Lubbock-owned horse racing in Kentucky Oaks on May 5

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - There’s a horse owned by five Lubbockites and one man from New Mexico running in the Kentucky Oaks this year, which is known as the female equivalent to the Kentucky Derby.

The horse is owned by Brad King, Randy Andrews, Lee Lewis, Jim Cone and Suzanne Kirby from Lubbock, and Chris Coleman from New Mexico.

King says they built the partnership because they all love racing horses.

“The horses did definitely bring everybody together,” King said.

The group of six bought the horse Flying Connection in September 2021 after being connected through the horse racing industry.

“When we bought these horses, our plan was, you know almost a pipe dream let’s get one to the Kentucky Oaks, and it worked out this time,” King said.

This now three-year-old filly is the group’s ticket to the Churchill Downs. To make the dream come true, Flying Connection had to fly past the other competition in the Sunland Park Oaks.

“Then she ran two at Sunland, which is in New Mexico just outside of El Paso, and one of those being the Sunland Oaks, which is the qualifier for the Kentucky Oaks,” King said.

King has personally had horses winning races since 1992.

“When you have that first winner, you get a thrill from that,” King said. “When your horse is turning for home and you have a chance to win, it’s a rush like you don’t have on anything else.”

Still, it’s his first year in the Kentucky Oaks.

“It is truly a once in a lifetime deal for sure,” King said.

King said the team will be there cheering Flying Connection out the gate all the way to the end.

“There’s definitely a group of us that try to make majority of these races, for sure,” King said.

Flying Connection will be racing May 5. King said he’s happy to get to this point no matter what happens at the Churchill Downs.

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