Technical.ly – “My business is sports, health and fitness, but the things I like to do are horse racing and whiskey,” the Under Armour founder told a crowd of UA and political dignitaries like Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake on Wednesday. “This is a conflicted man on many levels,” Plank quipped.
On a personal level, Plank explained this dilemma by reciting a speech from Noah “Soggy” Sweat.
Then there’s the business side. Plank said he sees all of his additional businesses as having a “relevant, tangible benefit” to Under Armour. In the case of the rye whiskey company, which he cofounded with Bill McDermand and named Sagamore Spirit, the connecting point is Sagamore Farm in Reisterstown, Md.
The company intends to make the rye whiskey using water from a spring on the farm, which is filtered through a bed of limestone. But everything at the Baltimore County farm points back to its longtime, primary purpose: training thoroughbred racing horses.
Building on a pedigree that includes Vanderbilts and hall-of-fame horses, Plank said he wants the farm to become Baltimore’s “third sports team,” with fans following not just the Preakness, but the horses who Sagamore has in the Triple Crown races.
“We want that Oriole pride, we want that Raven pride to exist for our third sports team as well,” he said.
Read more at Technical.ly Baltimore
