Meet brash billionaire Mike Repole, who made $1.6 billion from the soft drink industry – and owns the Kentucky Derby favorite

BILLIONAIRE BodyArmor founder Mike Repole is ready to finally toast victory in the Kentucky Derby after years of disappointment.

Repole, who made $1.6 billion from the sports drink industry, is on an 0-9 losing streak at Churchill Downs.

But now the New Yorker, who has spent more than $300 million buying horses, is poised to score his first win at this year’s Kentucky Derby as owner of the 5-2 favorite Fierceness.

A year ago, Repole was the favorite for the Kentucky Derby at Forte, but the horse suffered a bruised foot on the day of the race.

Repole also owned 2011 favorite Uncle Mo, who did not participate due to an illness.

“I’m 0 for 9, even though I’ve only run seven times,” Repole told BloodHorse magazine.

“For me it’s a loss if you score the morning favorite for the Derby.”

Fierceness heads into the Run for the Roses in good form after winning the Florida Derby by more than 13 lengths.

The three-year-old is trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher and raced by three-time Kentucky Derby winner John Velazquez.

“This is our best chance,” Repole told Sportico.

“If I can just be the third wheel and get one, I’ll be pretty happy, and so will they.”

Repole says he learned a lot about the sport through business partners, NFL legend Tom Brady and the late NBA icon Kobe Bryant.

Bryant was an investor in BodyArmor, which Repole sold to Coca-Cola for $5.6 billion in 2021.

Meanwhile, Repole owns sportswear company NoBull, which recently merged with Brady’s wellness brand TB12.

“Tom Brady and Kobe Bryant, guys I knew as friends, ask them what their best championship was: the next one,” he said.

“You just have to keep moving forward.”

Repole has had great success in horse racing, but he remains an outspoken critic of the sport.

“He’s trying to act like the Elon Musk or Donald Trump of horse racing,” Resolute Racing owner John Stewart told The New York Times.

“The sport has enough problems already, and we don’t need that.”

Repole remains philosophical about his chances of winning the Kentucky Derby.

But he is not willing to go down without a fight because he has invested so much time, energy and money in the sport.

“Let’s be clear: I want to win this Kentucky Derby, and it would be great if I do,” he added.

“If I don’t win I will be disappointed, but it would be great if I don’t.

“If not this year, then I’m really going to try next year. I’ll definitely die trying.”