Derby racehorse named Audible sounds like a winner to Amazon
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Picking a Kentucky Derby horse that most pleases the eyes is no rare strategy, but one that satisfies the ears, too? Audible might be your pick then. The Thoroughbred, which will compete in Saturday’s premier horse race, has the backing of the Amazon-owned audiobook company of the same name, Audible.com.
John Harrobin, Audible.com’s senior vice president of marketing, said his staff came across the horse’s growing popularity while monitoring the audiobook company’s search-engine optimization, known as SEO, or where it stands in results on sites such as Google.
“We came across Audible the horse stories in our news feed because we track all things Audible,” Harrobin said.
After a brainstorming session with his staff, Harrobin called WinStar Farm, one of the four owners of the horse, to see if there was a possibility the audiobook company and the horse could team up.
Audible.com made a $15,000 dona-
tion to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, a charity that works with organizations specializing in life after racing for thoroughbreds, in honor of Audible’s Florida Derby win. It also launched a social media marketing campaign built around the horse.
The company set up a website that includes fun facts about the horse, a game asking participants to pick when a name is an audiobook title or a horse and a selection of recommended audiobooks about the horse industry. As part of the sponsorship, the Audible.com logo is visible on the horse’s training blanket. Jockey Javier Castellano was wearing a hat with the Audible.com logo dur- ing a recent interview.
An Audible.com Instagram post asks followers to tap the heart-shaped white spot on Audible’s forehead in support of the horse.
And what audiobook would the horse listen to?
In one video posted on Audible.com’s Instagram account, trainer Todd Pletch- er said he’s not sure — but thinks it would have to be a sports book.
Born to Run, Christopher McDougall’s book about a tribe of some of the world’s greatest distance runners, caught Pletcher’s attention when browsing Audible.com’s list of top-selling sports books.
“Think that would be right in his wheelhouse,” Pletcher said.
The “Go Audible” website makes sure to point out Audible.com is not an actual owner of the horse, which was named for the football play called an audible, not the audiobook company. But that did not stop Harrobin from trying to prank his vice president of finance with an April Fool’s invoice detailing how the audiobook company would have to purchase a stake in the horse to complete the campaign.
Harrobin went as far as to include the price of hay and jockey fees on the invoice before finally admitting to the gag.
A simple sponsorship will have to do instead.
“It’s been one of those things that’s serendipitous and fun,” Harrobin said.
If the horse wins, Audible promises to give away free downloads of Joe Drape’s American Pharoah, the story of the Triple Crown winner of the same name.
Audible.com ads will run at Churchill Downs throughout the week and during the Derby. There will also be an interactive game sponsored by Audible.com at the track.
Representatives from Audible.com will be on hand for the race to root on Audible in person, and the company will hold a pre-Derby party for its employees Friday at its Newark headquarters.
Amazon-owned Audible.com is not an actual owner of the horse, which was named for the football play called an audible, not the audiobook company.