Racing's Future: Danica Cochran

“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 Danica Cochran

Danica Cochran, 21, is a graduate of the Thoroughbred Equine Racing Program at Morrisville State College, located in upstate New York. She is originally from southeast Massachusetts, but has been living in Lexington, Kentucky for a little over a year now. A fan of racing since 2004, Dani is currently working as a vet assistant and farm hand at Gunston Hall Farm in Lexington.

How did you become interested in horse racing?

I have always had a love for horses, and when I was in fourth grade, my dad suggested I should watch the Kentucky Derby. Smarty Jones splashed his way to victory that year, and just like that, I was hooked. I have a picture of him hanging in my bathroom still.

What do you love about horse racing?

Oh boy, a lot. Mostly the horses, of course. I love the heart, when you can see them try hard. When those horses that you have followed and love finally achieve something great, there’s no other feeling like it. I love how it always surprises you, even when everything seems set in stone.

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

I really admire Graham Motion and his training capabilities. He is my favorite trainer, and I feel he does right by every single one of his horses. Though I’ve never met him personally, he seems like a genuinely nice guy and is a great asset to this sport’s image. I also appreciate owners who keep fans as updated as possible on their horses such as Conquest Stables, 90 North Racing and WinStar.

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

I would love to take a larger part and know more about breaking and training yearlings and the very important process of teaching them to be racehorses.


What racetracks have you been to?

Suffolk Downs, Saratoga, Belmont, Aqueduct, Finger Lakes, Timonuim, Keeneland and Churchill Downs. 


What is your favorite racetrack? Why?

My favorite track, by far, is Saratoga. To me, it is everything that racing should be, or strive to be. It is the epitome of summer racing, and the people who go just genuinely go to enjoy the day, and it’s absolutely gorgeous. Saratoga is one of a kind for sure.


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

Probably Santa Anita or Monmouth. Both seem great. Santa Anita’s backdrop is by far the best of all the racetracks.


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

As a fan, recently, it has been American Pharoah winning the Triple Crown (of course), being at this year’s Breeders’ Cup, and Rachel Alexandra’s win in the 2009 Woodward Stakes at Saratoga. As a person in the industry, we recently had a three-year-old filly born and raised at Gunston Hall win at Keeneland this past fall meet and that was thrilling!


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

My favorite racehorse of my lifetime is Rachel Alexandra. It’s the first thing on my bucket list to meet Rachel. Before my lifetime would probably be Citation. He’s one of the lesser talked about Triple Crown winners, and he was amazing. He was so dominant that he ran in the Pimlico Special and every single other horse scratched. That’s pretty darn awesome.

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

This is more of a collective effort, but I think it would be great if we could make it so that trainers, owners and farms were more open about letting fans in and being more accessible. I think one of the main reasons racing doesn’t have more of a fan base is that it’s very hard to be able to relate to any of these horses that people love when you can’t meet them. And I know the exceptions and rules and I’m not saying it would work with all horses, but for the horses that are suitable to be around the public, I think the public should be allowed meet and greets from time to time. I think it’s great for this sport.


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

What I said above. Also, we have a very bad representation about the drug use and medications given to the horses, which detours a lot of potential fans. And the breakdowns really don’t help. Unfortunately that will always be a problem we face. 


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

That every horse that runs is on some form of “pain killing” medication, or that our horses are abused. Unfortunately there is a very large misconception that everyone in this sport partakes in illegal activities, and in reality it is a very small number – most, if not all, of whom get caught.


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

I have specific races in my mind that get me emotional every time, so usually I just show someone a race and then describe why it is so amazing. It kind of worked on my dad. I also forced him to take me to Saratoga every year for a while so that probably helped, too. It’s hard not to like a sport when you go on big days.


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

Well, next year I plan/hope to work at an equine hospital in the Lexington area and potentially become a vet technician. I truly love helping these animals, so I’d love to learn more and help them. I also still hold a large interest in breaking and training yearlings, so it’s possible that I will try to find a place where I can really get to learning different methods and maybe one day starting my own business. It could go either way at this point. I’m living life day by day!


How are you currently contributing to the horse racing industry?

Well, I am currently on my second year of working full-time in this industry, working on a breeding farm. I’m mostly active at the sales and I am at Fasig-Tipton and Keeneland a lot. I received a scholarship in 2013 from the New York Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association that was presented to me at Saratoga. As for promoting the sport, the farthest I have really gone with that is giving details to all my family members who don’t understand a word I am saying, and taking pictures and posting them on Facebook. I’d love to be more active in promoting this sport, though.


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

I just really want to help this sport as much as I can, and hope to convince people to love it as much as I do, and keep this sport alive. If I can convince several people who knew nothing about the sport, to begin following it, that would be a great accomplishment to me.