WRITERS' STABLE

Sherry Burgin

Sherry Burgin is a life-long resident of Louisville, Kentucky, and a Thoroughbred racing enthusiast. From the moment she was set atop a Thoroughbred as a toddler and began going to Churchill Downs as teenager, she has held a fascination for the breed. She studied handicappers for years before placing a bet, preferring to watch the horses and techniques of those who worked with and rode them.

Sherry's passion for the Thoroughbred industry led her to work for nearly 20 years in equine law at Frost, Brown, Todd, PLLC for Thoroughbred owners, breeders, and trainers, where she gained a multi-dimensional knowledge of many aspects of the business, including organizing and incorporating horse farms; syndication operations; thoroughbred registration; breeding; sales and training; medication reform laws; and the patenting and marketing of medications.

She enjoys watching races from home and at the track; Thoroughbred sales; visiting stud farms and the Kentucky Horse Park.

Tara Cochran

Tara Cochran’s love affair with horses began at a young age and she has always seized any opportunity to learn more her greatest passion. The catalyst for her pursuit of a lifelong career working with Thoroughbred racehorses was her summer visits as a young girl to Versailles, Kentucky, and nearby Keeneland Racecourse, where she spent numerous early mornings watching the horses work and visiting the backside. 

She has attended both the University of Arizona’s Race Track Industry Program and the University of Louisville’s Equine Industry Program, where she will graduate with a degree in Equine Administration and a minor in Communications. 

Her track experience spans both the backside and the front sides of Churchill Downs and Keeneland Racecourse, as a hotwalker for the Ron Moquett Racing Stable; as a showperson for Airdrie Stud at Keeneland’s 2005 September Yearling Sale; and as an intern at Churchill Downs during its 2004 Spring Meet in the Racing Information and New Media department.  

She has also had the opportunity to work with NBC Sports during their coverage of the Kentucky Derby.  Additionally.  She has worked with the Television Games Network (TVG) during their 2006 productions of The Works at Churchill Downs and the 2007 Keeneland Spring meet.  As a horse lover and racing enthusiast, one of her greatest concerns is horse slaughter.  She has had the opportunity to volunteer with the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation and is proactive in the fight to pass laws banning horse slaughter.  Upon graduation, she will pursue a career in Thoroughbred racing. The various sectors she is eager to work in include broadcast and print communications, as well as racehorse management and bloodstock sales.

Hannah Grace Penfold

Hannah Grace Penfold lives in Newmarket, UK. Her area of work is the Thoroughbred Stud Industry. Her general interests includeRacing, Horses, Riding, Socialising, Reading, Writing, Art and Music. Quote: "Nevermind babies, give me kicking, biting foals ANY DAY!"

Megan Grant

Megan Grant is a journalism student at the University of Iowa. She received her first writing award at the age of nine. When not watching the races, she can usually be found writing, reading, apprenticing as a horse trainer, working retail to fund her hobbies, and avoiding her studies. Upon completing her degree in the spring of 2008, she plans to relocate back to her hometown of Louisville, Kentucky.