Dana Whitney has a smile that can light up an entire track. And when he speaks, his charm washes over you with his smooth Southern accent. Like he should be holding the reins in one hand and a mint julep in the other. This gentleman of the track was gracious enough to sit a spell with us. Wild to think, he’s the only jockey we met that didn’t grow up around horses. Read on...
TrackPack: So where are you from, exactly?
Dana Whitney: I’m from Arkansas.
As you get older you rely more on your smarts to win a race. There's balance between strength and knowledge.
- Dana Whitney, Jockey
TP: But you live here now?
DW: Yep... buying a house now and moving up the whole family. Central PA is the place to be! I’ve actually been watching this area for the past 3-4 years. I’ve watched the track change and the purses grow. And the people here are really nice. They look out of the horses and the jockeys in a safe environment.
TP:But it is a dangerous sport. You ever been thrown?
DW: (chuckles) Oh yeah! Broke my back twice. My neck once. Crushed my arm, broke my hand.
TP: Ouch.
DW: (chuckles) You never can be too safe
TP: You’re 40. This is a young man’s game. You think you’re getting up there?
DW: Well the younger do have the physical strength. But as you get older you rely more on your smarts to win a race. There’s a balance between strength and knowledge. But I’m still pretty strong. I ran 6 miles today! I like to be as fit as the horses.
TP: Any key to success?
DW: Communicating with your horse is important. Some horses want you just to sit on them. Some want you to go!.
TP: We saw that you got disqualified from the last race. What happened?
DW: This is only the 3rd race this horse has ever raced. I watched the replay. You can see the horse was trying to get out. Usually the body goes where the head goes. But this horse was looking at the rail but moving his body away from it. He cut another horse off. I have no objection to the disqualification. It happens. This was a case where we weren’t communicating.
TP: Anything I should consider when placing a bet? Any tips?
DW: Look at when the horse raced last. Sometimes a horse will have layoff. They might come back and not do so well – but that was just the race they needed to get their feet wet again. The race after that will be the winner! Also look at the classes they race. A horse might have been running for $15K and now their running for $5K – they went down in a class. That means they feel he can only win against less talented horses.
TP: A day at the track tiring for you?
DW: Depends. Sometimes you’re really working to bring that horse around. Like you’re carrying the horse. But if a horse is running great, he’s bringing you along. I can ride 10 of those!
TP: What do you do when you’re not racing?
DW: Hanging with my family. I love to golf, to hunt. And I love to snow ski. Lots of outdoor stuff, like camping.
TP: So when did you know you wanted to be a jockey?
DW: I never knew.
TP: Come again?
DW: I went to school in the city. Even went a year at BU. I got a job in a clothing store fitting kids for prom tuxedos. One day as I was sizing up a kid, his parents were sizing me up – asking my height and weight. Then asked if I ever considered being a jockey.
TP: Totally out of the blue?!
DW: Yep, they took me under their wing.
TP: And the first time you got on a horse ...
DW: I said “Wow! This is tough!!!” But I think that’s what drove me to it. The challenge. I started doing trainer races – racing the horses as practice for me and the horses. I did that for about 2 years before I could race on the circuit.
TP: Is it the adrenaline?
DW: Yep, even if you get hurt. In fact, that’s when you know you love it. That you want to race even if you’re hurt. If you’re hurt and are thinking twice about coming back, you should retire.
TP: Do you hang around with other jockeys? Even though you compete with them?
DW: It’s like a big worldwide family. There’s not a place in the world that I won’t bump into somebody I know because of this sport.
TP: What’s your favorite place to race?
DW: I like Presque Isle Downs. I love the surface.
TP: So what was the oddest race you ever rode?
DW: I was racing against a guy going for his 4000th race. I was a long shot and was way behind but I came up from behind I nipped him at the end and won.
TP: Was he mad?
DW: Who cares? He had another shot to get his 4000th! I was on my 11th race. It felt great.
TP: And what was the best race?
DW: I won the West Virginia Derby. It was a $500,000 purse.
TP: Great feeling huh?
DW: Oh man! The only way I can describe it is that everyone needs to win one. That’s how I felt - that it was so great, everyone should experience such joy. The money sinks in later. But the feeling is amazing. You want to share it.
Said like a true Southern gentleman, indeed!
