How I Got Hooked On Racing: Travis White

[Wandering Eyes]

How did we get hooked on this sport? We all have stories about how our love affair developed and blossomed. The TDN will be reaching out to numerous notable people in the industry to get their stories to find out how they got hooked and stayed hooked on the sport.

Travis White, Stallion Nomination Manager, Taylor Made

I grew up in Louisville, fairly close to Churchill Downs. My earliest connection to racing would have been going to Derby parties in the area. A friend of my father's was a horseplayer, so I kind of took an interest in the gambling part of it. At a young age, the handicapping and gambling aspect is what got me hooked in with the Kentucky Derby being the main thing.

I started out volunteering at [Chief Stipe Arnold's] Buck Pond Farm. I worked for a guy in college who owned Court Sports here in Lexington. He had kids that went to school with Chief Stipe Arnold's kids and he just happened to introduce me to him because he knew I was trying to get in the business. I went to school here, but had moved to Missouri for a job. I was in college athletics administration prior to being in the horse business. I moved back to Lexington and started volunteering at Chief Stipe's farm. He had a couple of things go right–he had a couple of young stallions that he got off to a good start, then sold, so he brought me on full time and later I just happened to apply to a job I saw listed at TDN or BloodHorse for a stallion manager position at Taylor Made. I sent in an application, met with those guys, and just kind of lucked into that way.

I'm the only person in my family in racing. I don't think they understand what I do exactly. I've tried to explain it multiple times. My brother could care less about it.

I'm really appreciative of the Taylor family. They're great people to work with. I've learned a lot. They've been great to me, taught me a whole lot, and I'm very appreciative of what they've done for me and a lot of people they've gotten into this business.

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