It’s not often someone receives the opportunity to ply their trade in a different country. Cody Watkins, a native of England, jumped at the chance when he was offered The Jockey Club steward position on the New York Racing Association circuit. The 26-year-old began working in that capacity in January, alongside NYRA’s steward, Victor Escobar, and New York State Gaming Commission steward Braulio Baeza Jr.
Watkins’ answers are edited for clarity and space.
BloodHorse: How were you introduced to horse racing?
Cody Watkins: I grew up near Ascot Racecourse. My family always loved and supported horse racing, but no one ever worked in horse racing. I was the first one to dip my toe in it, and I dipped my toe much further than I ever anticipated.
BH: What circumstances led you to a career in racing?
CW: A pretty crazy journey, to be honest, thinking about it. Back in 2015, an advert came up on television for a racing school three-month course for anyone who hasn’t ridden but is the right size and weight to be a rider. I always loved horse racing, and I didn’t know what I wanted to do for a career and I thought, ‘Let’s go for it.’ I applied, did my fitness tests, and went to the British Racing School at 16.
(After graduation) I was just riding for a couple of yards in the United Kingdom, small yards. I wasn’t making any money because they had no living quarters for me, and it wasn’t working out long-term for me to do that financially. I stepped out of racing in 2017 and went into retail, where I was a retail manager pretty quickly until I got my first job in regulation with the British Horseracing Authority in 2019 (which later led to becoming a steward at numerous racecourses in the U.K.).
BH: How did the opportunity come about to be The Jockey Club steward at NYRA?
CW: I was never unhappy in my role in the U.K. I loved what I did there. I worked with great people. The racing is brilliant. But I wanted to expand my knowledge of horse racing and really (put) myself out there. I saw the job (listed) and I said, ‘Let’s go for it. What have I got to lose? If you don’t apply, you’ll never know.’
Luckily, I went through various interviews with different people within The Jockey Club, and I was lucky enough to meet with Jim Gagliano (TJC’s president and COO) when he came over for Royal Ascot week, and we got on really well. We both shared the same sorts of thoughts as to how we want horse racing to go and what I felt I could bring to the table. I’m hoping I can help bring some of the things we do in the U.K. and see if I can implement any of that over here. If we feel like it could work, we can work together in that sense.
And I must mention that I have to thank The Jockey Club for helping me with the transition to get here. They’ve done a lot for me; I’m grateful.
BH: One of the major differences in being a steward in the United States versus other racing jurisdictions in the world is the application of Category 1 and Category 2 rules, which comes into play when a horse causes interference.
CW: The debate comparing Category 1 and Category 2 is certainly a very interesting one. I have much more experience with Category 1, which is if a horse causes interference to another horse or horses, the interferer would only be placed behind the sufferer if it was adjudged that without the interference taking place, the sufferer would have finished in front of the interferer. Compared to Category 2, if a horse causes interference to a rival and costs them the “potential” of a better placing, the interferer would be disqualified and placed behind the sufferer. I think it’s a tricky topic because to me it is a matter of opinion as to what participants and or the betting public would like.
Primarily, both categories serve their own purpose and have worked in different jurisdictions effectively for many years; riders and participants feel under Category 2 that it causes riders to be more aware of causing interference and feel that it helps the safety of both horse and rider, but I do believe having worked in Category 1 for numerous years that the standard of riding in England is exceptional, and I have no concerns to the level of riding being a reason not to race under Category 1. The main drawback to Category 2 is obviously that the best horse doesn’t necessarily always win the race, which is the primary aim of Category 1. The drawback to Category 1 people may say is that there is no consistency, and (while) people say that, in my experience, I cannot stress enough that every incident that takes place is not the same with many different factors being considered by stewards, e.g., where the interference took place, how the horses were traveling at the time of the incident, how much momentum was lost.
I do personally believe Category 1 would work here and be successful. In my experience, I never felt Category 1 created dangerous or incompetent riding, or a win-at-all-costs mentality. If that is the primary concern, my recommendation to negate that is by increasing the riding infractions penalty structure to act as the deterrent. These horses weigh around (900 to 1,200 pounds). Jockeys do not have steering wheels; horses are herd animals and not machines. My point is, with Category 1, the primary goal is for the best horse to win the race, which is what we all want to see, the best horse on the day to collect the winning prize.
BH: What is the most exciting element about your job?
CW: I just love racing. I don’t care if it’s a Monday or a Saturday. Racing is racing to me.
BH: Outside of the track, how are you settling into living in New York?
CW: I just love how close we are to Manhattan. We’re literally one train away from Manhattan. I’ve got a friend I used to go to college with, and she moved to New York last year, so I’ve gone into Manhattan quite a lot. She’s been showing me around. Still feeling like a tourist at the moment. I’ve been going to Madison Square Garden for some Knicks games. I’m enjoying going to the UBS Arena. I’ve been going to New York Islanders games. I’m really trying to get used to the sports over here. I was never really interested in the likes of basketball and stuff, but I got hooked with the playoffs. I’m just trying to become a New Yorker.
