Barry Irwin, founder and CEO of Team Valor International, announced Aug. 27 that the Zoldan Family, owners of Phantom Fireworks, and Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl-winning tight end Travis Kelce recently acquired a significant share of Team Valor’s interest in the 3-year-old gelding Swift Delivery , which Team Valor owns with Gary Barber.
The Zoldans have been key members of Team Valor’s syndicates for nearly four decades, participating in three notable Kentucky Derby (G1) renewals: the 2011 victory of Animal Kingdom , a head second in 1997 with Captain Bodgit, and a close fourth-place finish in 2012 with Went The Day Well .
Bruce Zoldan, founder and CEO of Phantom Fireworks, has been a longtime attendee of the Run for the Roses. This year, fellow Ohio native Kelce attended the Derby with the Zoldans, thanks to his close friendship with Bruce’s son, Alex. Phantom Fireworks, based in Youngstown, Ohio, is the largest pyrotechnic retailer in North America.
Swift Delivery won his first start for Team Valor and Barber in an allowance race July 19 at Woodbine, which followed a 16 1/2-length runaway in a June 23 maiden race there when racing solely for Barber. The Mark Casse-trained son of Not This Time is set to make his stakes debut Aug. 31 at a mile on the grass in the Toronto Cup at Woodbine.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.