Kendra Taylor
Kendra Taylor has been riding in the sport of horse racing for a long time which is something we both respect. Kendra actually retired a bit ago, but now rides part time and also owns horses. Here is an interview with did with Kendra at Philadelphia Park.
Kendra Taylor at Philadelphia
Park, October, 2001
FOTH: Where were you born and where did you grow up?
KT: Wilmington Delaware both.
FOTH: Do you have any brother or sisters?
KT: Younger sister and an older brother. My sister rides a little bit for pleasure. My brother is about 10 foot tall and about as wide (we all laugh). He would never be a jockey.
FOTH: What did your parents think when you wanted to become a jockey and what do they think of it now?
KT: They really were indifferent one way or another. They are still that way. My dad likes it more than my mom. He comes to me to the see my races when he has time off. But my parents they really weren't horse people.
FOTH: What sort of girl were you growing up and did you have a lot of close friends and stuff?
KT: Yeah I have a lot of close friends and I always played sports, but I wasn't a social type of person.
FOTH: What sports did you play?
KT: I played hockey, basketball, and I ran hurdles in track. I made it to districts and my coach told me I was built like one of their legs. (we all laugh again)
FOTH: Did you have much interest in horse racing before becoming a jockey?
KT: No I just liked horses. Actually I used to fox hunt and I used a professional whip before I started riding races. I didn't start getting involved in horse racing till I met my husband.
FOTH: What stuff were you taught as far as riding goes and what was the single most important thing you were taught?
KT: Not to fall off (laughs). Basically I just taught myself I had a pony and I would ride him around and when I fell off I realized I did something wrong. He was a good pony he would stop everytime I fell off.
FOTH: How was it for you getting up on a horse for the first time?
KT: I don't remember.
FOTH: How long did you exercise horses before you decided to become a jockey?
KT: About five years.
FOTH: During that time were you swaying back and forth about maybe becoming a jockey?
KT: Actually I didn't ride cause I had a shoulder that was dislocated, but I used the whip and this was a long time ago and back then with surgery you didn't know if you would get back full mobility back and I was afraid to have it done and I never thought about riding but finally I found a doctor that would do the surgery and guaranteed it would be ok. I had the surgery done and then that is when I realized I could become a jockey.
FOTH: Were you nervous at all before your first race?
KT: Sure you are nervous, but it is more exciting than nervous.
FOTH: What was the name of the horse and track if you can remember?
KT: Sure do. It was my own horse and her name was Dollar Baby. She was 60-1 and I finished second at Delaware Park.
FOTH: Did you learn anything from the race?
KT: It was a lot of fun (laughs)
FOTH: Tell us about your first win ever.
KT: It was at Delaware Park. It was phenomenal cause I had ridden in only like 5 races before I rode my first winner and rode so hard. When you ride your first winner your just passing them and the horse is just doing it and you don’t have to do as much.
FOTH: What was it like going into the winner circles and did you get plastered after the race?
KT: It was thrilling and yes I did. I was lucky as it was the last race of the day and most of the jockeys had left and it wasn't as big. If it was an early race on the card it would have been really bad. (laughs)
FOTH: What are some of the tracks you have ridden at?
KT: Calder, Gulfstream, Sam Houston, Laurel, Pimlico, Charles Town, Delaware, Atlantic City, Delaware, Philadelphia Park, Meadowlands, Monmouth, Garden State Park, Belmont, Aqueduct, Rockingham, Penn National. Basically I have always been based at Philadelphia Park or Delaware Park.
FOTH: Do you have a favorite track since you have rode at so many?
KT: Philadelphia Park is the best. The people are the nicest.
FOTH: Do you have a favorite turf course?
KT: I would say Atlantic City.
FOTH: What was the biggest race you ever won and biggest you ever rode in?
KT: The biggest race I ever won was at Gulfstream where I won a $50,000 stake race for Jonathan Sheppard.
FOTH: Do you have a favorite horse you like to ride?
KT: D. Guilford is my favorite. I won 11 races on him.
FOTH: I know this was a bit ago, but was it hard to adjust from losing your apprentice and being a journeywoman jockey?
KT: No not at all. If you worked hard you keep going. I won as many races after I lost my bug as I did with the bug. The hardest thing is when you have come off an injury when you have not been riding for a while.
FOTH: That leads me to this question. What time of injuries have you had?
KT: Too many to write down. The one that ended it for me was when I tore my ACL and had knee replacement surgery in 1997. I was off for a whole year and when I came back I really couldn't get my business going. I am not really riding right now as I have only ridden in 8 races this year. It is kind of like a hobby right now.
FOTH: What advice would you give somebody that would like to become a jockey?
KT: Work hard and if a trainer takes you off a horse just wish him good luck and don't hold it against him cause in this business you get tired and fired every single day and it is not a personal thing. The next week the trainer might want you back on the horse and if you keep that type of attitude and don't hold a grudge or get mad that is good cause you don't want to burn bridges cause you need all the trainers to keep your business going.
FOTH: Any other female jockeys you admire?
KT: Julie Krone she was an excellent rider. When it comes to jockeys in general the ones that I admire most aren't necessarily the ones on top, but the ones that ride the claiming races everyday and you know they try hard everyday on those horses. It is easy to ride the good horses. Anybody can ride the good horses. I have respect for the everyday riders. It is nice to watch the good riders on good horses and believe me anybody can ride those horses.
FOTH: So how many horses do you own and are they all race horses?
KT: My husband is a trainer and he has about 8 horses that run.
FOTH: Any funny jockey stories to tell?
KT: One that made an impression on me was when I still had the bug at The Meadowlands and that was a big time track compared to Delaware cause Delaware didn't have slots at the time. I was on a nice horse named Righteous Man for Sheppard and it was so cool you just gallop around on the turf at night at the Meadowlands. So we are running in a tough race and just before I hit the wire Julie Krone comes up to me and she is almost gonna beat me and just before the wire Nick Santagata came by us and almost wiped us both out. In the picture there is a win and the picture for second you can see us both checking up. So we are galloping back and she says to me "he really creamed us why don't you claim foul?" I am some bug rider I am not gonna claim foul at The Meadowlands. I was so sacred. She claimed foul on them and it took like 20 minutes. I was already showered and was done and they took him down and put us both up in a dead heat for win. I thought that was kinda neat.
FOTH: Any last words you want to say?
KT: Pat Day's advice is always good: Be a good passenger.