In an age where most everything is digital, trading cards have found a resurgence. The National Thoroughbred League is getting involved in that upswing as it recently unveiled its first set of trading cards.
Scheduled to be released in the fall, the NTL trading card set features 100 cards—10 celebrity owners, 10 trainers, 10 jockeys, and 70 horses—and is being produced by longtime trading card manufacturer Leaf.
"There's something very visceral about it—and it's super popular with kids nowadays, because there's so much digital," NTL co-founder Randall Lane said. "They live so much in the digital world that having something physical is still valued. That's why we like this, for that same reason. There's just a joy to opening a pack."
The cards made their debut at an event June 5 in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., featuring trainers Jena Antonucci, Chad Brown, and Lacey Gaudet.
"We had the first five cards coming off the line. And people were literally clamoring for one," Lane said. "I think, certainly up in Saratoga, it was a great weekend, and people were feeling the love at the idea that sports cards have returned to Thoroughbred racing."
Leaf reached out to the NTL about six months ago because it wanted to get involved in horse racing and the NTL's team format lent itself to trading cards.
Lane, who raved about Leaf's innovation and outside-the-box thinking, said it has been "generations" since there were horse racing trading cards like these.
"There's no reason these shouldn't be super popular," he said. "Putting the prism of the teams, and then having that celebrity overlay, we think will help drive attention and sales for this set."
Among the celebrity owners are basketball Hall of Famer Julius "Dr. J" Erving; Baltimore Ravens quarterback and former National Football League Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson; musicians Nelly, Rick Ross, and Tanya Tucker; and social media influencers Madi Monroe and Adam W.
The plan is to continue producing card sets every year. The first set will feature "chase cards," or ones that are more limited in their availability. These include cards autographed by the owners, jockeys, and trainers, as well as cards that will include pieces of racing silks.
Because of Leaf's wide distribution swath, the cards should be available at hobby stores and most retail locations where trading cards are sold. Lane said efforts are underway to have the cards available at tracks.
"We're hoping this just fits into the core mission of NTL, which is to bring new fans and excite new fans about Thoroughbred racing at large," Lane said. "A core goal of ours is to be a generator of new fans and interested in all of Thoroughbred racing, and we think this card set helps do that."
Some of the horses and people involved in the NTL will be photographed for the card set this weekend at Parx Racing for the league's latest stop, the June 15 Philadelphia Cup. Tied into Father's Day weekend, the event will feature Dr. J, who owns the Philadelphia Stallions, and several Philadelphia Eagles legends.
"We're trying new things," Lane said. "And this one, trying to create a true Father's Day card, and also, by the way, making it free. We want to drive a huge turnout at Parx, which is great for Parx, great for the NTL, great for Thoroughbred racing."
