The Nationwide Thoroughbred League (NTL) introduced Aug. 26 the addition of two-time NFL MVP and Baltimore Ravens celebrity quarterback Lamar Jackson as its newest staff proprietor. Jackson can be a lead proprietor as a part of a gaggle that brings the Maryland Colts to the NTL.
The season kicks off this Sunday, Sept. 1, with the NTL Nashville Cup offered by Sticker Mule, that includes greater than $2 million in purses and a $1 million signature race.
Moreover, the NTL introduced that Jackson will launch a program to reveal less-privileged kids to one among Maryland’s most storied industries, together with free tickets to the NTL Baltimore Cup, and an apprentice program to provide promising youngsters job coaching beneath famend coach Chad Brown, a multiple-time winner of the Preakness Stakes.
“I’m really excited to be part of this nice alternative,” Jackson stated. “The core values of excellence, teamwork, neighborhood, and management will assist push this system past our expectations. I imagine by our efforts and willpower extra alternatives can be opened for the youth of the state of Maryland. We stay up for seeing the success of such an awesome imaginative and prescient change into the truth.”
Jackson joins NTL’s spectacular listing of companions, together with Julius Erving, Tanya Tucker, Nelly, Rick Ross, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Moira Forbes, in addition to quite a few veteran traders. NTL is a first-of-its-kind racing league reimagining America’s oldest spectator sport by making a team-based skilled sports activities league, by persistently and safely working distinctive horses permitting followers the prospect to root for a similar stars month after month and yr after yr.
“Stroll a racetrack with Lamar Jackson and also you’ll instantly perceive his capability to captivate an viewers,” stated Randall Lane, co-founder of the NTL, who attended the Preakness Stakes this yr with the Nationwide Soccer League’s MVP. “And it’s that intimate connection and adrenaline that aligns so effectively with the underlying premise of the Nationwide Thoroughbred League. Our league exists to each honor the custom of one among America’s oldest spectator sports activities, but additionally to embed one other degree of pleasure into the game in order that it engages a broad viewers and gives them with an distinctive expertise. Lamar Jackson and his household have a ardour for Baltimore that’s palpable and we’re so honored to have them be part of our NTL household and proceed thrilling and galvanizing the subsequent technology of followers.”
After a profitable inaugural season, NTL lately introduced its growth from six to 10 groups together with over $3 million in prize purses for the 2024 season, up from lower than $1 million final yr. Along with the Maryland Colts, the three extra groups to affix the league embrace the Miami Seahorses, the Phoenix Mustangs and the San Francisco Unicorns, Thoroughbred house owners will be capable of nominate their horses to be drafted by one of many 10 NTL groups onto their roster. These drafted horses, who will signify the groups through the races, can be eligible to run in these NTL races for the $3 million purse pool.
Earlier this yr, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore brokered a historic settlement to switch possession of the Pimlico Race Course to the State of Maryland and embark on a renovation undertaking to make sure that the amenities will proceed to assist premium thoroughbred racing for generations to come back and function a year-round hub of financial exercise for Maryland. Whereas it’s anticipated that development can be underway at Pimlico for upwards of three years to finish the complete renovations, the State is predicted to open up the observe for a particular Nationwide Thoroughbred League race occasion in 2025.
After this weekend’s season opener, the NTL will host the Philadelphia Cup on Oct. 19 and the league Championship in Phoenix on Dec. 30. For extra data and to buy tickets, please go to www.NTL.Racing.
