LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Mike Repole is not going to feel bad, no matter how many times he is asked the question. In 2011, he had to scratch the second choice in the Kentucky Derby, Uncle Mo, the morning of the race because of a gastrointestinal infection. Last year, the state veterinarian scratched his Forte, the betting favorite in the Derby, the morning of the race for a bruised foot.
This year, Repole is back, again with the favorite for the Kentucky Derby in Fierceness. Alternately, he'll talk about the bad luck he's had, and the great fortune he has to be back in this position again. In the end, it's hope that wins out. Though he is testament to the saying, "it's the hope that kills you."
"No one should feel bad for Mike Repole," he said after arriving at Todd Pletcher's barn to watch Fierceness train last week. "I've got a pretty awesome life. I've got an awesome family. I've got my parents, my daughter, my wife, my friends from childhood. I'm 0-7 with starters (in the Derby), 0-2 with favorites, 0-9. This will be No. 10. Who would have thought that growing up in Queens, going to Aqueduct, I'd be on my 10th Derby entry? So, it's all great, you know. I just hope it doesn't take as long as it took the Cubs to win the World Series. Because I might not be around that long."
Repole built his wealth in the beverage industry, most notably through Vitaminwater and later through BodyArmour, the two of which sold in separate deals to Coca-Cola for a combined $9.7 billion.
Mike Repole, owner of Kentucky Derby favorite Fierceness, speaks with reporters at Churchill Downs on April 26, 2024.
He grew up loving horse racing and has had a great deal of success in a short time since plunging into the sport in a big way. His horses ran 1-2 in the Belmont in 2022. His Vino Rosso won the Breeders' Cup Classic. Uncle Mo has become a significant sire. His view – embrace the ups, and the downs.
These days, he owns a footwear and apparel company with Tom Brady, who he says is coming to the Derby. He's a major contributor to the NIL efforts of St. John's basketball coach Rick Pitino, who he says is definitely not coming to the Derby.
The latest wrinkle for Repole. Fierceness, who was made a 5-2 favorite in Mike Battaglia's morning line, drew the No. 17 post, which has not produced a Derby winner in 49 tries. Earlier in the week someone asked him what post he'd like to have, and he said, "1 to 20," meaning, as long as the colt makes the race.
"We don't mind making history out there," he said after the draw. "We'll take it. We're really excited that the speed is inside of us. He's training great. Todd (Pletcher) has done another amazing job. . . . Yeah, we've had some bad luck here, that's probably a decent term. But to get a horse to the Derby, to get two favorites here, you have to have some pretty good luck to do that. So we've been pretty blessed."
At one point during his interview with a large group of reporters at Pletcher's barn, Repole fielded a FaceTime call from his daughter, Giola. Holding the phone up so she could see the reporters, he asked her about school, and then said, "The A students work for the C students. Remember I told you that."
It's a funny partnership. Pletcher is about as reserved as buttoned up as you get. Repole just lets it rip. Pletcher was asked what it's like working for Repole.
"It's entertaining," Pletcher said. "It's a lot of fun. It's great to have an owner who is so passionate about not only the industry but his horses and the business. He brings a lot of energy. We have a lot of fun with it."
Repole, in fact, introduced Pletcher when he was inducted into the National Horse Racing Hall of Fame and Museum.
"It was one of the best hour and a halves of everyone's life," Pletcher quipped.
In Fierceness, they have a colt whose second-best race (a 13-length romp in the Florida Derby), from a speed figure standpoint, is better than anyone else's best, significantly. He has trained well at Churchill Downs and his final pre-Derby workout, four furlongs in 48.4 seconds, was extremely sharp.
Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher watches training at Churchill Downs on April 24, 2023.
"What was impressive about it was that he gradually picked it up throughout the work," Pletcher said. "Showed great energy coming to the finish line. Super gallop out. When he turned up the backside I'm looking at my watch going, 'Wow, this horse just galloped out (5 furlongs) in 1:12 and change and puts his ears up like he's totally relaxed and doing it in hand. You don't see horses do that very often."
Repole came away as confident as a man who has been snake-bitten on race day can be.
"What we saw in the Florida Derby was amazing," Repole said. "It was epic. But we know it wasn't 100%. It could be 95%. It could be 90%. It could be 85%. We don't know. That's the great part. We know there's more in the tank."
If Fierceness has had a problem, it's been trouble at the start of his two career losses. But if he gets away clean on Saturday, the rest could well be running for second.
Kentucky Derby favorite Fierceness walks the shedrow of his barn at Churchill Downs on April 23, 2024.
He'll be ridden by Hall of Famer Johnny Velazquez, who has teamed up with Pletcher for 2,000 victories and has won the Derby aboard Animal Kingdom (2011), Always Dreaming (2017) and Authentic (2020). Velazquez was also aboard Medina Spirit for his winning ride that was later disqualified because of a positive drug test.
"I used to watch Todd and Johnny from a distance," Repole said. "And when I say distance, I watched them pass by as they were going to the winner's circle, because I was losing to them. So I say, if you can't beat them, join them. . . . You're talking about one of the greatest trainers, the greatest jockeys of all time. For me to be just a member of the band. I might be Ringo Starr or the guy who no one knows his name, but at least I'm there, right? Now I've got the most expensive role, but that's OK."
Repole said he felt bad last year, when Forte was scratched, for all the people who work for him and Pletcher. This year, he said his parents and Pletcher's will be at the race. The spectacle of Derby No. 150. It would be a good time for the wait to be over.
"My parents are 84 and 78," Repole said. "Todd's parents are mid- to late-80s, Todd's parents are going to be here, my parents are going to be here. You know, every day is a gift man. You know, you don't know what next year Derby's going to bring. For us to have both sets of parents in our 50s and have them all out here, you know, winning the Derby this year will be a lot better than 20 years from now. For obvious reasons."
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