U.S.-based racehorses have become more and more prominent, and successful, in the last decade at the prestigious Royal Ascot meeting in June and the boutique five-day meet now captivates American audiences as well as racing fans in Europe.

From the very first time she heard about it, visiting Ascot Racecourse for the royal meeting was a bucket-list item for Georgian Alisa Sloan.

Racing fans turned owners via MyRacehorse (Courtesy of Alisa and Glen Sloan)

Likewise, racehorse ownership was long something that appealed to Alisa and her husband, Glen – and thanks to MyRacehorse, the couple has crossed a pair of items off their bucket lists.

Alisa comes from a family with a deep connection to horses; however, locality limited her options as it pertained to enjoying horse racing. She loved 1973 Triple Crown winner Secretariat and watching the Kentucky Derby, and Alisa wanted desperately to participate in the thrill of those big events and the racing industry.

“I’m originally from South Carolina, now living in Georgia for over 30 years. Neither state has Thoroughbred horse racing,” Alisa said, noting that South Carolina does have steeplechase racing but she considers it a different discipline. “Our family has participated in Hunter Jumper and Western Cow Horse disciplines, so we are a family that loves and admires the noble and amazing horse and the role the horse has played in the history of our country!”

An avid equestrian fan with a growing interest in horse racing, Alisa was navigating through some of her favorite horse-themed Facebook pages one day and came across an ad for MyRacehorse. “I read through it and was instantly impressed with the concept, affordability, and opportunities to get involved in this industry,” she said. “Shortly after, I purchased my first MRH offering.”

MyRacehorse, founded in 2018 by Michael Behrens, offers ownership opportunities at the micro-share level. While partnering to buy a racehorse with a handful of friends is nearly impossible for most people when you are talking about six- and seven-figure sums, MyRacehorse allows people to purchase fractional shares of Thoroughbred for as little as $100 or less. The ownership group was a part-owner of 2020 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve winner Authentic.

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez with Alisa Sloan. (Courtesy of Alisa and Glen Sloan)

The Sloans, who own a real estate brokerage in Georgia, were inspired by Authentic’s magical Horse of the Year campaign in 2020 to take the plunge on ownership. Their first MyRacehorse investment was Search Engine, an allowance winner by Flatter who finished fifth in the 2022 American Derby. The couple said they now own micro-shares in about 20 horses and are eagerly awaiting the next set of offerings.

The couple talked about the people they’ve met through ownership, the culture within the MyRacehorse family, and the feeling of working and moving together. There is a fellowship between owners and an accessibility within the sport of horse racing that is not found in other major sports. For example, their first MyRacehorse event was in Lexington at The Horse & Jockey Pub. The couple was sitting at a table when greeted with a warm hug from Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez. Via MyRacehorse events they have met a host of other horse racing personalities like Scott Hazelton, Matt Carothers, and Andie Biancone.

“They have found a demographic of people who ordinarily would not be able to enter into this industry,” Alisa said of MyRacehorse. “I just love what they have done. I think they have found a sweet spot or a void and have done something to fill it.

“The experiences so far have been amazing, truly amazing.”

A key element for the Sloans continuing to come back to MyRacehorse is knowing the ownership group will always put the racehorse first, giving them time off when needed, and making sure they are cared for after their careers of the track. They are now fully immersed in Thoroughbred racing, learning and enjoying the sport as much as possible.

The Sloans recently drove from Atlanta to Henderson, Ky., to watch MyRacehorse’s Chasing Time compete in the July 22 Jeff Hall Memorial Stakes at Ellis Park – the Grade 3-placed 3-year-old colt ran fourth – and along the way they stopped at Kentucky Downs to watch on TV another horse, Who Runs the World, earn her first career win under jockey Ferrin Peterson for MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm July 21 at Belterra Park.

The Sloans enjoying the MyRacehorse at Royal Ascot experience. (Courtesy of Alisa and Glen Sloan)

MyRacehorse ownership has taken them to Tampa Bay Downs and the sales in Ocala, Fla. They have visited Churchill Downs, Keeneland, Kentucky Downs, and Ellis Park in Kentucky as well as Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., and Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York. These are places the Sloans never would have ventured to if not for MyRacehorse, which, of course, brings us back to Royal Ascot.

With one bucket-list item, ownership, crossed off their list, Alisa and Glen Sloan jumped at an opportunity to participate in another once-in-a-lifetime type experience.

MyRacehorse for the first time in 2023 offered an opportunity to spend a June weekend in England enjoying Royal Ascot with a group of friends and co-owners. The trip spanned from Thursday, June 22 through Saturday, June 24 and included a full day in Newmarket to start on Thursday. A Friday of sightseeing in London followed, highlighted by high tea at the world-renowned Fortnum & Mason, and the trip was capped by an unforgettable day of elite horse racing Saturday at Royal Ascot.

Alisa said the trip to England got started at a full gallop.

“Newmarket was simply wonderful!” Alisa said. “The visit with the famous and iconic stallion Stradivarius at the National Stud; the lovely town of Newmarket with horses and riders walking through the quaint village streets; the personal guided tour at the National Horse Racing Museum; attending morning gallops on the beautiful training track at Warren Hill; the charming horse yards; and the incredible lunch at the prestigious Jockey Club in Newmarket, where one is immediately immersed in historic traditions and celebrations honoring the horse as depicted by some of the world’s most brilliant and celebrated art ... followed by a four-course lunch fit for royalty. What an amazing experience it was, and that was just our first day!”

King Charles III waves at the group at Royal Ascot. (Courtesy of Alisa and Glen Sloan)

The Royal Ascot experience also lived up to lofty expectations with a mid-morning brunch and cocktails before heading inside the racecourse to the Garden Club with access to the Queen Anne Enclosure. Raceday was highlighted by the pageantry of Royal Ascot, including a wave from King Charles III, and an unforgettable day of racing capped by Pyledriver’s 1 ¼-length win in the Hardwicke Stakes on a seven-race card that closed out the five-day Royal Meet.

“The camaraderie of the group – we all looked so stunning and dapper in our race attire,” Alisa said of her fondest memories of the day before listing several others. “The delightful champagne and hors d’oeuvres pre-race gathering in the car park before the race, the  anticipation of the arrival of the King and Queen and other royals and dignitaries in the Royal Procession, and the lovely venue.

“MyRacehorse provided a first-class, personalized experience and we will always be grateful for their vision and commitment to offering these amazing opportunities to their owners.”

Are there any other aspirational items on the agenda in racing for the Sloans?

“We’d love,” Glen said, “for MyRacehorse to have a Kentucky Derby winner again!”