From Summer Camp to Racing Steward: Whitney Verbal's Path in Horse Racing

Whitney Verbal is a Commonwealth Steward for the Virginia Racing Commission and serves on the Board of Stewards for Colonial Downs. Born in Chicago, she rode a horse for the first time at a summer camp as a child, and fell in love. Graduating from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, her passion for horse racing began during a transformative internship at Lazy E Ranch in Oklahoma working with Quarter Horse mares and foals. Whitney went on to work as a Placing Judge for the Maryland Jockey Club, completed the Racing Officials Accreditation Program (ROAP), and has since worked as a racing official at Colonial Downs, Keeneland, and Zia Park. In this episode, learn from Whitney about the process of becoming a racing steward, the various positions that fall under the umbrella title of horse racing official, and how to intentionally look for an internship in your area of interest.