North American Racing Academy

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It’s almost time for the most exciting two minutes in sports...the Kentucky Derby!! Good luck to our BCTC-NARA graduates with connections in today’s big race!! If you want to pursue your dream of riding racehorses, contact our program coordinator at [email protected] to learn more about our racehorse riding classes offered this summer!!

What Does It Take To Be A Jockey? upLynk Clip

It's a special of our field trip from the summer semester to Margaux Farm!! Every year our jockey and horseman option students visit top Thoroughbred training operations during their summer courses. In 2015, one of our horseman option students, Melissa Myszka, had the opportunity to tour Margaux as a student with the dream to someday become an assistant trainer. In 2018, Melissa, now the training assistant at Margaux Farm, led our group of current students on a tour of the training facilities and shared her knowledge and experience of how BCTC-NARA helped make her dream a reality!!

We are so grateful to the Thoroughbred Charities of America for their generous grant that will assist in providing food and supplies for our retired racehorses!! We couldn't provide our students with a hands-on learning environment without our incredible equine instructors!!

Congratulations to NARA Jockey Option graduate David Mussad on his first career win in the 6th tonight at Sacramento!!

North American Racing Academy Graduate Mussad Preparing For First Race - Horse Racing News | Paulick Report At the start of 2015, David Mussad had only ridden a horse a few times. Now, he's entered in his first race as a professional jockey. Mussad will be aboard Brite Sierra in the eighth race at Sacramento on Saturday, hoping to guide the Marcia Stortz trainee to his first victory. Mussad, 27, was one ....

“Morning Office Views” - photo courtesy of NARA school horse Monacle

The NARA team is proud to have provided the foundational education and hands-on training for NARA Jockey Option graduate David Mussad and NARA Horseman Option graduate Austin Herbert Motley who had the rare opportunity to work with Triple Crown champion Justify as a two-year-old!!

BCTC’s North American Racing Academy played a role in Justify’s story | BCTC

Our NARA jockey option and exercise rider students got to jog on the track for the first time this morning as we kick off our Summer 2018 semester!!

It’s Preakness Day!! Justify will attempt to sweep the second leg of the Triple Crown but fresh horses that skipped the Kentucky Derby will come into the race ready to ruin his attempt. One of those horses, Quip, is pictured below being led into the winner’s circle by NARA horseman graduate, Austin Motley, after his Tampa Bay Derby win!! Good luck to all the NARA jockey and horseman option graduates with connections in the Preakness Stakes!!

As the Triple Crown season continues, our jockey option students continue to train hard as the summer semester is quickly approaching and it will be time to transfer their skills from galloping in the field to the racetrack. Fox 56 Lexington visited to learn more about our program and what it takes for students to be successful.

Aspiring jockeys get college credit at North American Racing Academy LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY-- When you glance into a second floor classroom at Bluegrass Community and Technical College, it appears to be a typical group of students listening to a lecture.But when these students put down the books, they head to a barn. It's a pl

Justify is your 2018 Kentucky Derby winner!! NARA graduate, David Mussad, galloped this special c**t as a two-year-old while he was in his early stages of conditioning with trainer Rudolph Brisset.

It’s Derby Day!! WDRB from Louisville came out to learn about our jockey program and what it takes to become a successful jockey. Good luck to all the NARA horsemen and jockey option graduates with Derby connections!!

Lexington jockey school instructs Derby hopefuls Attending the Kentucky Derby is something many file under 'someday' on the bucket list. For most, riding in it is fantasy.

NARA Horseman graduate, Paul Caywood, who cares for and handles the champion stallions and geldings at the Kentucky Horse Park, made the NARA team proud displaying the Hall of Champion’s newest resident, Point Given!! If you’re interested in a career working in the Thoroughbred racing or breeding industry, contact our program coordinator at [email protected] to learn more about the various credentials offered at the North American Racing Academy!!

The NARA riding students had a special guest during their class!!

One of the most important fitness components to riding racehorses is grip strength. So how does the NARA team help our riders improve upon their grip strength and provide a Monday full body workout? Indoor rock climbing of course!!

The North American Racing Academy would like to welcome our new group of riders for the 2018 Racehorse Riding Skills I class!!

The first week of classes can be overwhelming for first year NARA students as they learn the basics of working in a racing stable but obviously it is equally exhausting for the NARA school horses trying to teach the students how to be horsemen 😴😴😂😂 TGIF!!

Our most recently acquired school horse, Five Boys, is excited about his first “day on the job” as NARA kicks off our Spring 2018 semester this morning!! Five Boys has a special story for the NARA team as he has been graciously loaned to the program by NARA graduate, Haley Hester, who won her first race as a licensed trainer with him!! Here’s to another great year for the NARA students and graduates!!

Happy Thanksgiving from the North American Racing Academy!! Our staff is thankful for our wonderful equine instructors and students but our equine instructors are thankful for the sunshine and new lush field!! One of our barn favorite geldings Crypto, is especially thankful that he’s the chosen gelding to live in the new field with all the mares!! 😂😂

Congratulations to the 2017 NARA Riders who have successfully completed their assessments with our program and have been approved by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission as licensed exercise riders!! It won’t be long before each of them will be placed with a top trainer to continue their journey in becoming licensed jockeys and/or assistant trainers!!

She left Alaska for Kentucky to chase a lifelong dream. At 52, she’s in jockey school. Stefanie Vetter is a student at the North American Racing Academy in Lexington. The story of how she found her way to horses in Lexington is the stuff of dreams — and remarkable perseverance.

Hall of Fame Jockey, Sandy Hawley, stopped by the NARA Barn to visit with the NARA Horsemen and Riders!!

We are excited to contribute to the research efforts at SMRI that will provide benefit to the professional riders as well as our graduates and current students!!

UK unveils new Sports Medicine Research Institute The University of Kentucky unveiled a new 10,000 square foot Sports Medicine Research Institute Wednesday morning.