“THE SPORT OF KINGS” with Corey Lanerie

Welcome Corey Lanerie, Kentucky based Jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing.  With over 28,035 career starts and earnings in excess of  $108,059,468, Corey is a ten time leading rIder at Churchill Downs and has admirably attained leading rider at 5 additional American racetracks.  Corey is currently ranked #18, out of 1,544 Jockeys, with $7.99 million in earning, in 2016 alone.

LD
You won your first “official race” on April 19, 1991 at Evangeline Downs in Louisiana.  How did that win influence your future?

CL 
It was a start to what I wanted to do, to be a Jockey.  To get that first win was just a dream come true, it was all I ever wanted.

LD
Corey you have quite an impressive track record.  Was there ever a time where you thought you about giving up racing altogether?

CL
Yes, rIght after I lost my apprenticeship around 1992. I broke my collarbone during a race and had to take 6 weeks off.  I came back and broke the other collar bone 2 weeks later.  I was a new face on the scene and after being gone so long (to heal), I lost a lot of business and I thought I was going to have to look elsewhere for another career.

LD
You grew up in Lafayette Louisiana and your grandfather and your dad were in the racing industry when you were younger.  Is this what got you started originally?

CL
I don’t really know what got me started, other than I was born into it.  My grandparents had race horses and my dad was a jockey and now trains.  Ever since I can remember we always went to the racetrack and all I ever wanted was to be a jockey.

LD
Who do you admire most in the racing industry?

CL
Probably the animals, the horses.  The way they compete, they know when they win.  You can feel that and see that in every horse.

LD
What defining characteristic do you look for in a winning horse?

CL
I look for confidence in the horse. There is no way to just look at a horse and know if it is a winner.

LD
How many races, on average, are you running a week and do you ride more for a specific trainer?

CL
It averages from week to week, but overall I ride around 35 races a week.  I ride a lot for Eddie Kenneally, but my business is pretty spread out right now and it really just depends on how each trainer’s stock is going. That pretty much determines which trainer I ride for more this week or another.  I pretty much ride for a lot of different people.

LD
A big part of a the Jockey life is to maintain a specific weight.  How difficult do you find it to pull (maintain) weight?

CL
It’s hard, basically it’s my job to watch my weight.  I feel like I ride horses for fun, but the weight thing is hard.  When I first started riding I had no problems at all. As I got older I grew a little bit and pulling weight became harder.  I started riding at 16 and was really small and I wasn’t finished growing, but now it’s pretty tough….I definitely have to stay on top of it.

LD
What is the biggest misconception regarding the “Rock Star” lifestyle Jockeys seem to portray?

CL
Well, everybody loves you when you win and when you are doing good. In our profession we are losing 80% of the time, so we are winning at only 20% of the time.  Everyone you are winning for loves you and is happy with you.  Then you have to realize there are a lot of people you are losing for and they want answers.  It’s difficult to deal with and you can’t keep everybody happy,  so sometimes we go through some depression.  When the horses don’t win, everyone is looking for an answer and not everybody blames their horse, they all look to the jockey, they blame us.  It’s always our fault when the horse gets beat.  It’s really hard to keep everyone happy.

LD
The old saying goes that a “horse can only run as fast as God made it.”

CL
We can obviously get a horse beat, but we can’t make a horse run faster than he can.  We can mess up or make a mistake, but most of the time when we are on the best horses they will overcome our mistakes.  85% of the race is the horse.

LD
Does the feeling of the win ever change? That high/addiction that most Jockeys describe…

CL
No.  I always said if they could bottle up a win it could cure cancer.  Every win, no matter if it’s $5000. claimer or a $100,000 stakes it feels great when you win.  When the gates open it is all adrenalin and instincts take over.  You just do what you do and there is no other feeling in the world like winning a race and riding a win.

LD
How do you get mounts?

CL
I have an agent that goes out to the racetrack and I also go with him. We basically hustle from barn to barn, kind of like a car salesman.  My agent goes out and tries to sell me and works on getting me on the best mounts, the fastest ones he can find.  He goes out and talks to every trainer and tries to figure out which is the best horse for me.

LD
Do you ever bet on the races?

CL
No, we are not allowed.  We get caught betting we are ruled out for life.

LD
Corey what is your biggest Fear?

CL
My biggest fear would be to become paralyzed and not able to play golf (laughing!).  No, no not really.  To become hurt permanently and not able to do for myself or my family.

LD
You have a beautiful and supportive family, how do they play into your career?

CL
They are always here when I come home.  No matter if I win or lose they love me.  Everything is the same. When I am down they lift me up and winning races isn’t all that important when I get home and walk through the door, it’s all about my family.

LD
What is your idea of success?

CL
Winning a lot of races.  Making my whole family proud and being on top and being a role model.

LD
You mentioned golf.  I know you are an avid golfer, what is your handicap and what makes golf so attractive?

CL
I’m about a 12. When I play golf it gets my mind away from everything from the racetrack.  When I go play golf I’m just focusing on my shot and it takes me away from anything that is going on at the racetrack.

LD
Being a Jockey is being your own business man.  What do you consider your number one focus when it comes to your actual business?

CL
I treat every trainer the same, ride hard every race and believe in complete honesty with the owners and trainers.

LD
Do you have an ultimate race moment ever?

CL
Winning my first Grade 1 stakes. It was a pick up mount. My wife Shantel and daughter Brittlyn were there and Brittlyn was only one. Just getting that race and it being a pick up mount and being the long shot… it was a great feeling crossing that wire.

LD
You have said “I know Churchill better than anybody” how does this statement affect your riding?

CL
I know the racetrack, I know where I’m at on it and I know when to make my move and at the right time.  It comes from riding it a lot and experience on it.

LD
One of a Jockey’s ultimate goals is to ride in the Kentucky Derby and you have now ridden in the Derby twice.

CL
I had been riding for 20 years and had never ridden in the Derby. The first question everyone always asks when they meet me “have you ridden in the Kentucky Derby?” I had to answer “no” so many times and say “but one day I hope so.”  Now I have ridden twice, in the last 3 years,  and I hope it continues on.  Winning the Kentucky Derby is my ultimate goal, but the best experience was having my family here and making my parents proud.

LD

Horse racing is known as one of the most dangerous sports in the world and brings in over $17 billion a year, second to football.  Corey are you a millionaire?

CL
No. It’s kind of deceiving because that is what all of the horses have earned from 1st place through 4th place. We only get a percentage of that money.  After we get our percentage, we get 10% of what the owner gets, which is 60%.  After all that breaks down I pay taxes, my agent get 30%, my Valet gets 5% and after that it’s a lot less….

LD
Do you see retirement in your near future?

CL
I hope to see it in my future.  I would love to retire by age 50 if I want to and am able to.  But, if I am healthy and still riding good and riding good horses, I am sure I would carry on.  I hope by the age of 50 I can do whatever I want to do.