Dale Earnhardt Jr. has always been a big fan of horse racing, and his passion for the sport is well-known. In fact, he has been a regular attendee of the Kentucky Derby for many years and has even been gifted a horse in the past. For those who may not be familiar, the Kentucky Derby is a prestigious Grade I stakes race that is run annually at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is open to three-year-old Thoroughbreds and is run at a distance of one and a quarter miles.
In a video shared on social media before the race this year, Dale Jr. was seen making a bold wish when he said, “I’m hoping for a little magic with mage, everybody loves a surprise winner” and little did he know that his prophecy would come true just hours later, when Mage crossed the finish line first at Churchill Downs, winning the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby.
‘@DaleJr CALLED IT!
His pre-race pick, Mage, won the 149th @KentuckyDerby. pic.twitter.com/2B8BOtw680
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) May 6, 2023
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Dale Jr Shocks NASCAR World With Latest Breaking News
Following the race, Dale Jr. took to Twitter to celebrate Mage’s victory, tweeting “Mage!! #8 @KentuckyDerby winner! Damn, what a fun day.” But it was his next tweet that had the NASCAR world buzzing.
Mage!! #8 @KentuckyDerby winner! Damn what a fun day. pic.twitter.com/Gqm72MPlSG
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) May 6, 2023
The former NASCAR driver turned racing analyst and team owner took to social media to announce his desire to venture into the world of horse racing.
In a subsequent tweet posted, he said, “BREAKING: @JRMotorsports selling all Xfinity equipment and going horse racing with jockeys @BrandonJonesRac @sam_mayer_ @joshberry and @J_Allgaier.” jokingly implying that his current Xfinity team, JR Motorsports, who are speculated to make a Cup Series entry soon, would turn into a horse racing team featuring his current drivers: Brandon Jones, Sam Mayer, Josh Berry, and Justin Allgaier.
BREAKING: @JRMotorsports selling all Xfinity equipment and going horse racing with jockeys @BrandonJonesRac @sam_mayer_ @joshberry and @J_Allgaier
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) May 7, 2023
The tweet left the NASCAR world stunned and wondering if Dale Jr. was serious about selling all his Xfinity equipment and switching to horse racing.
WATCH THIS STORY: ‘Similar To Dennis Rodman’: Billionaire Michael Jordan Makes Rare Public Appearance For His $150000000 NASCAR Team
Fans React to Dale Jr’s Shocking ‘News’
It didn’t take long for Dale Jr.’s tweet to go viral, with fans and media outlets alike sharing their reactions to the news. Some were excited about the prospect of Dale Jr. entering the horse racing world, while others were skeptical.
One fan tweeted, “You can’t afford it,” while another joked, “R.I.P the Earnhardt bankroll.”
Some fans even thought that the tweet was a prank, with one fan saying, “I cant be the only one at first who thought this was someone impersonating Dale right? 😂”
holy shit i got scared for a second
— Robert Morris (@rob_morris1106) May 7, 2023
However, many fans took Dale Jr.’s tweet as confirmation that he had won a significant amount of money from betting on the Kentucky Derby. One fan tweeted, “I take this as confirmation he won a big chunk of change from that lollll.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Another fan said, “😂😂😂😂…someone check in with @EarnhardtKelley.”
OMG JUNIOR 💀💀💀💀
— Gabriel Johnson (aka G2V Gaming/Racing) (@GaboxRox15) May 7, 2023
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s breaking news about his desire to venture into horse racing may have been a joke, but it certainly got the attention of the NASCAR world. His Kentucky Derby prophecy coming true and his tweets have been the talk of the town, with fans and media members alike reacting to the news. While it’s unlikely that Dale Jr. will become a full-time horse owner, there are reasons for us to believe that we’ll see more crossover between the two sports in the years to come.