Many individuals enter the world of horse racing by birthright, dedicating their early lives to being amidst equestrian competitors, caring for their limbs, cleaning stables, and upholding family traditions that may span many eras. Conversely, some discover their path to the track by a less direct journey. Jordyn Egan exemplifies this second group.
“I developed an intense passion for horses starting at age 5, quite unexpectedly. I participated in hunter-jumper activities, nothing particularly extravagant,” she recalled, chuckling. “When my relatives were unable to finance riding instruction, I volunteered in the therapeutic equestrian initiative. My bond with horses never diminished.”
Raised in Southern California, specifically close to San Diego, she sustained her enthusiasm for horses throughout her university education, joining the Equine Science curriculum at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. However, she felt a desire to investigate further career prospects within the equestrian field. This led to an introduction her father arranged via her brother’s baseball squad.
“My father encountered a person who remarked, ‘I believe there’s an equestrian racing curriculum at the University of Arizona. You ought to investigate it with your offspring,’ ” Egan remembered. “During spring vacation, we journeyed there, and having no prior knowledge of racing, I thought, ‘Wow, this is truly significant.’ Consequently, I relocated.”
Her transition to the University of Arizona’s Race Track Industry Program (RTIP) unveiled a fresh domain for Egan. RTIP familiarizes learners with every dimension of the discipline, encompassing practical proficiencies in handling horses at different life phases, alongside the commercial aspects of racing, such as track administration, equestrian legislation, and numerous other areas.
Following her degree, she engaged in the Godolphin Flying Start initiative, an esteemed global curriculum that expanded upon her foundation from RTIP and assisted the Californian in determining her professional direction within the racing industry:
“I am passionate about managing enterprises. I adore horses, yet I have consistently harbored a desire to operate a commercial venture,” Egan stated.
Her involvement with RTIP and the Flying Start scheme additionally instilled in her a high regard for guidance and for the individuals working inconspicuously who facilitate the sport’s operation.
“It simply instructs you to always conduct yourself similarly towards others,” Egan remarked. “There’s no justification for lacking appreciation and open-handedness with what you possess. And to achieve this within horse racing and allow it to be your life’s guiding force is truly extraordinary.”
When her spouse, Jason Egan, received a chance to relocate to the Mid-Atlantic region, Jordyn departed her role at Darley to collaborate with the Maryland Horse Breeders Association (MHBA), concurrently pursuing her MBA at the University of Delaware. Her tenure as the director of distinct initiatives for MHBA afforded her the occasion to duplicate the Flying Start curriculum in Maryland, establishing the Maryland Horse Career Program (MHCP), and also to contribute significantly to the establishment of the Maryland Horse Library & Education Center located in Reisterstown, Md.
The Egan couple relocated back to California in 2023, with Jason assuming the roles of director of racing and racing secretary for Santa Anita Park, and Jordyn becoming the executive director of the Thoroughbred Owners of California. Cliff Goodrich, a seasoned California racing administrator, stepped down from his role at the California Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Foundation (CTHF) in late 2023, offering Egan the opportunity to lead this enduring charitable organization that delivers healthcare and oral care provisions to the backstretch populations across the state.
“Upon its availability, I declared that this role brings me immense joy,” Egan stated.
The CTHF was established in 1984 with the aim of delivering dental treatment to stable employees, subsequently broadening its scope throughout the years to include fundamental healthcare and elementary vision services alongside oral care. Receiving funding from a modest portion of the bets placed at the state’s racecourses, this entity upholds the welfare of the horses central to the sport by tending to the vital personnel who look after these equestrian competitors.
“We are continuously inquiring, ‘In what ways can we genuinely influence and assist these employees in leading more robust existences?’ which, in turn, profoundly affects the entire racing fraternity,” Egan explained. “For, when your workforce is content and well, they are able to report to duty daily in high spirits. No one desires to attend their job feeling unwell.”
Furthermore, the CTHF collaborates with other local entities to furnish supplementary offerings such as psychological support, nutritional aid, and other provisions. They work alongside the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club and the Oak Tree Racing Association to manage the Del Mar Meal Initiative, which furnishes between 400 and 500 complimentary meals to the stable worker demographic daily throughout the racing period.
In conjunction with the Sansum Diabetes Research Institute in Santa Barbara, CTHF presents a diabetes awareness curriculum named Ocho Pasos (Eight Steps), featuring sessions conducted in Spanish to aid individuals afflicted with diabetes. Attendees additionally obtain provisions, refreshments, and encouragement across the initiative to enhance their prospects of positive outcomes.
A collaboration with the Winners Foundation, initially conceived as an addiction recovery initiative for stable personnel and their relatives, has also empowered CTHF to tackle psychological well-being issues within this crucial group.
“We are continuously integrating components that possess the extensive characteristics we seek,” Egan stated. “We are privileged to collaborate very effectively here in California with these associations that have long been established within the stable worker sector.”
“It involves everyone operating according to their proficiencies, ensuring that the financial resources — and largely, we are supported by the industry — are allocated in the most economical manner by those who possess expertise.”
Egan’s commitment to assistance encompasses her involvement with both Amplify Horse Racing, an entity that offers guidance and instruction for young individuals aspiring to engage in the sport, and the Horse Racing Women’s Association, a nationwide body dedicated to linking female professionals within the industry and aiding their career advancement through various opportunities.
“Presently, HRWA boasts a membership approaching 300 women. Our efforts focus on establishing virtual connections in a manner that is viable for individuals who are distant, occupied, or unable to travel to California, Saratoga, or Kentucky. We actively seek methods to foster connections year-round, and the confidence already cultivated among our members within this digital environment has proven exceptionally significant,” she remarked.
Her endeavors primarily revolve around fostering relationships and championing causes, particularly for individuals striving to establish their standing within the equestrian discipline.
“Should we manage to bring a greater number of individuals, as many as feasible, into some form of network — particularly in regions that are obvious choices such as Kentucky — then people will discern their paths, thinking, ‘I aspire to this, I aspire to that,’ and everything aligns successfully,” Egan articulated.
“The prospects within racing are plentiful, provided we guide individuals onto the correct course.”
The consistent theme woven through Egan’s career in horse racing, spanning from RTIP to the CTHF, involves not merely the commercial aspects of the sport, but equally the individuals who propel it forward.
“I possess a great affection for individuals. My spouse characterizes me as a social creature. My current dedication is strongly directed towards the stable worker population, yet in every professional setting I’ve encountered, I’ve valued the individuals and their unique enthusiasms. My appreciation for the sport is immense,” Egan remarked.
“I inform people that, in my estimation, I hold one of the most distinguished roles within horse racing. I am unable to conceive of a superior occupation. I retain the ability to operate at the racecourse alongside remarkable colleagues. All the facets of commercial complexities that I cherish are present. Furthermore, the initiatives we are undertaking and the longstanding team at CTHF, merely being afforded the chance to oversee these duties, constitutes an extraordinary honor.”
