A Wire-to-Wire Ride on the America's Best Racing Bus The excitement of a horse race is legendary - the starting gate bursts open, hooves thunder, silks flash, legs claw frantically forward, the crowd roars, a horse's nose crosses the finish line. In less than two minutes, a mini-drama is enacted. The stands are full of passionate fans, some who almost won and some who did and are on top of the world. Horse racing is a sport with a long and rich history as well as a colorful present. This kind of energy is a primal experience that most people only read about in books and watch in movies and television. I've always been an ambassador of racing; lucky for me, I was exposed to its wondrous world at a young age. America's Best Racing's mission is to increase the profile and visibility of North America's best thoroughbred racing events, with a primary focus on the sport's lifestyle and competition. We, the brand ambassadors of America's Best Racing, seek to bring the excitement directly to the people, to expose and cultivate a new fan base, targeting the Millennial generation, and highlight that horse racing is an ideal sports and entertainment experience that offers something for everyone. Now on this nationwide tour I'm thrilled that our team has the opportunity to make a positive impact and to potentially help reinvigorate the sport, perhaps bringing it back to its pinnacle as it once was in the roaring 20s. Horse racing has always been about more than just casually placing bets on horses; it's an immersive experience. What's not to love about tailgating, getting together with family and friends for a shared communal experience, dressing up and partaking in the fashion scene, commiserating with a diverse and wide spectrum of people about the sheer excitement of competition (man and animal, with all its subplots) and so much more, all in a beautiful backdrop? The most exciting part of being a brand ambassador for America's Best Racing has been seeing people when they're first "bitten by the bug." Their eyes light up, smiles widen and they usually exclaim something along the lines of "I can't believe I've been missing out on this. It's awesome! They then realize there are a series of big race event days at the top destination tracks across America that spans across the two seasons of the sport (the road to the Triple Crown during January to June followed by the summer and fall season, which culminates with the Breeders" Cup World Championships on Nov 1 and 2). America's Best Racing provides something for everyone. What other major sporting event do people don their finest attire, including hats, in the latest styles and fashions, with the opportunity to hobnob and rub elbows with celebrities, stars and other personalities, as well as the chance to see the best thoroughbreds and athletes in North America? With the most affordable admission cost of any major sporting event, giving one the ability to gamble (and maybe win big), socialize and party with friends and family in an electrifying and visually entertaining atmosphere, racing offers it all. The excitement of racing is a contagious adrenaline rush and creates countless memories. Six passionate ambassadors, including myself, are leading the ABRV Tour (a 45-foot streamliner bus stocked with flat-screen televisions, iPads and more) on a nationwide mission to expose and invigorate a new generation of fans about the wonderful facets of the game and introduce more people to the Sport of Kings (and Queens). With a rich, storied history - the first horse race in the United States dates to 1655 in Hempstead, N.Y.; our seventh president of the United States, Andrew Jackson, stabled his racehorse on the grounds of the White House during his presidency; and the Kentucky Derby is America's continuously longest running sporting event dating to 1875- horse racing is a sport that has a vibrant present. The sport's biggest events continue to be a big draw, over 30 million viewers tune in annually to watch the Triple Crown races (the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes) and celebrities, star athletes and personalities continue to be drawn, as both owners and fans, to the majestic beauty and lifestyle scene of the sport. From our first stop, in the Lone Star State at South by Southwest (an annual music, film and interactive conference and festival) in Austin, Tex., to our most recent stops in Miami for the Florida Derby to most recently the horse capital of the world, Lexington, Ky., for the Blue Grass Stakes at iconic Keeneland, we have had wonderful positive support and feedback from both new fans and industry professionals alike. The key is introducing and exposing people to the numerous facets of the sport - the beauty, the elegance, the competition, the lifestyle, the scene, the gambling and all the other fun elements that a day at the races offers. Most newcomers have been receptive, supportive and eager to learn more. We're wading people into a new realm, exposing and educating them, and encouraging them to come out and experience it for themselves; seeing is believing and participating is even more fun. The goal is to seep new blood into the game and over time help them cultivate a passion for it. The various questions we receive range from "What is America's Best Racing?" to "Do you guys live on the bus?" to "Who should I bet in the Derby?" Those questions are the best part. Our ride, the ABRV, can be seen rolling into high-traffic, hot-spot locations around the United States where Millennials convene, and that's when the magic really happens. With the ABRV as our backdrop, decked out with three flat-screen TVs, each featuring an aspect of horse racing - lifestyle, competition, historic races, or sharing the content offered at www.followhorseracing.com - we set up and immediately attract the attention of onlookers. Many stop by for the chance to mount the equicizer (a mechanical racehorse that jockeys use to warm up or practice on), others to sign up for contests, or to inquire how they can get a T-shirt or "those cool looking glasses" (otherwise known as jockey goggles). We answer any questions they may have and promote and generate interest for racing in general and the particular racetracks and big racedays nearby. When we're not set up at the bus interacting with crowds, we're hosting local social media personalities and young professionals at clubs or the tracks or making appearances on local radio, television or podcast platforms. We give special access tours, behind-the-scenes experiences and personal one-on-one tutorials to social media influencers in each market, serving to immerse them in the entire scene of a big race-day event. Before high-tailing it across the country, we brainstorm and conduct "detective work" in the office - researching who the "movers and shakers" of each locale are and how we can attract them to join us for the big race-day event. We target the most influential Millennials across a broad range of industries, from fashion designers, to bloggers, artists, musicians, young professionals and university campus leaders among others. It's already been an incredible ride. See you at a track nearby.