The Amplify Horse Racing Podcast

Ever wondered how someone becomes officially cleared to work with Thoroughbred racehorses? 🏇 In this episode of OnBoard with Amplify, we’re taking you inside the Kentucky Horse Racing & Gaming Corporation (KHRC) Licensing Office at The Red Mile to walk through the step-by-step process of getting licensed in the state of Kentucky. Getting licensed is the first step for anyone who wants to work...

Animal husbandry is at the heart of every great horse farm—but did you know the same principles apply to goats? In this episode of OnBoard with Amplify , we head to Mill Ridge Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, to meet broodmare manager Jeremy Harlow . While Jeremy’s day-to-day revolves around caring for Thoroughbred mares and foals, he also runs a successful Kiko goat breeding program. From choosing th...

What does it take to keep a racetrack race-ready? In this episode of OnBoard with Amplify, we go behind the scenes at Keeneland with Track Superintendent Alfredo Laureano to learn about managing horse racing surfaces. From dirt to turf to synthetic, every surface requires careful maintenance to maintain optimal training and racing conditions for horses and riders. Join us as we: Ride along in trac...

In our first episode, we take you to Mill Ridge Farm, a sixth-generation Thoroughbred nursery in Lexington, Kentucky. Known for raising horses that go on to succeed at the racetrack and in the breeding shed, Mill Ridge focuses on the full early lifecycle of a racehorse—from foaling to yearling prep to racing. This episode introduces listeners to the daily operations of the farm during breeding sea...

In this episode, hosts Annise Montplaisir and Kaitlin Christopherson welcome the new year with an inspiring discussion on goal setting, reflection, and planning for the future. Annise and Kaitlin take a moment to celebrate their accomplishments from 2024—Annise reflects on Amplify’s incredible outreach and impact within the horse racing community, and Kaitlin highlights key successes with clients...

Join us for part two of this captivating two-part series with horseman DeJuan Smith! DeJuan brings a wealth of experience to the podcast, juggling multiple roles in the Thoroughbred industry: showman for Taylor Made Sales, ringman for Keeneland, skilled exercise rider, and pinhooker alongside his wife, Madeline. His path to horse racing is far from ordinary. Born in White Plains, New York, and rai...

Join us for this two-part series with horseman DeJuan Smith! DeJuan brings a wealth of experience to the podcast, wearing many hats in the industry: showman for Taylor Made Sales, ringman for Keeneland, and, alongside his wife Madeline, a dedicated pinhooker. But his journey into horse racing is anything but ordinary. Born in White Plains, New York, and raised in Virginia, DeJuan's early life...

The Amplify Horse Racing Podcast welcomes Robert Hartman, Chair of the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program (RTIP). Robert grew up attending the races with his family on weekends and discovered the Arizona Race Track Industry Program through an ad in the Daily Racing Form. As an RTIP student, he began his racing career with a summer internship at NYRA, which led to a full-time positio...

Whitney Verbal is a Commonwealth Steward for the Virginia Racing Commission and serves on the Board of Stewards for Colonial Downs. Born in Chicago, she rode a horse for the first time at a summer camp as a child, and fell in love. Graduating from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, her passion for horse racing began during a transformative internship at Lazy E Ranch in Okl...

Liza Hendriks, CEO and Founder of Inglis Digital USA, formerly Wanamakers, joins the Amplify Horse Racing Podcast to give first hand insight into starting a tech business from the ground up in the Thoroughbred industry.  Liza grew up riding horses, and with her parents being trainers, she was around racing—especially steeplechase—from a young age. It wasn't until after college that Liza realiz...

This special educational episode of the Amplify Horse Racing Podcast is your ultimate guide for a day at the racetrack! Hosts Annise Montplaisir and Kaitlin Christopherson share essential tips and insider knowledge so that you can plan ahead and have an unforgettable experience during morning training OR racing. Whether you are a seasoned racegoer or a first-time visitor, this episode is packed wi...

In this episode of the Amplify Horse Racing Podcast, we're thrilled to welcome professional USEA and 5* level event rider Ashley Adams. Ashley started riding at a young age and was a United States Pony Club member. She fell in love with the eventing world after taking a clinic and soon after purchased her first off-the-track Thoroughbred. Through working as a working student for professional r...

Racehorse trainer Jade Cunningham joins the Amplify Horse Racing podcast on this episode. Jade grew up around horses in Tennessee at her mom’s riding stable, and was introduced to the racehorse world through her mom and stepdad in Kentucky. She started as a hotwalker and then started galloping racehorses and absolutely fell in love with the Thoroughbred industry. After making connections with a tr...

Noé Tostivint joins the Amplify Horse Racing Podcast to discuss yearling sales preparations. Originally from Eus, France, Noé has traveled the world and now resides in Lexington, Kentucky, where he is the yearling manager at the Don Alberto Corporation. He shares his journey from learning to ride horses in high school to working in England, Ireland, Australia, and the U.S.. He also discusses his j...

Become an Amplify Mentor or Mentee! In this special episode, originally aired live on June 20, 2024, we bring you an insightful Q & A session hosted by Amplify’s Annise Montplaisir and Mary-Courtney Combs, dedicated to answering all your questions about the Amplify Mentorship Program. Whether you're a potential mentor looking to share your expertise or a mentee eager to learn and grow, thi...

Since moving to Kentucky from Maryland a few years ago, Sara Gordon has become a prominent figure in the world of horse racing media. If you’ve ever scrolled the social media channels of the trade publication, the Thoroughbred Daily News (TDN), you’ve seen the fruits of Sara’s labor. She’s often awake before dawn to capture content at the track or on farms, and stays up well after dark creating re...

Amber Wells joins the Amplify podcast to discuss social license to operate as it relates to horses' emotional well-being, also known as their affective state. Amber's passion for horses began in her childhood when she participated in rodeo and 4-H, where her interest in both horses and extension education were sparked. Amber is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in animal science with a...

This week on the Amplify Podcast, we're joined by Aisling Carrol, a talented Thoroughbred rider and dedicated horsewoman. Aisling wears many hats in the equine industry, most of which involve being in the saddle or working closely with horses. Her roles include exercise rider, barn foreman, and 3-day event rider. Growing up, Aisling spent much of her time at the track with her parents, who tra...

On this episode, co-hosts Annise Montplaisir and Kaitlin Christopherson take the spotlight in a solo episode. Join them as they reintroduce themselves, three years after starting the podcast. Annise and Kaitlin share similar backgrounds, growing up in families without equine ties, far from Kentucky, and building their early foundation of horsemanship through the 4-H Horse Project. Now, they both h...

Annise Montplaisir is joined by Evan Ferraro, Director of Marketing at Fasig-Tipton, North America’s oldest Thoroughbred auction company. Evan grew up in the Thoroughbred industry in California, and was determined to become a horse trainer like his father until a post-college internship at Fasig-Tipton changed the course of his career. Evan talks about the importance of putting yourself in the rig...

This episode features Sean Tugel, Vice President of Bloodstock at Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. Sean's exposure to racing began early in life, as he went with his father, a seasoned veterinarian, to Finger Lakes Racetrack in Farmington, New York. Sean initially embarked on a non-equine career pathway, but early in his college journey he decided to refocus on his passion for the Thoroughbred i...

Ferrin Peterson joins the Amplify Podcast as a young professional who wears a couple of big hats in the industry. As a jockey and a working veterinarian, Ferrin stays very busy, but her journey to both careers was not without hard work and a winding path. Ferrin talks about professional rejections, moving across the country, and then back again for school and work, making connections, and work-lif...

Ferrin Peterson joins the Amplify Podcast as a young professional who wears a couple of big hats in the industry. As a jockey and a working veterinarian, Ferrin stays very busy, but her journey to both careers was not without hard work and a winding path. Ferrin talks about professional rejections, moving across the country, and then back again for school and work, making connections, and work-lif...

When your family is already established in the Thoroughbred industry, is it expected of you to continue down that path? Claire and Conrad Bandoroff of Denali Stud join us on this episode of the Amplify Horse Racing Podcast to talk about their experiences in the world of racing with generational education, identifying, shifting, and pursuing goals, and taking on leadership roles as younger adults i...

Have you ever considered starting your own business? Spearheading a transformational company isn’t easy, but a huge opportunity lies in the challenge. Pierce Dargan, CEO and founder of Equine MediRecord – a platform that digitizes and helps automate equine welfare and anti-doping compliance in the global horse racing industry – joins us from Ireland on this episode of the Amplify Podcast to talk a...