One of the joys of horse racing is that it can be a family affair. No one knows this better than Lauren Skidmore, 23, from Lexington, Ky. She is currently in her first year at the University of Miami School of Law. She is in the sports law program and wants to be in athlete advocacy or an athlete representative in some capacity. Lauren is a shareholder in several racehorses through the MyRacehorse program with her dad, Camden Skidmore. It’s a dream come true after a lifetime of attending horse races.

Family fun at Keeneland in fall of 2009. (Courtesy of Lauren Skidmore)

Skidmore has wonderful memories about growing up in Lexington. “We went to Keeneland every weekend in the fall and spring. We never owned a horse, but I went to horse camp and took riding lessons. Keeneland was a special experience that I had with my family. It was a way that my dad and I really bonded. I remember the first time I picked a horse out. My dad was teaching me how to read the program. I loved [jockey] Rafael Bejarano, so I wanted to bet on his horse. He won and my parents took me to the gift store where I used my winnings to purchase a little stuffed animal, which I still have. It’s a keepsake and it will be my kids’ first stuffed animal.” 

Camden Skidmore shares that, “Lauren has been going to Keeneland with me since she was in preschool. We went every weekend and played hooky there for her October birthday each year. It is our father-daughter thing. When she got older, we talked about owning a horse together. That was when Lauren showed me the MyRacehorse program. We started buying the same horses and following them together on TV. When she went to law school in Miami, she would go to the Gulfstream [Park] races, and I would be at Keeneland. It was a way for us to stay connected through horse racing. It’s been great.”

The MyRacehorse program was developed in 2018 to bring new fans into the world of owning world-class Thoroughbred racehorses through the purchase of micro shares. When Skidmore discovered MyRacehorse on social media, she immediately recognized it as an opportunity “to take being a fan to the next level.” She contacted her dad and said, “We have to do this. It’s going to be so much fun to do this together!” After looking at the initial offerings from MyRacehorse, they selected Monomoy Girl. It was an outstanding beginning. Monomoy Girl retired in 2021 after winning 14 of 17 races and earning more than $4.7 million. Skidmore says it’s really “fun to have this experience for ourselves, all the emotions and adrenaline together.”  

A strong daughter racing bond. (Courtesy of Lauren Skidmore)

Their next selection is the chestnut colt Kanthari, by Kantharos out of Ari the Adventurer. Kanthari is a 4-year-old trained by Todd Pletcher and is owned by MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm LLC.  He was bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings. 

Shonda Rotondo from MyRacehorse says that “Lauren’s journey with MyRacehorse is a great example of how MyRacehorse can bring the digital and physical world of ownership together. After purchasing into Kanthari several years ago, she followed his story via our digital content updates delivered via app and email.” He had several minor setbacks, but his connections were patient and hopeful. “He made it to the races and has showed some real talent.”  

“This is when Lauren was able to come out to Gulfstream and watch her horse race in person alongside fellow owners. When I met her on raceday, her excitement was tangible! She told me she had butterflies in her stomach waking up that morning.” 

Skidmore won the MyRacehorse lottery to get a paddock pass before the race. She was featured in a FanDuel TV interview from the paddock where analyst Andie Biancone likened Skidmore’s excitement to “first date vibes with butterflies and goosebumps!” 

Rotondo said this is “the same way you’d see a big-time owner being interviewed on TV before a race. This is the heart of the MyRacehorse experience. We welcome owners like Lauren and give them access to exclusive content and insider information. Lauren not only gets to say she’s a racehorse owner — a statement that comes with a certain level of pride and status — but she also gets an authentic ownership experience, including all of the ups and downs that come with it.”

All smiles at Keeneland last fall. (Courtesy of Lauren Skidmore)

Skidmore was excited to be attending the races at Gulfstream. “Horse racing and Keeneland are definitely things I really get homesick about in Miami.” When she got the notice that Kanthari was going to be running at Gulfstream in his second start, “I said this is perfect!” She brought one of her friends from law school. “We were in the paddock and after he won the race, we were in the winner’s circle! We did a champagne toast with the MyRacehorse crew. What a dream!” Kanthari gave them a race to remember when he “closed gamely through a tight spot and was up in the final strides [according to the Equibase Chart].”

She is looking forward to further opportunities with MyRacehorse. Skidmore has invested in the “Royal Duet,” which is a pair of 2-year-old racehorses trained by Wesley Ward. They are a Kentucky-based duo targeting a spring debut with the possibility of looking forward to the Royal Ascot meet. She is also waiting patiently for another horse she has her eye on to be available.   

Her voice softens and turns poetic when she talks about family weekends at Keeneland. Year after year, her family pictures are full of smiles as they pose with ponies and parasols at Keeneland. “I think Keeneland is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Maybe I’m a little biased because I’m a Lexingtonian, but there is nothing like it in April when the trees are starting to have leaves on them. You’re pulling up the drive and there’s all the trees on either side. In October, when everything’s starting to turn and change colors, it’s one of the most beautiful scenes. We would make it a weekend and my friends would come. We would dress up, get brunch, and make it an event. It’s so much fun. It just feels like home when you go there.  It’s always been somewhere I loved being at. I plan on getting married at Keeneland! That is absolutely 100% in my plans, but first I will need to find a husband.”

In the meantime, as she pursues her career in law, Skidmore has the additional satisfaction of being a Thoroughbred racehorse owner. It keeps her connected to her dad, her family, and her Kentucky racing roots. The future is bright for this young law student who has kept horses and racing in her heart no matter where she lives thanks to MyRacehorse.