Lamar Jackson's ties to Maryland are so strong that he's bringing the Colts to Baltimore.
Jackson is now the lead owner of the Maryland Colts, a new team in the National Thoroughbred League (NTL). Jackson attended the Preakness Stakes this summer and is now officially a part of the horse racing industry.
"I am truly excited to be a part of this great opportunity," Jackson said in a statement. "The core values of excellence, teamwork, community, and leadership will help push the program beyond our expectations. I believe through our efforts and determination more opportunities will be opened for the youth of the state of Maryland. We look forward to seeing the success of such a great vision become the reality."
In addition to owning the Colts, Jackson is launching a program to expose less privileged children to horse racing. This will include free tickets to the NTL Baltimore Cup in 2025, and a program giving teenagers job training with trainer Chad Brown, a two-time Preakness Stakes winner.
The NTL, which is creating a team-based approach to horse racing, is adding four new teams, including the Colts. Some notable partners joining the league are Julius Erving, Tanya Tucker, Nelly, Rick Ross, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Moira Forbes.
"Walk a racetrack with Lamar Jackson and you'll immediately understand his capacity to captivate an audience," said Randall Lane, co-Founder of the NTL, who attended the Preakness Stakes this year with Jackson. "And it's that intimate connection and adrenaline that aligns so well with the underlying premise of the National Thoroughbred League.
"Our league exists to both honor the tradition of one of America's oldest spectator sports, but also to embed another level of excitement into the sport so that it engages a broad audience and provides them with an exceptional experience. Lamar Jackson and his family have a passion for Baltimore that is palpable and we're so honored to have them join our NTL family and continue exciting and inspiring the next generation of fans."
