Natalie Turner
Natalie Turner jockey-turned-Marketing-Director for racing wanted to ride horses since the age of 7. Eli a bay quarter horse was her first horse. Her first live race was at Turfway Park. To become a jockey Natalie joined the North American Racing Academy (NARA) for a 2 year program. Natalie would get up at 3:30 AM to be at the barn by 4:14 to begin mucking three stalls, grooming, feeding and setting tack for the horses she would ride later. Then it was notes, race replays and story time from Chris McCarron before she worked out on the equisizers. Natalie started her professional riding career at River Downs (Belterra now) and also rode at Churchill and Ellis Park.
And now that she has hung up her tack, as Marketing Director Natalie said she would like to see every track install safety rails like Keeneland has, and fix some of the stereotypes Thoroughbred racing has gained over the years.
