02-05-2025
Horse named after Kentucky Wildcat eyes Churchill Downs after Keeneland debut
LEXINGTON, Ky. (FOX 56) — When you think of Kentucky, three things tend to pop into your mind: bourbon, basketball, and horse racing. Two of those worlds collided in a local two-year-old colt named 'Brea From Three.'
'Koby has been my favorite player all year long,' owner Kelly Colliver said. 'He really shows what it means to wear that Kentucky jersey, and I wanted to honor him in some sort of way and named the horse because of him.'
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Colliver is a lifelong horse racing and UK basketball fan who is one of the owners of Brea From Three. She first got into the business two decades ago with Brea's granddam, and now she's overseeing the next generation.
'You know, there's a lot of ups and downs in the business, but it's the love of the horse that brings me back every time,' Colliver said. 'Whether they're running in a stakes race or claiming race, I still get very attached to the horses themselves. And Brea is no different. He's my baby'.
Brea From Three debuted last month in a Keeneland maiden race, finishing 5th. Despite the result, trainer John Ennis, there's still plenty to like from the thoroughbred sired by Classic Empire.
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'He has a good attitude, he's super athletic, and hopefully we can't look into his heart, but hopefully he has a big one.' Ennis said. 'We'll get him back, put him back on the training program, and we'll shoot for Churchill in the summer.'
Koby Brea isn't the first Kentucky Wildcat to find his name in a horse racing program. There was 'Snell Yeah,' named after former UK running back Benny Snell, back in 2019, and 'Tshiebwe,' named after the Naismith trophy winner, Oscar Tshiebwe, in 2022.
Koby Brea has been busy training for the 2025 NBA Draft, but the prolific shooter says he's honored, appreciative and will be watching the career of Brea From Three with a keen eye.
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