America’s Best Racing has launched a monthly series to celebrate women in racing, explore the challenges they face in what has been a male-dominated industry, and highlight their achievements.

For young people who aspire to make their mark and wonder how to accomplish that, there can be no greater example than Dora Delgado.

Delgado literally started in the basement with Breeders’ Cup Ltd., working part-time as a data entry and file clerk in the summer of 1983 as the fledgling organization prepared for the inaugural running of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships the following year.

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A self-described “doer,” Delgado was quickly promoted to full-time. Her personal growth has paralleled what blossomed into a grand international happening. She now serves as executive vice president and chief racing officer and was instrumental in taking the Breeders’ Cup from seven races worth $10 million on one day to the 14-race, $30 million two-day extravaganza that will occur Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at Del Mar.

“She’s always been a trailblazer for the Breeders’ Cup,” said Drew Fleming, president and chief executive officer of Breeders’ Cup Ltd. “She has a constant drive to innovate, which has helped raise the bar of our championships year after year, ensuring that we are at the forefront of global racing.”

Delgado, 60, will never forget the early days, operating out of basement offices in the old BloodHorse building in Lexington, working against a wave of skepticism surrounding breeder John Gaines’ bold and innovative concept.

If a mailing list needed to be formed, she was the one to sit down and type 400 names and addresses. If an advertisement needed to be designed and the budget did not allow for an advertising agency to be hired, she scrambled to find scissors and glue.

Delgado at Breeders' Cup post-position draw in 2017. (Eclipse Sportswire)

“There was nothing like, ‘I don’t know how to do that,’ ” Delgado said. “If I didn’t know how to do it, I’d find out how to do it.”

Delgado recalls sitting in the office kitchen and being part of the discussion concerning the naming of those first seven Breeders’ Cup races.

Her advice to young people? “Don’t dodge anything and show a willingness to be part of something bigger.”

She is proof of how well a can-do attitude can work, even in an industry such as horse racing that has long been associated with male leadership.

“I started at the bottom and I would say I have not been held back in any way,” Delgado said. “As a matter of fact, I’ve had extraordinary leadership that has really given me the opportunity to excel.”

She has indeed excelled. Sports Business Journal saluted her as a “Game Changer” in 2021. She received the Clay Puett Award last year for outstanding contributions to racing.

She seems to be involved in anything and everything related to the industry. Consider that Delgado is a member of the following: American Horse Council Health and Regulatory Committee, Jockeys Guild Research and Development Committee, Racing Officials Accreditation Program Board, Advisory Committee for the Jockey Club’s Safety Net Foundation, Lexington Industry Group of the Welfare and Safety Committee, Racing Medication and Testing Consortium, and the Gluck Equine Research Foundation.

Delgado at Keeneland in 2022. (Anne M. Eberhardt/BloodHorse)

Have we missed a few? Almost certainly.

According to Delgado, her career soared once she learned the importance of developing a strong team and delegating to them.

“It took me a long time to let go of things and trust in people and not want to do everything myself,” she said. “Delegation was something I really struggled with in my early career.”

Why are her skills in such demand? Fleming views her as the total package when it comes to providing leadership in so many different areas.

“She’s got dedication, passion, she’s very forward-thinking. She’s not afraid to try new things,” he said. “She’s earned the respect and admiration of horsemen, owners, connections from around the world. She’s able to have collaborative relationships, positive dialogue, and is a great problem solver.”

That willingness to try new things led to the establishment of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series in 2007. It offers automatic, fees-paid entry into corresponding Breeders’ Cup races and began with 24 races in the United States and Canada. That mushroomed into 93 races involving 15 countries on five continents this year.

“It was a designed change that fundamentally really helped the Breeders’ Cup and really helped establish our brand name and got everybody focused on what it takes to get to the championship,” Delgado said.

Delgado with Aron Wellman and Kelsey Marshall Hughes after a Challenge Series race. (Anne M. Eberhardt/BloodHorse)

Call it nothing short of a brilliant stroke. The “Win and You’re In” element draws attention to the Breeders’ Cup throughout the racing season, bolsters fields, and encourages all-important international participation. A record 61 runners from outside the United States journeyed to Del Mar to compete last year, including an unprecedented 18 starters from Japan.

“At the end of the day, it’s not just a matter of filling races. It’s a matter of the quality of runners that we have. We want these to be the best races in the world,” Delgado said, adding, “It’s important to us and to our standing that we put the world in world championships every year.”

Delgado thrives on the challenges every year presents. She does not plan to retire any time soon. Whenever she steps down, she can be content in knowing she made a lasting impact on the Breeders’ Cup.

“Dora has helped to define what the Breeders’ Cup means to the world of horse racing. Her contributions will continue to impact us for generations to come,” Fleming said. “She’s one of a kind.”

And to think it all started in a basement.