seeing Secretariat win the Kentucky Derby, it was a lifelong quest to have a horse run in the Derby,” Lazenby added. “Thanks to MyRacehorse not only was that box checked, too, but Authentic winning was the icing on the cake. I continue to invest for the experience and the thrill of seeing my horses run their race. Win or lose, it is all about the experience.”

Globally, shared ownership is already a cornerstone of thriving racing markets. In Australia, roughly one in 191 people owns a racehorse. In Japan, racing clubs account for a significant percentage of ownership. The United States, long rooted in traditional ownership structures, is now catching up.

“What you’re seeing is this massive shift toward experiential,” Behrens says. “And racing is benefiting from it.”

That shift is fueled by a combination of cultural and technological factors. The rise of the experience economy is meeting advancements that make large-scale ownership platforms possible.

For MyRacehorse, it’s an opportunity not just to grow, but to redefine what it means to be an owner.

The journey keeps owners coming back (Eclipse Sportswire)

Ultimately, the appeal of MyRacehorse isn’t found in a single moment. It’s in the accumulation of them. The first time you see your horse in person. The anticipation before a race. The rush of crossing the finish line.

Or, as Behrens puts it, “It might be your first winner. It might be meeting a bunch of new people. But the horse is going to take you somewhere.”

That journey is what keeps owners coming back, adding horses to their stable, and deepening their connection to the sport.

And for those considering taking that first step, the barrier to entry has never been lower and the potential for experience higher.

In the end, racehorse ownership is no longer just about the horse. It’s about the story that unfolds around it, and the people who get to live it.

And for a growing number of fans, that story is just beginning.

Editor’s Note: This article was produced by America’s Best Racing in connection with a broader paid content partnership with MyRacehorse. https://myracehorse.com/us/mrh-partner-abr