Announcer
The track announcer is responsible for relaying information to the fans. He/she does this by calling the races and announcing any changes throughout the race day. The announcer will also let fans know of any upcoming bet types or carryover pools.
Chart Caller
The chart caller’s duty is to provide an accurate description of how each race is run. These descriptions are used for making past performances the fans use to handicap the races. Each chart includes the final running time with splits and the location of each horse at certain points throughout the race.
Clerk of Scales
The clerk of scales is responsible for the jockeys room and maintains a scale sheet for each jockey weighing them prior to the races. The clerk of scales also weighs the jockey after the race to make sure they carried their assigned weight throughout the race. Being responsible for the jockeys room, the clerk of scales says who the jockeys can talk to and who can come into the room.
Clocker
The clocker is responsible for taking official timings of the distances worked by horses in the morning. The timings can be used by the stewards or vets if the horse needs to have an official work prior to racing or by handicapping publications.
Entry Clerk
The entry clerk is responsible for taking entries from trainers for races in the morning. When entries are closed for the day the clerks conduct the post position draw. Many entry clerks also hold other jobs on the frontside during the race day.
Handicapper/Morning Line Maker
The person in this position creates the morning line odds and/or handicaps the races for the racetracks and often trade publications for use in the racing program, publication or as part of the on-air television presentation.
Horse Identifier
The horse identifier scans the horse’s microchip and inspects the coloring and markings to compare them to the horse’s registration records prior to a race. The horse identifier is also responsible for inspecting and verifying the identity of any new horse to the track.
Journalist
There are many publications in the U.S. for racing in all areas from breeding to handicapping. The publications may have part-time or full-time writers, photographers, and graphic artists.
Mutuel Clerks
Mutuel clerks, or tellers, are the people who sell and cash wagers from the fans at the track or Off Track Betting (OTB).
Mutuel Manager
The mutuel manager is responsible for the wagering operation at the track or OTB. The mutuel manager oversees the mutuel department and makes sure there are adequate numbers of mutuel clerks each day. The mutuel manager may also determine which type of wagers the track is going to take each day.
Outrider
Maintaining safety on the track is the outrider. In the mornings, during workout hours, the outrider is the eyes and ears of the stewards, making sure each participant is safely doing their job. Whether in the mornings or in the afternoons at race time the outrider is also responsible for catching any horse that gets loose on the track. The outrider leads the horses from the paddock to the track before a race and leads them to the gate at post time.
Paddock Judge
The paddock judge is responsible for the horses in the paddock prior to the race. The paddock judge calls the horses to the paddock before the race and makes sure they leave to go to the track at the appropriate time. He/she also verifies each horse is wearing its designated equipment.
Patrol Judge
The patrol judge is stationed at various points around the track and looks for any incidents that occur during the running of the races. The patrol judge relays what he/she sees to the stewards and the stewards decide if there will be any action taken.
Photographer
Tracks hire photographers to take winners’ circle pictures and other publicity photos. In addition there are a number of freelance photographers in the industry who provide photos for commissioned work, trade publications and advertising.
Placing Judge
The placing judge works high above the race track and is responsible for the placing of the animals in order of finish. If there is a close finish the judges will review the photo finish image before posting the order of finish.
Racing Secretary
The racing secretary’s main responsibility is the racing product at the race meet. The racing secretary must manage the interests of the betting public, the horsemen, and track management. The racing secretary manages these interests by allocating stalls to horsemen who will run their horses and writing races for those horses trying to make sure that the fans will want to wager on them. The racing secretary also oversees the racing office and its employees.
Regulatory Personnel
The racing industry is highly regulated and there are a number of careers that involve oversight of the sport. Each racing jurisdiction has an executive director to oversee the commission staff which includes investigators, licensing personnel and administrative personnel.
Simulcasting Director
Simulcasting has become an important aspect of the racing industry and in charge of the signals is the simulcasting director. The simulcasting director is responsible for contracting with tracks his/her fans can wager on and which tracks can wager on his/her track.
Starter
The starter is in charge of the horses when they are at the gate. This can be in the morning during schooling or in the afternoon when they are loading before a race. The starter has assistant starters who help him/her load the horses into the gate and when they are all loaded the starter opens the gates. The starter also maintains a “starter’s list” which designates which horses are ready to start and which need more schooling at the gate.
Steward
The stewards oversee all the licen-sees at a race meet ensuring the rules of racing are followed. The stewards watch each race and make decisions concerning objections, inquiries, and have the final say in determining the order of finish. The stewards also act as judges, holding hearings for any licensee who has broken a rule.
Television Host
Currently there are two 24-hour channels dedicated to horse racing with coverage throughout the day for 365 days a year. Hosts include former and current owners, trainers, jockeys as well as those just interested in horse racing. Many racetracks also employ TV hosts to broadcast their racing information which is simulcast to sites throughout the world.
Tote Company Personnel
The tote company is responsible for providing the system through which fans wager in the pari-mutuel fashion. The tote company’s system provides the track all of the betting information from the odds to the probable payoffs to the actual winning payoffs. The tote company personnel manage and trouble shoot this system.
Track Superintendent/Groundskeeper
The track superintendent is responsible for the upkeep of the racing surface(s) at the track. He/she maintains a staff that assists with the upkeep. If the track has a turf course it is the job of the track superintendent to let the racing secretary know the number of turf races that can be run each day. The track superintendent must know the proper steps in order to maintain a safe racing surface given various weather conditions.
All of the careers listed previously are those that are specific to the racing industry, but the racing industry has careers that are similar to those found in other industries. Careers in racing are also available in the following departments.
Accounting
Every business in racing has accounting departments or personnel. Each racetrack must have accountants familiar with the complexities of wagering. In addition all horse farms, vendors and other racing related businesses hire accountants or outsource the job.
Food & Beverage
An important aspect of each facility is its food and beverage service. The food and beverage department needs to supply food to the horsemen, fans and employees with a wide variety of choices. The department includes everyone from chefs and kitchen help to waiters to host and hostesses to management.
Marketing, Player Development & Media
The marketing and media department of the track is responsible for the marketing, promotion, and media relations of the track. The department works to advertise and sell their racing and track to local fans and fans across the country. Some of the job titles in this department are vice president of marketing, marketing director, director of media, marketing manager, player development or customer relations manager and promotions manager.
Operations
The operations department is given the duty of running the day-to-day operations of the track. The day-to-day operations can include the ticket office, parking, and human resources. In addition to the directors and managers, the department includes all those in the ticket office and the parking/valet attendants.
Security
Each racetrack has a security department always on duty. The number of personnel in this department varies with the size of the racetrack. Security protects the horses, backstretch employees, mutuel area and the customers. Security also works closely with the regulatory agency to uphold the integrity of the sport.
Trade Associations
Most horsemen or racetracks belong to trade associations that are managed by executives and clerical staff with knowledge of both racing and association management.
Vendors
In addition to the industry careers at the track and on the farms, there are many vendors that these facilities rely on to fulfill specific jobs or services in the conducting of horse racing.
Examples of some of these are:
- Horse care/services
- Private veterinarians
- Pharmaceutical sales
- Feed & tack suppliers
- Horse transportation companies
- Equine insurance agents
- Farm equipment sales/service
- Equine lawyers
Racetrack Services
- Television and video services
- Satellite services for video transmission
- Account wagering companies process on-line wagers
- Totalizator companies provide the wagering technology
Other
- Testing laboratories (chemists, technicians etc.)
- Website specialist
- Slots machine personnel (a number of racetracks also have slot machines at the track)