LOUISVILLE, Ky. — You don't have to be a millionaire to be a Kentucky Derby winning horse owner. Thousands have now had that experience through fractional horse ownership. Several companies allow people to buy micro shares of race horses.

What You Need To Know

  • Fractional horse ownership is a relatively new concept that allows people to own micro shares of race horses

  • Roughly 4,000 people owned shares of 2020 Kentucky Derby winner, Authentic, through MyRaceHorse

  • Around 400 people owned shares of Kentucky Derby 149 winner, Mage, through the Commonwealth app
  • Olivia Hess first got involved in fractional horse ownership around three years ago and now owns shares of around 50 horses

Olivia Hess has been involved in fractional horse ownership for roughly three years now. Hess, like many, first learned about that opportunity through Authentic, the winner of Derby 146. Around 4,000 people owned shares of the 2020 Kentucky Derby winner through MyRaceHorse.com. 

“Through Twitter I saw Authentic and didn’t really understand what it was. That might be one of my biggest regrets is not buying in, but I just didn’t understand what it was,” said Hess.

At that time, fractional ownership was a new concept. After some research, Hess knew she didn’t want to miss out on the next one. She now owns shares of about 50 horses.

“I have pretty bad FOMO (fear of missing out), so I buy about every one pretty much. You never know who will be the next Mage or the next Authentic. I don’t want to miss out on that again,” Hess said.

Hess got her story-book finish the next time around. She was one of around 400 people who owned a micro share of Mage, the Kentucky Derby 149 winner, through the Commonwealth app.

“Mage was definitely, for me, the horse of a lifetime because I got to be there for his Derby,” Hess said.

That makes her a Kentucky Derby-winning horse owner. It’s something she displays proudly. She even has a Mage 149 license plate.

While the Derby payout for one share of Mage came out to around $95, Hess said the ownership experience is priceless.

“From the day they’re born to the betting window at the racetrack, it’s all just a gamble. I think that’s also one thing I like about the micro shares, is that it’s a low-risk kind of thing. It’s a little bit low reward too, monetarily, but the satisfaction is out of the ownership experience and just being involved,” said Hess.

Through fractional ownership, Hess has had the opportunity to meet trainers, watch races with other micro share owners and get training updates she wouldn’t get otherwise.

“That’s been a cool thing to get new insight and perspective through micro shares. I like the little updates. Sometimes it’ll be an update that’s just like here they are at the track looking cute,” said Hess. “Something just as small as that is still fun to see just to check up on them.”

Hess had always loved horses and the Kentucky Derby, but fractional ownership was her first real step into the industry. Just a short time after buying her first micro share, she ended up buying a filly with just one other partner.

“It was a quick pipeline I guess to go from buying the micro shares to buying my own horse because I’ve only been doing that for three years or so,” said Hess.

She’s now turning this passion into more of a lifestyle. She’s even gotten her dad involved in fractional ownership, so they can experience it together.

Hess will be at the Derby this year, but it’s unclear if she will get to see one of her horses run. She owns shares of Seize the Grey through MyRaceHorse, but there would have to be multiple scratches in order for him to make the Derby field.

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