Fans of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have been abuzz with speculation that the couple acquired a 10 percent stake in The Puma, a three-year-old chestnut thoroughbred entered in the 2026 Kentucky Derby. The rumors began circulating online, coinciding with reports of the couple's plans to wed this summer.
Online Speculation Gains Traction
One X user wrote on Monday, 'Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift are now 10 percent part owners of Kentucky derby entry The Puma.' Another fan commented on Instagram, 'Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce just bought 10% ownership in The Puma… an official announcement is coming soon,' adding hashtags #taylorswift and #swifties.
The scuttlebutt was further fueled by Michael Lavarone, the horse's co-owner, who posted on his Instagram Story a picture of The Puma with the message: '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.' Lavarone is a Miami investment advisor and horseman.
Sources Deny Ownership
However, sources told Page Six that the couple do not have any ownership interest in The Puma. In August 2024, Kelce did purchase an ownership stake in a different horse, Swift Delivery, in partnership with Team Valor International and the Zoldan family. That four-year-old roan gelding, whose name evokes Swift's nickname, mostly competes at Woodbine Racetrack in Canada.
The Kentucky Derby odds board was affected by the so-called Swift Effect, referring to her ability to turn anything she associates with into economic gold. The Puma initially opened at +1000 on the morning line, ranking as the fifth choice at 10-1 odds. After the rumors spread, The Puma leaped to +350 favorite on Wednesday, before settling to +800 by Friday.
Horse Scratched from Race
Hours before the race on Saturday, Churchill Downs announced The Puma had been scratched due to a swollen leg from a skin infection. This development dampened the excitement surrounding the horse.
Swift recently addressed her fans' tendency to overanalyze her lyrics in an interview with New York Times Magazine. She said, 'There's corners of my fanbase that are going to take things to a really extreme place. There's nothing that I can do about that. There's people who are going to try to like, do detective work, figure out the details - who is that about? What is this?' She added, 'When it gets a little bit weird for me is when people act like it's sort of like a paternity test. Like: "This song's about this person." Because I'm like: "That dude didn't write the song. I did."'
Swift emphasized that she doesn't let others' perceptions influence her art. 'You have to hold tight to your perception of your art and your relationship with it, and then you just have to [think]: "There it goes, hope you like it! If you don't now, hope you do in five years! And if you never do, then I was doing it for me anyway."'
Swift's Creative Process
In the same interview, Swift revealed that her hit track Love Story, released in 2008, was one of the first songs she wrote without worrying about others' opinions. She penned it at age 17, angry with her parents for refusing to let her date an older boy. Swift also noted that her real life continues to inspire her writing. One of her recent tracks, Elizabeth Taylor from The Life of A Showgirl, came to her after a passionate rant about her admiration for the late actress during a car journey with her fiancé. She scrambled to record the melody on her phone before forgetting it.
