Michelle Luttrell

I met Michelle Luttrell over at Philadelphia Park one day and I recently got her on the phone for this interesting chat. Read about Michelle's time riding in Chile!!!

FOTH: Where were you born and where did you grow up?

ML: I was born in Canton, Ohio and I grew up in North Canton, Ohio. I went to high school and everything there.

FOTH: I know the Pro Football Hall of Fame is there. Did you ever go visit it?

ML: I went around it as there is a park there, but I never went inside the Hall of Fame itself.

FOTH: Do you have any brothers or sisters?

ML: I have 1 brother.

FOTH: Is he into the fact that your a jockey?

ML: Oh yeah. He enjoys watching me ride.

FOTH: What sort of girl were you growing up?

ML: I was sort of a tomboy, but I liked girl things too. Like in high school I played tennis and ran cross country and stuff.

FOTH: When you were growing up was becoming a jockey the farthest thing from your mind?

ML: The farthest thing no. When I was in elementary school I watched the Kentucky Derby on TV and stuff and I followed it and thought you could make money being a jockey and since I was always involved with horses. I started riding at 5 years old and after seeing that I decided that is what I wanted to do and even after I finished high school I decided that is what I wanted to do so I looked into becoming a jockey. Being a jockey was my dream, what I always wanted to do.

FOTH: When you were young did it feel natural getting up on a horse?

ML: It all came really easy. It was very easy getting up on a horse.

FOTH: What event or events led to you becoming a jockey?

ML: After high school I went and worked in a training center in South Carolina for Webb Caroll. Cause I knew how to ride horses, but thoroughbreds were a whole different category. So I went and started to learn how to break the babies and how to gallop and breeze horses and I did that for a couple years. Then I went ahead and took out my apprentice jockey license, which was in Ohio at Thistledown. I actually started galloping there for 6 months and then took out my apprentice license.

FOTH: What do you remember about your first race?

ML: Um (giggles) I remember being excited, but a little nervous. No pressure at all. The horse and I remember this was 145-1! (we both laugh) She beat a couple horses that day.

FOTH: What do you remember about your 1st win?

ML: My first win. The horse's name was called "They Call Me Billy" and was a 1st time starter. It was horse that I had been working with from the beginning. It was special because it was like a team effort ya know.

FOTH: Was that at Thistledown?

ML: Yes it was.

FOTH: Did you pretty much as an apprentice ride the Ohio area?

ML: The bug started really fast cause I won 5 races right away and that October and I went to Aqueduct in 1993 and actually became the leading apprentice for 1993 and part of 1994. I did really well in New York.

FOTH: Was there a big difference between riding in Ohio and NY?

ML: I very big difference. Thistledown the horses are cheaper and the riding style is different. You have to have the horses there more cause when I went to NY I was always the first one out of the gate and the riders in NY they sit, they are all a little more patient and that is the thing I learned was to be a real patient rider and to wait and I rode a lot for Mike Hushion and he was a big ground saver so I really learned how to ride in NY as there are better riders and better horses in NY.

FOTH: Where did you go after you lost your apprentice and became a journeyman rider?

ML: I went back and continued riding in Ohio cause I kinda missed it and everything changes when you lose the bug and I went back there and I did ok. About a year after being back home I got married and I had a bad accident so I missed a lot of time.

FOTH: What happened as far as the accident goes?

ML: It happened in the paddock before the race. I got up on the horse and the reins were crisscrossed ya know under the neck and the groom went to straighten them out and what he did was he pulled them on the horses head and instead of unbuckling them when he straightened them out he threw them back over his head and he spooked the horse and she reared up and flipped on me. I did not have any chance to get off. I broke my pelvis in 3 places. I was out for 7 or 8 months.

FOTH: After you returned from injury was there any sort of fear factor about riding again?

ML: The only thing I thought was that I'm gonna ride again cause it was something I loved to do and I got better and everything and I could wait to ride again.

FOTH: So after you the accident you came back. Where did you ride next?

ML: I had a child so I missed a lot of time. I had my child and me and my husband went to Boston in 1999. I did really well there. And then in September of 1999 me and my husband decided to go down to Chile to ride!

FOTH: What made you decide to go ride down in Chile?

ML: You met my husband the other day, he has an older brother who has been riding down in Chile the last 4 years and he said why don't you come down and just check it out as a vacation. So we went down on vacation and the vacation turned out to be 4 years!!! My husband started riding like a month after we got there and I wanted to ride too. All odds were against me cause there are like no woman riders down there. There was one girl that rode on occasion. There was one American trainer and he helped me go through and do all my paperwork for my visa and stuff. That November I was able to ride and I got very, very lucky as I has 2 mounts on the 1st day I rode and the 1st mount I got 2nd place and the other mount, I won.

FOTH: That must have been great for you.

ML: It was as it opened a lot of doors for me. There are races only three days a week and the next day I also won so it just kinda took off.

FOTH: What is it like riding down there?

ML: The first thing is they have 18 races a day and up to 18 horses per race. At the one track it is all turf racing and they run the opposite direction like over in Europe. That was different learning how to ride backwards. It was neat as it was all turf and you rode on the turf rain or shine. The jockeys ride really tight and not here like you are spread out and stuff. Over there the turf course is a lot of waiting.  

FOTH: What is the purse money like?

ML: Granted it is nothing like it is here in the states, it works out ok cause the rider does not give an agent 25% or a valet 10% and so you get all the money whereas here most of your money is going to pay for that. It works out really well as we were able to buy a home down there.

FOTH: Ok. What made you decide to come back to the US?

ML: We kinda missed being here in the states and I had a lot of injuries down there. With so many horses in the race and rider errors my husband said it was time to come back and he wasn't doing as well as I was so why take any more chances. It was time to come home.

FOTH: What made you decide to re locate to Philadelphia and not Ohio or Boston?

ML: Thisledown is not gonna get the slots and the money is terrible so that was scratched off right away and my husband's whole family is based here in Philadelphia so he started riding here years ago and with the possibility of them getting slots at Philadelphia Park we thought this would be a good place to make a home because it is year round racing and our daughter is starting school so that was a major factor.

FOTH: How much longer do you plan on riding for?

ML: Actually I don't know. Since working here at Philadelphia Park I have not ridden yet, I have had a lot of offers, but I just been working for Ed Coletti. I have been really starting to miss it and I have been working a lot of horses for him. It's in your blood and I think once it's in there you never want to leave.

FOTH: What advice would you give a young girl who wanted to be a jockey?

ML: The first thing I would tell her to do is to finish high school and go to at least a couple years of college cause being a jockey isn't forever ya know. I think you really need education to fall back on and you have to really love the sport. The education is more important than the horses.

FOTH: Take us through what you do in a typical day right now?

ML: I get up at 4:30 am and I leave the house no later than 5 am and go to Philadelphia Park and I get on about 9 horses and gallop for Ed Coletti and there is no pressure of riding and stuff. It is more relaxed now cause I am now a rider and I'm not hustling, but I kinda like that part too.

FOTH: I'd like to thank you for the interview. Hope to see you in the winner's circle at Philadelphia Park really soon. Any last words?

ML: You probably will (we both laugh) Thank you very much for the interview and the time it was very nice.

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