Rauw, Lil Yachty among rappers joining forces with new racehorse ownership group

[0:00] Horse racing is an old sport in search of new fans, and now music stars like Lil Yachty, Akon, and Raul Alejandro have jumped in to help grow the business and attract audiences, primarily from Latino and black communities to a sport with its historically white fan base. [0:15] And they're doing it with the help of a new app by Run Fast Racing, a celebrity-backed ownership group that allows fans to buy in and co-own a horse with their favorite celebrities. [0:25] Roxy Diaz takes us to the racetrack to tell us all about it. [0:29] This is historical. It's going to be around for a minute. We're trying to bring the culture to the sport. [0:38] And that's what we're trying to do, create a nice group of people that have different communities and bring them all together to the horse racing. [0:45] Anita Park, and this whole energy of family fun is what all these guys are excited to be a part of this horse racing community with Run Fast Racing. [1:04] Run Fast Racing. It sounds like a chant or mantra, but it's the name of a celebrity-backed racehorse ownership group. [1:13] With music superstars Lil Wayne, Lil Yachty, and Raul Alejandro betting on a new future for one of America's oldest sports. [1:22] And what better place to do it than the famous Santa Anita Park? [1:26] Remember the movie Seabiscuit? [1:27] Yep. [1:27] This is the tribe. [1:28] This is where Seabiscuit was. [1:30] This was- [1:30] What? [1:31] Even better, right? [1:32] That's crazy. [1:33] Seabiscuit Stadium, I guess. [1:34] Right? [1:35] That's right. [1:35] No, that is it. [1:36] This is really cool. [1:38] See, not a lot of people get to come down here. [1:40] Right here is the winner's circle. [1:42] This is where you're trying to land at the end of the race. [1:45] All the fellas are trying to make sure that their horse is a winner. [1:49] But I can tell you what, I'm a winner right now because I'm standing here. [1:53] Maybe I'll be good luck today. [1:55] Let's find out. [1:57] You might recognize some of the co-owners like this global superstar with hits like Besito en la Frente. [2:08] Raul Alejandro tells us for him, racing runs deeper. [2:11] It's a connection rooted in both family and heritage. [2:14] I hear that there's a lot of history there with you and your grandfather. [2:17] You used to go to the tracks in Puerto Rico. [2:18] In Puerto Rico, in the hipodromo, Camarero. [2:23] I used to go all the Sundays with my family, mostly with my grandfather. [2:27] And, you know, I was raised in a family that loved these sports and also the Paso Fino. [2:33] And, yeah, since a kid I've been really connected with horses and all these amazing animals. [2:40] What I don't think that a lot of people understand is the correlation between Latinos [2:44] and the history between betting on horses and the racetrack. [2:48] Can you talk a little bit about how that was a thing? [2:50] So Puerto Rico has a really huge story in horse racing. [2:55] And, yeah, it's been in the culture for long. [2:59] So you have, like, the shape and the body that you could be a jockey yourself. [3:02] So was that what you were thinking you were going to do when you were going up? [3:04] Yeah, but I like to eat too much. [3:07] I eat too much. [3:08] I didn't do the way. [3:10] I think that it's important that ownership, black ownership, period, across every board. [3:19] Horses, houses, cars. [3:21] And that's what we're doing here with this. [3:24] Just giving an opportunity to people that didn't know it was as accessible, you know? [3:31] And I think that's fun. [3:33] In 2025, the Grammy-nominated rapper known for hits like Flex Up. [3:37] Flex Up. [3:39] Little Yachty attended his very first race as an owner at Del Mar Racetrack alongside RunFast Racing founder Adam Kugler. [3:49] And watched his horse Listen Up Chance make its debut and win. [3:53] I had no expectations of winning. [3:56] I just wanted to go and feel out the vibe. [3:58] But we won. [4:00] First race, first bet, first everything. [4:02] It was that beginning of luck. [4:04] Adam says the newly released RunFast Racing app makes horse racing more accessible. [4:10] Fans and celebrities own the racehorses, all done from the palm of your hands. [4:14] Our stable is owned by celebrities and the fans. [4:19] So anyone could decide they want to co-own the entire stable of horses [4:23] and be business partners with all the celebrities, [4:27] go to the races, have their own owner's box with their friends. [4:31] They actually get paid money when the horses win through our partnership at first bet. [4:36] They get to make decisions about the race. [4:38] The fans who become the owners get to pick the jockey who rides them. [4:41] They get to send notes to the trainers. [4:42] It's the full ownership experience. [4:44] We're actually watching Little Yachty's horse right now to see what he's doing. [4:47] So the crowd is getting hype. [4:49] He's actually a front one and he's been doing good. [4:52] So let's see if he pulls through. [4:54] Their goal is to introduce a global audience to a sport with deep cultural root. [5:04] But that diversity isn't always reflected in who owns the sport. [5:07] According to the U.S. Equestrian Federation, non-white writers, owners, and participants [5:12] make 10% of the equestrian world, while Black Americans make up less than 1%. [5:18] And interest just might be there. [5:20] From the Kentucky Derby to events like the Vuclico Polo Classic, [5:24] more younger and diverse fans are showing up and showing out. [5:31] Rappers Drake and Jack Harlow got in the action, too, in their music video, Churchill Downs. [5:37] The median age of a horse racing fan is 61, right? [5:40] And I think it's because of a stigma that's been created over the past two years [5:43] about what a horse racing fan is and what the sport actually stands for. [5:47] And for some, like superstars Akon, this world hasn't always felt open. [5:52] We won't step foot in it unless we're invited, right? [5:55] So I want to be able to open the doors for different things that you naturally wouldn't try. [5:59] Akon, much like his I'm So Paid collaborator, Lil Wayne, [6:02] is another global superstar who sees the potential in becoming a co-owner of Run Fast Racing [6:11] and owning a racehorse. [6:13] My main focus is to bring the energy, the culture, and the fun. [6:18] Look how quiet it is. [6:19] There's no music. [6:20] Like, where is the music in this place? [6:21] You want a little turn-up session. [6:23] Not really turn-up, but I want it to feel like, [6:25] oh, no, we live today. [6:27] Like, we're about to have fun. [6:28] What is your history with horses in general? [6:30] Do you have any history with horses? [6:32] Well, I used to play miniature polo when I was a kid, so. [6:36] So you used to be out there really on horses and does anybody really know that about you? [6:42] No, not really. [6:43] That is crazy. [6:44] I did not know this about you. [6:46] After spending a whole day here at the racetrack, [6:49] I can actually say I still don't know how to bet. [6:54] I'm not good at this. [6:55] Right over my shoulder is the horse that actually just won his race. [6:58] You know he won because he's just taking twirls around like, yeah, I'm number one. [7:02] That's what happens. [7:04] So you call the winner's twirl as he goes that way. [7:08] I mean, what a great day at the crash. [7:11] I think it's probably the most exciting sport out there, [7:14] and we just have to expose people to what we see doing it. [7:17] And with the help of his celebrity co-owners, [7:19] Adam hopes to make this sport that's widely considered exclusive and elite [7:23] more accessible, allowing anyone to have an ownership stake in the sport.