Fact Check: Did Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce own a Kentucky Derby horse The Puma in 2026?

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY: A rumor has been circulating on social media platforms claiming that popular singer Taylor Swift and her fiance, footballer Travis Kelce, have taken an ownership stake in a Kentucky Derby horse, triggering speculation that the couple secretly owns a horse. Let us analyze the origins of the rumor and fact-check the viral claim.

Claim: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce bought stake in Derby horse The Puma

Earlier this week, a fan account on X claimed that Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift had quietly bought a 10% stake in a Kentucky Derby horse named The Puma.

That alone was enough for the claim to spread widely online. The speculation wasn’t completely unwarranted, as one of The Puma’s co-owners, Bruce Zoldan, had previously teamed up with Kelce in 2024 to buy another horse, Swift Delivery, which was named after Swift. This earlier connection helped fuel the rumor.

Fueling the buzz further, another co-owner, Michael Iavarone, posted on Instagram that he signed an NDA, so he could neither confirm nor deny the claim. 

His response added to the uncertainty and helped the rumor gain momentum, and as the speculation grew, betting markets reacted sharply.

The Puma’s odds shifted from +1000 to +350 before later settling at +800. This change suggests that the rumor influenced betting behavior.

Fact Check: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have no stake in The Puma

Despite the wide speculation, the claim is false, as a report from the New York Post's Page Six, citing its own sources, confirmed that Swift and Kelce do not own any part of The Puma.

Shortly before race time on Saturday, The Puma was officially pulled after veterinarians discovered swelling in its leg caused by a skin infection.

The trainer also mentioned that the horse would likely miss the upcoming Preakness Stakes. In the end, the viral rumor sparked a lot of online chatter and even affected betting odds, but it had no truth to it.

The whole situation unfolded quickly, from the claim to its debunking, within about 48 hours, leaving neither Swift nor Kelce involved and the horse unable to race.