Wheels Up sponsors American Pharoah at Belmont Stakes

Wheels Up sponsored thoroughbred racehorse American Pharoah at the Belmont Stakes on 6 June. The horse won the race, and in doing so became the first winner of the triple crown since 1978.

As part of the sponsorship, Wheels Up branding will appear as the sole logo on the pant legs of American Pharoah’s Jockey Victor Espinoza. Wheels Up will also have a presence at other events surrounding the Triple Crown Run.

“We are excited to add American Pharoah and Jockey Victor Espinoza to our growing list of Wheels Up Ambassadors. They are in great company with other Member Ambassadors including Rickie Fowler, J.J. Watt, Kirk Herbstreit and Erin Andrews,” said Kenny Dichter, Founder and CEO of Wheels Up. “Once people start to wear the Wheels Up colors, the magic happens; winners fly Wheels Up.”

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“Leading into Belmont, our team is excited to partner with Wheels Up, America’s fastest growing private aviation firm which is laser-focused on getting its members from Point A to Point B with speed, efficiency and safety,” said Ahmed Zayat, CEO of Zayat Stables and owner of American Pharoah. “Team American Pharoah shares the same goals and vision as Wheels Up as we look to soar into the Winner’s Circle on Saturday.”

The deal was managed by NYC-based Leverage Agency, the exclusive sales and marketing agency for American Pharoah.

“Wheels Up is an innovative brand that is changing the landscape of private aviation,” said Ben Sturner, CEO of Leverage Agency. “This is the perfect time for Wheels Up to enter the sport of horse racing as a sponsor with a horse like American Pharoah, which embodies its core values, as it contends for the much-anticipated and very exciting Triple Crown.”

Trained by Bob Baffert at Zayat Stables in Hackensack, NJ, American Pharoah began this year with wins in the Rebel Stakes and Arkansas Derby before going on to win both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.