The National Thoroughbred League (NTL) is growing, adding four new teams for the 2024 season: the Maryland Colts, Miami Seahorses, Phoenix Mustangs, and San Francisco Unicorns. Leading the Maryland Colts ownership group is two-time NFL MVP and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Jackson is also launching a program aimed at introducing underprivileged children to Maryland's rich horse racing heritage. The initiative includes free tickets to the NTL Baltimore Cup and an apprenticeship program offering job training under esteemed trainer Chad Brown.
“I’m thrilled to be part of this incredible opportunity,” Jackson said. “Our core values of excellence, teamwork, community, and leadership will drive this program beyond our expectations. Through our dedication, we hope to create more opportunities for the youth in Maryland and watch this vision come to life.”
Randall Lane, NTL co-founder, praised Jackson’s involvement: “Walking a racetrack with Lamar Jackson reveals his magnetic presence. His energy aligns perfectly with our mission to blend tradition with modern excitement, creating unforgettable experiences for fans. The passion Lamar and his family have for Baltimore is contagious, and we’re honoured to have them join the NTL family.”
The NTL, striving to establish itself as racing’s first team-based professional league, is expanding from six teams in 2023 to 10 teams in 2024. The league blends horse racing with vibrant weekends of food, fashion, and entertainment.
In addition to Jackson, other NTL partners include Julius Erving, Tanya Tucker, Nelly, Rick Ross, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Moira Forbes.
Thoroughbred owners can nominate their horses to be drafted by one of the 10 NTL teams, with the selected horses representing their teams in races and competing for a share of the $3-million purse pool.
The 2024 season begins with the NTL Nashville Cup, presented by Sticker Mule, featuring over $2 million in purses and a $1-million signature race. The season continues with the Philadelphia Cup on October 19 and concludes with the league Championship in Phoenix on December 30.