Mayweather-Pacquiao promoters sponsoring Derby horse
Saturday’s two biggest sporting events — the megafight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao and the Kentucky Derby — have joined forces.
The aptly named Itsaknockout, one of the horses in the 20-horse field at Churchill Downs, is being exclusively sponsored by the co-promoters of the fight. The deal, which was brokered by Steve Rosner of 16W Marketing, will have the horse having a special fight blanket as well as jockey Luis Saez wearing the brand on his pants and trainer Todd Pletcher and his staff also wearing promotional patches for the fight at the MGM Grand Garden, which will take place a couple of hours after the Run for the Roses.
“From gate to finish, beginning with the Kentucky Derby and ending with Mayweather vs. Pacquiao, Saturday will be the most exciting day in sports,” said Top Rank president Todd duBoef. “Itsaknockout may be the horse we are sponsoring but it also describes the historic day fans will be talking about for years to come.”
Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe said: “It’s going to be a knockout of a sports weekend with both events on the same day and we wish this champion horse well, hoping his name comes true with a victory in the Derby.”
Itsaknockout, which had won the Fountain of Youth stakes at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 21 and was undefeated in its first three starts. But Itsaknockout finished fourth in its most recent race, the 1 1/8-mile Florida Derby March 28, also at Gulfstream. Itsaknockout lost by 21 lengths to the winner, Materiality.
Bovada.com has Itsaknockout listed as 40-1 to win Saturday. Maybe Pletcher can get some advice from Freddie Roach to get the horse ready for the 1 1/4-mile journey at Churchill Downs.
Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.
