Family - Married to Stephanie Collins, a Louisville native, who is as passionate about horse racing as I am. She’s a much more accomplished handicapper than I am; when the extended family gets together for our annual trip to Churchill Downs, Steph’s the one everybody approaches for picks!
We have two kids, Amanda (17) and Josh (13). Amanda is a budding filmmaker who completed UCLA's summer film program last summer. Josh is into anything that involves a bouncing, thrown, or carried ball. Football, Basketball and Baseball are the sports he plays, and I believe he plays them well.
My sister lives in the Washington DC area with her family; she’s the editor of a monthly magazine. My folks still live in little ol’ Mount Vernon, Iowa, my home town. Dad was a professor and Mom an administrator at Cornell College.
Education - BA in History Williams College, (1986), MSJ from Northwestern University(1989). They are two great schools and I’m still shocked that they let me in all those years ago.
Interesting facts about college and graduate school
- I played rugby at Williams, played in the scrum and escaped with my face and bone structure pretty much intact. Sang at Williams in a traveling singing group called the Springstreeters. It’s the closest thing I ever got to seeing what the life of a performer is like.
- In graduate school, I was there to become a television reporter, but was told by a news director in of all places, Fargo ND, that I had a great radio voice. Only my clients and co-workers get to hear it now.
Things I like about working at West Point Thoroughbreds -
My clients make this job worthwhile. Talking on the phone about a breakthrough one of our horses took, or the dinner the night out after a big stakes win is such a great experience with clients who become, in time, great friends.
I also love the fact that our clients seek to achieve the fullest experience possible. And that means spending time with us at the sales and at the earliest stages of training for our horses. It’s part of the journey.
Interests - My kids are the focal point of anything outside West Point and racing. If I had a dollar for every little league game or school play we’ve attended... and it’s a great joy to be able to watch my kids do things they love.
A few facts about me some might not know - I was a ballet dancer for a good portion of my youth, from about 8 till 16 years old. It really helped with the sports I played as well and it took me to England to dance for several weeks when I was a sophomore in high school. I made money in high school and college de-tasseling corn.
