Racing's Future: Adrianna Lynch

“Racing’s Future” is a Q&A series in which I aspire to help everyone in the industry. In addition to shining a spotlight on youth who plan to have a career in horse racing, I hope that the opinions expressed in their responses will offer industry leaders insight into what a younger audience believes the sport should improve upon.

Meet Adrianna Lynch

15-year-old Adrianna Lynch of Pennsylvania has enjoyed going to the track with her family since she was very young but did not become seriously interested in racing until several years ago. She has a popular horse racing photography account on Instagram, @therailbird, and is also a blogger for a blog run by young fans of racing, titled The Next Generation of Horse Racing.

How did you become interested in horse racing?

It was a perfect storm of a few different things. My mom had the opportunity to name a race horse for Ninety North Racing Stable. I started to follow Upswell’s short career with my mom but it wasn’t until last year’s Triple Crown that I caught Derby fever. I felt the excitement and disappointment of California Chrome winning the Derby and Preakness but losing the Belmont. Shortly after Chrome’s losing bid, I had the opportunity to visit Upswell for the first time. I fell in love with Fair Hill and all the horses there.

What do you love about horse racing?

I love the atmosphere of it. I’m the most comfortable at any place to do with horse racing. Whether it’s the track, a training center like Fair Hill, or a stud farm, I love just being there with the horses and the other people that love the sport, too. I also love the adrenaline rush that you get when some of your favorite horses are coming down the stretch.

Who are some of the people you admire in the industry and why?

I really admire the owners of Ninety North Racing, Katie and Justin Nicholson. First off, they are amazing owners to their horses; they always make sure their horses are happy and healthy and love them like they are their own children. Second, they are always so welcoming of me; they always say that we are able to visit Upswell (their horse that my mom named) and Fair Hill whenever I want. I also ask Katie a bunch of questions and she never hesitates to answer them. I also admire one of their trainers, Kelly Rubley. She started out as an assistant trainer to JJ Toner and now she has her own small string of horses. She also lets me hang out at the barn and makes me feel like part of the team.

What aspects of horse racing do you wish you knew more about?

I would like to know more about the training of a horse – especially before a horse has its first race, see the process the horse goes through to get to the track. That has always interested me. I also would like to learn more about the breeding. It seems like a puzzle to fit horses together and I would love to see a foal being born.

What racetracks have you been to?

I’ve been too Parx, Delaware Park, and Monmouth.

What is your favorite racetrack? Why?

My favorite track would be Monmouth. I just really love the paddock and how the track is set up in general. Although, Delaware Park’s paddock is great scenery for photography.

Of the racetracks you have not been to, which one do you want to visit most?

Saratoga, Santa Anita, and Gulfstream: they all look so beautiful and I would love to visit one day!

What are your favorite moments in your “horse racing life” thus far?

I have a couple. Visiting Upswell for the first and second time. It was amazing to meet the horse that I’ve been waiting to meet since my mom named him. Even if he did retire as a racehorse, he is still an amazing horse. It was really cool to watch the morning workouts too. I watched Upswell in his new job as a barn pony, watched Ninety North’s horses breeze, and also saw a bunch of Graham Motion’s horses. Another moment was going to Northview Stallions, it was my first time at a stud farm and it was awesome. I met Smarty Jones, El Padrino, Jump Start, etc. The whole time I was there, I was just smiling and kind of in shock that I was in the presence of Smarty Jones and so many others.

Who are your favorite racehorses of your lifetime? Before your lifetime?

In my lifetime, it would have to be Barbaro. Even though I was only six years old at the time, I can remember my mom always talking about him and I knew he was meant to be a champion. Before my lifetime, it would have to be Seabiscuit. I just love his story and the inspiration he gave to the struggling people during the Great Depression since I love learning about that time period in history.

If you could change something about the industry, what would you change?

I wish there were more opportunities for younger people in the racing business. There are some – like being an assistant for Eclipse Sportswire at the Breeders’ Cup – but only a couple people can do that. Other than that, unless you already have good connections with people in the business, there’s not really anything off the top of my head that can give a younger person in the sport a special opportunity to go to the Breeders’ Cup or a Triple Crown race.

What do you think is preventing horse racing from being a more popular sport?

I think how it’s covered by media. I rarely see anything on the news about racing unless it’s one of the Triple Crown races or if something tragic happens. For example, this past year’s Pennsylvania Derby at Parx, California Chrome was going to be in it. You would think that the local news would say something about it leading up to the event, but there was nothing. So the only people who were going to go to Parx to see Chrome were the people who were already fans of racing.

What do you think is the most common misconception about horse racing?

That the owners, trainers, and jockeys abuse the horses and do it just for the money. Most of them love their horses and want the best for them. Usually owners and trainers don’t put all their time and money to abuse a horse. That would cost more money to tend to any injuries they get than it would get running them in the race, injured. For the jockeys, yes, it’s a job for them but it’s also something they love doing. They don’t put their life on the line every day to just hurt a horse or do it for the money. Now, I won’t deny that there are some bad people in the racing business, but there aren’t as many as the people that don’t know a lot about the sport think. In any discipline with horses, there are always going to be people that aren’t in the sport because they love it; that is undeniable.

How would you convince someone who is not an avid follower of horse racing to begin following the sport?

I would take them to the track two separate days. One day will be when there are no stake races and not a lot of people are at the track – when there are claiming, maiden, and allowances races – to show them the horses that are beginning their careers and maybe they will like one and follow them for their career. Another day would be on a stakes day, so they can see the more well-known horses in the industry that might be trying to go to the Triple Crown races or one of the Breeders’ Cup races. They would also see two different types of crowds on different race days.

What career do you plan to pursue in the horse racing industry?

I would like to have a career as a photographer for racing. I love taking pictures at the track and love the accomplished feeling I get when I see one of my pictures and I think, “Wow, I took that picture.” My second choice would be to be a turf writer. I love writing about different horses and my experiences in racing. I just need to get better at it.

How are you currently contributing to the horse racing industry?

Right now, I’m part of The Next Generation of Horse Racing blog on Weebly. We are trying to get ourselves known in the industry, as well as trying to find ways for younger people to also get more involved than just being a fan. I hopefully contribute with my photography, too. There have been people that have found my account on Instagram and saw my pictures of their horses that they own/used to own and there have been exercise riders that are in my pictures from Fair Hill.

What is one thing you aspire to personally accomplish someday in the horse racing industry?

In general, I would just like to be able to get a media pass on the day of a stakes race. That’s what I’ve been working towards getting. If I get a media pass, the next goal would to either be to go to the Kentucky Derby or the Breeders’ Cup, preferably with a media pass, but if I couldn’t get a media pass, it would just be nice to be there.