MIDDLETOWN, Ohio — The winning horse in this year's Kentucky Derby has ties to the Tri-State.
Helen and Rick Stevens-Gleason, of Middletown, own 200 shares of winning horse Mage.
"I still can't believe it. I still can't," Helen said.
Horses have been in the couple's blood long before they lucked out at the finish line last weekend.
"My father's family has been involved with horses, oh, gosh, before the Civil War," Helen said.
Her great grandfather used horses in construction and her father was a trainer.
Rick's family also has deep ties to the animals. His great uncle owned his own race track.
"I remember going up there weekends with my mother and father, probably as young as five years old," he said.
The couple said they started buying shares of horses in 2014. They've bought shares in more than a dozen horses over the years and none made the Kentucky Derby. But Mage changed everything.
"I just had a feeling about his name," Helen said.
They didn’t want to disclose what they invested in Mage or any of their horses.
“It’s like the stock market,” Rick said. “When your horse wins, you win.”
Mage is a lightly raced 3-year-old ridden by Javier Castellano, who is sponsored by Cincinnati restaurant owner Jeff Ruby. Mage is trained by Gustavo Delgado and owned by OGMA Investments LLC, Restrepo, Ramiro, Sterling Racing LLC and CMNWLTH.
He broke his maiden Jan. 28, then was fourth on March 4 in the Fountain of Youth Stakes and second on April 1 in the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park. Both times the eventual winner was Forte, the Derby favorite.
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