Today was a bitter-sweet day. My favorite non-human outside of my puppy, Mage, officially retired from racing — hanging up the horseshoes for greener pastures. If you haven’t heard, on May 6th, 2023, I broke the world record for the most Mint Juleps consumed in one sitting (103). Just kidding. On that fateful day, at 17–1, Mage won the 149th annual Kentucky Derby (“The Run for the Roses”). That was a really, really good day, and not because Mage was 17–1 (although that certainly did not hurt). The final stretch, to me, is what people often refer to as a “core memory” — some high-quality rocking chair material. As the tape shows, I got stuck in an unbreakable loop of saying “go Mage, go Mage, go Mage”. Tears were shed. Hugs were given. Roses were picked. It was quite a day.
Quick context: In April of ’22, Eberg Capital (me, my father, & my brother) led the seed round in a company called Commonwealth. CW is democratizing sports investing, starting with horses. Essentially, the platform allows you to invest in horses/athletes with SEC Reg A & Reg CF offerings; Mage owners were paid a % of the Kentucky Derby Purse & will receive a proportional percentage of his stud deal. Of the first nine horses that CW acquired a piece of, one was the highest-earning horse in the world in 2022 (Country Grammer), one was the 2022 Belmont Stakes favorite (We The People), and one was the 2023 Kentucky Derby winner (Mage). Not too shabby (shoutout the CW team).
Aside from being one of the best days of my time spent on this spinning rock, that day and that entire weekend had a greater meaning that I wish to share with you all (hopefully with brevity).
I’ve long wondered why I am so entranced by sports (to a mildly disturbing degree some might say). The competition of the game. The excellence of the participants. The raw emotion… the all-encompassing joy of victory and the all-consuming pain of defeat. In my humble opinion, sports capture humanity in its purest form. Poetry in motion. I guess I just explained my obsession with sports to myself — that was useful. Through our relationship with Commonwealth, I’ve uncovered the final pillar of what makes sports so damn great: community.
On May 6th, 2023, not only did I consume 103 Mint Juleps but I also hugged 103 strangers. Since, maybe 10 of these strangers have become friends. Sports bring people together in a way that almost nothing else can. Especially in tough times, people rally around their local teams and their favorite players. Sports are blind to skin color, socioeconomic status, and just about anything else. Think back to Mike Piazza’s home run in the first game in New York after 9/11. Think back to the Miracle on Ice. Think back to Rocky defeating Drago (I am Russian). These moments transcended sports and created bonds between friends and strangers alike.
This weekend I returned to my alma mater, the University of Michigan, to watch our boys beat up on the Buckeyes for the third straight year (Go Blue). After the game, there was the obligatory storming of the field. I once again hugged 103 random individuals. Okay, maybe it was only a few this time but you get the point. Whether it’s 40 thousand+ Philadelphians singing Dancing on My Own in perfect unison, meeting Mage owners from around the globe at each race and talking as if we’ve known each other for years, or just high-fiving the person behind you at a ball game after a base hit — the community element around sports is very real.
Mage — enjoy what you have coming. Commonwealth — I think you may be onto something. Readers — go hug a stranger.
Sports are just so damn awesome. And yes, Harbaugh is back — be afraid.
E