Gronkowski (the football player) buys into Gronkowski (the racehorse)

In a development that will bring far more attention to an already compelling Kentucky Derby, and likely make a decided longshot a far shorter price, Rob Gronkowski of the New England Patriots announced in a press release on Wednesday that he is now part of the ownership group of the colt named for him.

According to the press release, Gronkowski the football player “has acquired a substantial stake” in the racehorse Gronkowski, who earned his berth in the May 5 Kentucky Derby by topping the inaugural European Road to the Kentucky Derby series.

Gronkowski the horse has won his last four starts. He most recently captured the Burradon Stakes at Newcastle, a one-mile race run on a straightaway and on a synthetic surface. The Derby is 1 1/4 miles on dirt around two turns, and this year’s field is coming up particularly strong, with the likes of the unbeaten colts Justify and Magnum Moon, and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Mendelssohn heading the field.

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Gronkowski the football player has attended the Derby in years past as part of a large contingent of Patriots who have made the Derby an annual day out. He is a two-time Super Bowl winner.

“This horse is a winner and I love a winner,” Gronkowski said in the press release. “When I heard about the racehorse being named after me, I started watching and got really stoked when he started winning.

“I really can’t think of anything cooler than having a top-class Thoroughbred named after me. Except maybe having him win the Derby.”

The majority owner of the equine Gronkowski is Phoenix Thoroughbreds, which is run by Amer Abdulaziz.

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“We are very excited to have this talented racehorse running in the Derby and to have Rob Gronkowski join our team,” said Tom Ludt, who directs Phoenix’s global racing and bloodstock operations. “His involvement only adds to our growing credentials worldwide and can help us introduce the best of horse racing to a whole new audience.”

To that point, anticipating that Gronkowski the horse will now be a more popular attraction to neophyte bettors owing to both his name and the player’s involvement, Gronkowski’s odds on the Derby future line set by Mike Watchmaker, Daily Racing Form’s national handicapper, were lowered from 50-1 in the Derby Watch chart published early Wednesday to 30-1 after the announcement.

Gronkowski, based in England, is trained by Jeremy Noseda. He is scheduled to arrive in Louisville the week of the race.