When the challenges of her position as senior director of racing and horsemen relations at Breeders’ Cup Ltd. become severe, Erin McLaughlin draws encouragement from knowing the adversity her father confronts daily.

Kiaran cheerfully goes about his business as a jockeys’ agent representing Luis Saez and John Velazquez despite being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1998. He had trained at the highest level, including a decade in Dubai, before closing his stable in 2020.

Kiaran McLaughlin holding Ryan and Erin (Courtesy of Erin McLaughlin)

“He’s my hero,” Erin said.

She will never forget the fear that accompanied his diagnosis.

“I was pretty young at the time. I think he just didn’t know what the future would hold,” Erin recalled. “Could he continue working? How would that look? Could he provide for our family?

“He’s always stayed so positive, which is something I admire. I know that wasn’t easy for him to stay as positive as he did. He always says he has it in his hip pocket, and he’s so fortunate to be doing as well as he has.”

Just as her father never allowed multiple sclerosis to stop him, Erin brings a can-do attitude to her demanding role. For this year’s Oct. 30-31 Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Keeneland, she handles anywhere between 1,200 and 1,300 hotel rooms that will accommodate participants, media, sponsors, and guests. She also is responsible for on- and off-site hospitality lounges and countless other details.

Even when the last of 14 races worth $34 million in purses and awards is run, there is work to be done. She makes sure trophies are engraved properly while already planning for the following year. The next set of logistics will be particularly difficult since the Breeders’ Cup will be returning to New York, to a reimagined Belmont Park, for the first time since 2005.

As McLaughlin, 35, said, “Our industry is go, go, go all the time.”

She seemed to be an ideal fit from the beginning. Family members used to joke that she was the perfect baby because she was born in New York on a Tuesday, customarily a dark day without racing.

A perfect fit for Breeders' Cup (Courtesy of Erin McLaughlin)

As she grew, she came to appreciate the bonds developed within the sport. “Even though we’re competing against one another,” she said, “we’re still such a tight-knit close community that really steps up if anyone needs anything, which I think is so special.”

As McLaughlin’s time as a student at the University of Florida wound down, she was uncertain about her future. She was on course to receive her degree in hospitality and tourism management with a minor in communications. What was the best way to apply that?

As she explored her options for an internship required by the university, it came to her. She interned with the Breeders’ Cup in 2012. She became full-time the following year. Dora Delgado, executive vice president and chief racing officer for Breeders’ Cup Ltd., is grateful to have her.

“She is absolutely superb at what she does,” said Delgado, adding, “It’s a huge job and then she does the advance work. When we’re getting ready to announce the host sites, she’s done the legwork beforehand to secure the properties and the appropriate blocks (of rooms) and the hospitality lounges before we ever arrive.”

Whatever the site, October is crunch time. It is not uncommon for McLaughlin, a light sleeper, to respond to an overseas email or text at 4 a.m. Her day at this hectic time can extend to 10 p.m. With cancellations and urgent last-minute searches for accommodations, the pace becomes frenetic.

“It’s just crazy,” Delgado said, “and she handles it with such grace.”

McLaughlin’s success stems from her desire to always find a way, no matter how complex a situation might be, when dealing with owners and trainers who are themselves feeling heavy pressure.

The McLaughlin family (Courtesy of Erin McLaughlin)

“I’m definitely a people pleaser by nature and it’s very hard to say ‘No’ to people, especially to people who never hear it,” McLaughlin said. “Rather than say ‘No,’ there are nice ways to work with people to meet everyone’s needs. You might say, ‘We can’t do that, but here’s what we can do.’ You are always working to offer them something.”

In an uber-competitive environment for entertainment dollars, the Breeders’ Cup constantly strives to create a loyal following as it rotates sites across the country. “We can only have 14 winners,” McLaughlin noted, “but we want every single person who leaves the Breeders’ Cup to think, ‘This was the best weekend, and I can’t wait to come back again.’ That’s kind of what drives us, to want to make it an amazing experience for everyone.”

When the action culminates with the $7 million Classic, North America’s richest race, there are times when McLaughlin looks away from the track to gaze at the stands, to appreciate the electrifying atmosphere. She treasures each of those moments.

“I turn around and just watch the fans and think, ‘We did this!’ ” she said, delighting in seeing so much hard work come to fruition.