The Distill - Derby Edition

Greetings pioneers-

The KYX newsletter officially has a name. The Distill—taking the chaos of the information Ai age and distilling it into what actually matters.

Hopefully it sticks. No promises. But for now, it feels right.

This week we’re looking at derby through a different lens.

Builder Behind the Bloodline

While most are studying horses or finalizing Derby plans, some of us are looking higher up the reins—at the real stallions—guys like Mike Repole, owner of Derby horse Grande.

Repole isn't just another wealthy owner playing the Derby game for fun.
He's a self-made billionaire, a relentless builder, and the embodiment of high agency.

Track Record:

🥤 Co-founder of Glaceau (Vitaminwater) — sold to Coca-Cola for $4.1 billion
🥛 Founder of BodyArmor — sold to Coca-Cola for $5.6 billion
🐎 Owner of Repole Stable, with notable horses like Uncle Mo, Vino Rosso, and Mo Donegal.

He started at the bottom—entry-level at Mistic Beverages, where he climbed the ladder and learned the game.

In 1999, he took what he learned, sidestepped the dull, bloated corporate world, and co-founded Glaceau, launching Vitaminwater and Smartwater into a market dominated by giants who were too slow, too safe, and too stuck in their ways.

Repole moved faster. Moved smarter. Moved harder.

He built a brand, not just a product.
He hustled through gas stations and gyms while the big guys were still stuck in boardrooms.

By 2007, Coca-Cola had no choice but to buy them out—for $4.1 billion.

And he didn’t stop there.

In 2011, he came for Gatorade.

With BodyArmor, he bet on better ingredients, athlete ownership, and brand storytelling.
While Gatorade coasted on legacy, Repole built urgency.

By 2021, Coca-Cola bought BodyArmor too—for $5.6 billion.

He took the same approach to horse racing—starting small, purchasing low-level claiming horses so he could learn the game by doing the thing, without burning capital.

Its pretty simple.
Learn by doing.
Spot the inefficiencies.
Attack—relentlessly.

Not luck.
Not timing.
Agency

And Repole’s built an empire on it.

👀 All Eyes Are Not on Derby

This weekend, Louisville will be the center of the universe — if your universe is tradition, top hats, and mint juleps.

Zoom out, and the real gravitational pull is happening 1,000 miles south: Formula 1 in Miami.

If you follow the money, the prestige, and the global pull —you'll see that the Kentucky Derby and the Miami Grand Prix are playing very different games.

Earlier this week, Formula 1 and AWS renewed their multi-year partnership — and it’s not just a logo on a car.

Since 2018, AWS has powered everything from real-time race simulations to aerodynamic modeling that shaped the design of F1’s 2022 car. They’ve launched 20+ live F1 Insights powered by machine learning — giving fans real-time data on race strategy, car performance, and driver matchups.

The new phase goes even further:

• AI-generated track designs

• Live integrations of gaming, cloud, and media

• Helps F1 move closer to Net Zero Carbon by 2030

• STEM talent pipelines fueling the entire operation

This is what it looks like when a sport becomes a platform for innovation.

At the Derby, we’re still measuring photo finishes. Give Derby, Ai and innovation a search and you’ll find Derbypicks.ai
In Miami, they’re using Ai to design the next generation of racing — and the experience around it.

Its a different game. With a different timeline. And a much different future.

Woodstock of Capitalism - Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting

While we sip our mint juleps and place bets under wide-brimmed hats this weekend, another spectacle unfolds 700 miles northwest in Omaha, Nebraska. The annual Berkshire Hathaway Shareholders Meeting - “The Woodstock of Capitalism”, where tens of thousands gather to hear from Warren Buffett and, until recently, his legendary partner Charlie Munger.

While our city parties, Omaha plans.

The crowd in Omaha is discussing things like generational wealth, Ai investments, global supply chains, and how to run a business that lasts 100 years. The Derby is a two-minute race. The Berkshire meeting is a masterclass in long-term thinking.

We here in Louisville think “the whole world” or maybe even “the whole country” is watching the Derby. We might need to take a step back and have some perspective and see what else is going on.

Thats a wrap. 🎬
Keep showing up. 💪
Keep Shipping 🚢

Peace, Pioneers ✌️