A Kentucky horse farm and an iconic racing venue are teaming up to offer a new first for the horse racing industry: An immersive Metaverse experience and an opportunity to own a percentage of the world's highest-rated Thoroughbred.
Lane's End, a horse farm in Woodford County, Kentucky, and Keeneland announced the partnership this week ahead of the 2022 Breeders' Cup World Championship, being held at the track on Friday, Nov. 4 and Saturday, Nov. 5. An auction is being held in conjunction with a first-of-its-kind Metaverse experience designed to replicate the excitement of Keeneland’s iconic November Breeding Stock Sale, according to a news release.
The virtual experience will be hosted on Spatial, a Metaverse platform, and accessible via Oculus headset, desktop computer or mobile phone. Participants will have a front-row seat in a virtual sales ring modeled after Keeneland’s and will also have the opportunity to learn about the rich histories of Lane’s End, Keeneland and the Thoroughbred industry through a series of pre-event activations.
The fractional interest being auctioned is in the undefeated Flightline, currently the world’s highest-rated Thoroughbred according to the World’s Best Racehorse Rankings for 2022. He has earned nearly $1.4 million and is being pointed for the $6-million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) Nov. 5 at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky, the release said.
Flightline will enter stud as the property of a syndicate at Lane's End Farm in Versailles, Kentucky, upon the conclusion of his racing career.
On Monday, Nov. 7, at the start of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, a 2.5% fractional interest in Flightline will be auctioned, subject to Keeneland’s conditions of sale. Interested bidders must register in advance, have established credit with Keeneland sales, and meet such additional requirements as Keeneland or Lane’s End may request. Qualified bidders may bid on the fractional interest in-person at Keeneland, via Keeneland’s online auction platform, or by phone, the release continues.
The fractional interest is offered by West Point Thoroughbreds, one of five ownership groups in Flightline. It is expected to be the only opportunity to buy into Flightline before he retires to stud. Should Flightline continue to race beyond the Breeders’ Cup, the purchaser of the fractional interest will also be a part of his racing ownership.
“Flightline’s stud fee has yet to be determined,” said Bill Farish of Lane’s End in the release, “But he will surely retire as one of the most valuable Thoroughbred stallion prospects in recent memory. He’ll be an historic addition to the Lane’s End roster and the syndicate model is an exciting way for more people to participate in a sport that otherwise has a high barrier to entry.”
At the conclusion of the auction, the winning bidder will own 2.5% of Flightline and have all rights, benefits and obligations of a co-owner of the horse pursuant to the Syndicate Agreement.
"With these trailblazing firsts — a chance to own a portion of the world’s best racehorse and the opportunity to experience the world’s leading Thoroughbred auction house in the Metaverse — Lane’s End and Keeneland are once again proving their commitment to evolving the horse racing industry and welcoming a new generation of fans to its timeless traditions," said Shannon Arvin, president and CEO of Keeneland, in the release.
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