Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce remain unconfirmed for the Kentucky Derby as Churchill Downs buzz builds Saturday. Swift and Kelce appear likely to skip the Derby today after reports linking the celebrity couple to horse The Puma were shot down, according to a New York Post investigation, cooling speculation they would appear at Churchill Downs.
The story took another turn when The Puma was scratched from the race entirely just hours before post time. With Puma rumors fading, fans are now watching one thing: whether Swift and Kelce make a surprise late arrival.
Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce and The Puma
The speculation around Swift and Kelce owning a piece of The Puma ignited earlier this week after co-owner Michael Iavarone declined to shut it down. Rather than issuing a flat denial, he took to Instagram with a post that threw gasoline on the fire.
“OK people. Everyone asking me if Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are partners on The Puma … all I can say is I signed an NDA, so I can’t confirm or deny,” Iavarone wrote, according to a Fox Sports report.
That Instagram story set off a frenzy. New York Post Page Six subsequently reported that its own sources confirmed Swift and Kelce carry no ownership interest in the chestnut colt whatsoever, directly contradicting the speculation Iavarone had encouraged.
The rumored connection had at least surface-level logic. Phantom Fireworks founder Bruce Zoldan, whose son Alex attended the 2024 Kentucky Derby with Kelce, purchased a stake in The Puma, according to BloodHorse Magazine. Kelce also bought a share of a horse called Swift Delivery in August 2024 alongside the Zoldan family, as USA Today‘s Mark Giannotto reported.
The Puma Scratched Before Kentucky Derby Post Time
Whatever remained of the attendance speculation collapsed Saturday morning when the Kentucky Derby officially scratched The Puma from the field. Veterinarians discovered swelling in the horse’s leg caused by a skin infection just hours before the race.
“We discovered some swelling in his leg due to a skin infection,” trainer Gustavo Delgado said, as quoted by Kentucky Derby publicist Kevin Kerstein. “It’s incredibly disappointing, but the swelling should go down within a day or two. It’s just really bad timing.”
The scratch eliminated the primary reason most fans had theorized Swift and Kelce would make the trip to Louisville. The Puma had been one of the most talked-about horses in the field, though in fairness, that attention was driven almost entirely by the Swift-Kelce ownership rumor rather than the horse’s actual chances in the race.
The ‘Swift Effect’ That Briefly Shifted the Odds
Even before the scratch, sharp bettors were already souring on The Puma’s inflated price. The horse had opened at +1000 on the morning line, ranking fifth on the board. After the Swift-Kelce ownership rumor exploded on social media, the odds briefly crashed to +350 before settling back to +800 by Thursday, per Fox Sports.
Fox Sports wagering analyst Chris Fallica made clear he was not chasing the hype.
“The rumored purchase of an interest in the horse by Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift means the price here is going to be seriously slashed,” Fallica said. “And that isn’t the type of play I’m looking to make on Derby Day in a 20-horse field.”
With The Puma out and the Swift-Kelce ownership story debunked, there is no confirmed reason for Swift and Kelce to be at Churchill Downs on Saturday other than as a public date before their reported July 3 wedding. But a surprise appearance is always possible and will not be known until post time at 6:57 p.m. Eastern — if then.
Are Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce at Kentucky Derby Today? Latest Update