Under Armour CEO Rebuilds Sagamore Farm

GLYNDON, Md. (WJZ) -- Under Armour founder and CEO Kevin Plank knows what it takes to turn a small business into a multi-billion dollar empire. Now his sights are set on new turf.

Jessica Kartalija explains.

It's a new era in Maryland's rich racing history. For the past six years, Under Armour founder and CEO Kevin Plank has been rebuilding Sagamore Farm, located 17 miles outside Baltimore in Glyndon in Worthington Valley.

"People are saying, `Wow, it's really starting to look the part.' Once you look the part, it takes a while to walk the part," Plank said.

Plank wants to build the Sagamore brand as a hometown team.

"Hopefully people say from here, `I don't know much about who's racing or who's running but who's running from Sagamore Farm? Because they represent Baltimore and Maryland and they have classy horses who always try hard and they've always got a chance,'" Plank said.

Sagamore Farm recently opened the farm to all Marylanders, giving private tours to guests who become members of Sagamore's Three Diamond Club.

"There's tremendous history here. Some of the greatest thoroughbreds of all time were raised here and campaigned here and are still here in the cemetery," said Sagamore Farm General Manager Tom Mullikin.

The famed horse-breeding farm--once owned by the Vanderbilt family--once again has thoroughbreds running in big name races like the Preakness, Belmont Stakes and the Breeders' Cup.

"We expect to run in the big races and be competitive in the big races; we expect to win the big races," Plank said.

And to do it all in the same year. Plank says his sights are set on winning the Triple Crown.

And next on tap? Kevin Plank says Sagamore Farm hopes to debut its own brand of whiskey in the 2016 Preakness Stakes.

Last year, Sagamore's Tiger Walk competed in the Preakness Stakes.