Three-year-old colt Gronkowski will not race in the Kentucky Derby, the first leg of the Triple Crown, in May. His namesake, New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, hoped he would, and planned to be there, since he now owns a minority stake in the racehorse, the player announced Wednesday.
Rob Gronkowski bought a stake in the horse named after him, but it had to drop out of Kentucky Derby
Said horse was supposed to race at the Kentucky Derby on May 5, but had to pull out with an injury.
David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
The colt, which carries the nickname “Gronk,” again like his namesake, was set to run at Churchill Downs on May 5. The horse is owned by Phoenix Thoroughbreds and trained by Jeremy Noseda. It is a son of Lonhro, a champion-winning racehorse, and was bred in Kentucky as the first foal from mare Four Sugars. Phoenix purchased Gronkowski in 2017 as an unraced but in-training horse, according to Gronk Nation.
The Kentucky Derby is the first of three races that comprise the Triple Crown, and also the most popular
“This horse is a winner and I love a winner,” Gronkowski — the player — said, via Gronk Nation, before news came out that the horse would not be able to race in the Derby. “When I heard about the racehorse being named after me, I started watching and got really stoked when he started winning. He’s won his last three races and is now headed to the Derby. I’m all in: Welcome to the Gronk Family, Gronkowski the Horse!
“I really can’t think of anything cooler than having a top-class thoroughbred named after me,” the player said. “Except maybe having him win the Derby.”
He’ll have to hope the horse can make it to another big race when feeling better, unfortunately.
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