Heather Anderson, Associate International Editor, Thoroughbred Daily News
As part of a new series, we asked a number of people not born into racing families why they got into the sport, and what their first racing memory was.
Why did you get involved in the sport?
Looking back, I feel like I was always a horse person, but Thoroughbreds gained pride of place after I devoured Walter Farley's The Black Stallion series and determined in elementary school that I wanted to be an equine veterinarian. About junior high age, that goal morphed into working within the Thoroughbred industry when I discovered that my public library carried a subscription to a Thoroughbred racing weekly. In the years that followed, I began to delve into pedigree research, which to this day, is one of my favorite aspects of the game. Fortunately a pair of internships during and immediately after college–a big thank you to Peterson & Smith Equine Reproduction Center in Florida, to the Kentucky Equine Management Internship/Dixiana Farm in Lexington and all of the positive people along the way–reinforced my goal to work in the racing industry. A semester abroad in the UK, where I was able to watch Sea The Stars (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) win the G1 2000 Guineas, didn't hurt either. Armed with a degree in animal science, I graduated during the financial crisis and went with plan b, working outside of the industry for a few years. Haskell Day 2009 found me attending my first American race day at Monmouth Park, as Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d'Oro) defeated the colts. Fast forward to 2013 and I was fortunate enough to join the TDN. Last year, I bought a share (approximately an ear's-worth) in a juvenile filly (pictured) and have enjoyed every minute of being an owner.
What is your earliest racing memory?
Probably the earliest racing specific memory I had was watching Bob Baffert during the NBC telecast after Silver Charm (Silver Buck) had just completed the Derby/Preakness double in 1997. I was 10, awestruck and overjoyed to find racing coverage on TV, as I didn't grow up with cable.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
