Growing up just outside of Chicago, where visits to Arlington Park were eagerly planned and attended, plus a love for horseback riding, motivated Stephanie Cooley to pursue a career in racing, despite having no family ties in the industry.

Cooley, 36, worked in Dubai for nearly eight years, first with the Emirates Racing Authority and then for Dubai Racing Club, where she was the only American woman on staff. She recently left her position as DRC’s international racing department manager to bring her experience to a similar role that she will start in the spring with the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

Subscribe now!

Among the jobs Cooley held after graduating from the University of Kentucky with a biology degree and before moving to the Middle East were racing office positions at Arlington and Fair Grounds.

She said her adventurous spirit to see the world through her work traces back to fracturing her spine in a riding accident as a teenager. Her parents were told pre-surgery she might not walk again. She said, “I was really lucky and it’s a true miracle the way I had fully recovered with little limitations. Fast forward to now, I think that accident had a lot to do with the chances I take to do things I love and to travel, because life is short. I’ve done my best to pursue my passion in the racing industry and take opportunities when they present themselves as you never know where it may lead.

“Going to Dubai has now landed me a position in Hong Kong. I’m broadening my horizons and bringing my skill set and network to help manage the international racing team at the HKJC. It’s an opportunity that doesn’t come around often, and I’m privileged to have had the offer extended to me.”

Cooley was interviewed Feb. 20, and her answers have been edited for length and clarity.

BloodHorse: How did you become involved working in horse racing?

Stephanie Cooley: It was harder without having a family associated with racing to truly get into it. (After high school), University of Kentucky was one of the colleges I was looking at, mainly because it was in the horse capital, and I knew that was the place I could get my foot in the door, meet people, be around horses and racing, and see what could happen.

My whole family basically went to Michigan State, except for my mom, but I remember my dad telling me, ‘You don’t have to go there. Kentucky is probably going to be the place you need to go for what you want to do.’ So, that’s what I did.

I was in the land of racing. A lot of people I met there were connected in racing. After I graduated from university, I started at WinStar Farm, working with horses in training, and then did a little spell in the foaling unit. I did that for about two years before I interned for West Point Thoroughbreds for the summer in Saratoga, and then I went back to Chicago and worked at Arlington, and then at Fair Grounds. My last season at Arlington in the racing office was 2016 and that year, in the fall, was when I went to Dubai.

Dubai Racing Club photo

BH: How did the position to work in Dubai come about?

SC: Arlington Park was home to one of the biggest international meetings with the Arlington Million, which was always my favorite meeting growing up, even before I worked there. Working the Arlington Million in the racing office under Chris Polzin (director of racing/racing secretary) for a couple of years, I just loved the international aspect of it. I had a passion for international racing and I wanted to learn more about it and be more involved. A few people approached me during the Million of 2016 and asked me if I ever thought about Dubai. Chris used to work for Frank Gabriel when Frank was at Arlington, and he was in Dubai at the time. I asked Chris if he still kept in contact with Frank and if he could ask him if there were any opportunities in Dubai.

Chris had so much faith in me to go on and do bigger things in the sport and to never doubt myself. Basically, one thing led to another, and there was an opening in the racing office of the Emirates Racing Authority. At the time, I was like, ‘Am I crazy?’ But everyone told me that I would love it there. I took the jump. I went over there in late October of 2016, and I was in the racing office of the Emirates Racing Authority for my first three seasons there before moving over to Dubai Racing Club and the international department.

BH: Were there challenges in adapting to working/living in Dubai?

SC: It was halfway across the world, and I didn’t really know anybody. I was thrown right into the fire; I got to Dubai and the next day I was in the office. The people in that office I got on with so well. They were expats (like me); I worked with people from Australia, South Africa, the U.K., New Zealand – all different countries. It felt like a family to me. It was a great office vibe.

As far as outside of work, it’s very westernized, and it wasn’t as hard a transition as I thought it would be. I didn’t feel a huge shock. It’s so touristy and super safe. I’ve loved it; it’s very vibrant and there is something always going on. Obviously, there are always challenges because you’re far away from home, the summers are really hot – that took some time to get adapted to. The hardest part was being away from home and only seeing my family every so often.

BH: What were your duties as the international racing department manager for DRC?

SC: Basically, my role was the key point of contact for all international horsemen coming in and out of Dubai, whether for the regular season – the Carnival – or Dubai World Cup. I also liaised with all the outside shipping agents in facilitating corresponding horse flights. I worked within DRC with the quarantine department, and other departments, to ensure everyone is up to date with who is coming in. It’s a lot of work and you’re trying to keep everyone happy, getting from point A to point B and back, in a smooth transaction to avoid any obstacles along the way. At the end of the day, when people are grateful, you feel valued and appreciated.

In my role, because of the passion and knowledge I have in racing, and the love for the sport, I took it on myself to also do recruiting and went to the bigger race meetings (around the world) while networking and keeping those relationships going.

Sometimes, it’s not about going after a certain horse, but rather connecting with the trainers and owners and introducing yourself, so they knew they could contact me when they had a question about Dubai.

Those connections I made will only carry me forward. When I go to Hong Kong, I’m bringing that with me. Plus, I will be making even more connections while networking in Hong Kong.

At Arlington Park. (Stephanie Cooley photo)

BH: What is your most memorable running of the Dubai World Cup?

SC: My first World Cup, I was a judge (doing the running order) for Emirates Racing Authority when Arrogate won in 2017, and he was the most impressive.

After canceling (due to the COVID pandemic) in 2020, which would have been my first World Cup working for DRC, we had the 2021 World Cup without spectators. That year, trainer Mike Stidham brought over Mystic Guide for Godolphin, and I knew him and his wife, Hilary, from working in Chicago and New Orleans. I really put forth effort in getting them to come to Dubai and making their trip as smooth as possible. When they won the World Cup, it was a really nice feeling to know that I had worked with this trainer before.

One of my favorite moments was really getting to know the Japanese horse connections and helping them bring a team of over 25 horses (in 2023), including last year’s Longines World’s Best Racehorse, Equinox (who won the Dubai Sheema Classic on the World Cup undercard). I saw Equinox run back in Japan and win the Takarazuka Kinen. Meeting the Japanese connections and going to Japan for a few weeks last spring was probably one of, if not the top, memories I’ve had throughout my seven and a half years in Dubai.

BH: What advice would you give young people working in racing in the United States if they wanted to land a job overseas?

SC: I would say just keep following your passion and take any opportunity you get to travel and meet people because down the road, it’s those people who will open up doors for you, but you have to make the first step out of your comfort zone. I took a leap of faith to go to Dubai, made the absolute most of it, and it’s now landed me an opportunity at the Hong Kong Jockey Club, one of the most prestigious and sought-after racing authorities in the world, and I’m looking forward to making the most of my time there, too.