Some are born into the sport, spending their formative years around equine athletes, wrapping legs, mucking stalls, and continuing family legacies that might stretch back generations. Others find their way to the racetrack through a more circuitous route. Jordyn Egan is the latter.

“I was a horse nut from the age of 5, just out of nowhere. Hunter-jumper, nothing fancy at all,” she said with a laugh. “When my family couldn’t afford riding lessons, I would work in the therapeutic riding program. I always stayed connected to horses.”

Growing up in Southern California, near San Diego, she pursued her love of horses through her college years, enrolling at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in the Equine Science program, but she wanted to explore more of what a career working with horses could offer. Enter a connection her father made through her brother’s baseball team.

Jordyn Egan (Katie Jones photo)

“My dad met a guy that said, ‘I think there’s some horse racing program at the University of Arizona. You should go look at that with your daughter,’ ” Egan recalled. “Spring break, we drove over there and I didn’t know anything about racing, I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, this is legit.’ So I transferred.”

That move to the University of Arizona’s Race Track Industry Program (RTIP) opened up a new world for Egan. RTIP exposes students to all facets of the sport, from the hands-on skills working with horses at various stages of their lives to the business side of racing, including racetrack management, equine law, and more.

After graduation, she participated in the Godolphin Flying Start program, the prestigious international program that built on her experience at RTIP and helped the California native decide on her focus for her career in racing:

“I love running businesses. I love horses, but I always I have always wanted to run a business,” Egan said.

Her time with RTIP and the Flying Start program also gave her an appreciation for mentorship as well as for the people behind the scenes who make the sport go.

“It just teaches you to always be that way towards other people, too,” Egan said. “There’s no reason to not be grateful and generous with whatever you have. And to be able to do it in horse racing and let that be the thing that takes you through life is pretty remarkable.”

When her husband, Jason Egan, had an opportunity to move to the Mid-Atlantic, Jordyn moved on from her position with Darley to work with the Maryland Horse Breeders Association (MHBA) while also pursuing her MBA at the University of Delaware. Her time as director of special projects for MHBA gave her the chance to replicate the Flying Start program in Maryland, the Maryland Horse Career Program (MHCP), as well as play a vital role in the construction of the Maryland Horse Library & Education Center in Reisterstown, Md.

The Egans returned to California in 2021, Jason as director of racing and racing secretary for Santa Anita Park and Jordyn as executive director of the Thoroughbred Owners of California. Cliff Goodrich, a longtime California racing executive, retired from his position at the California Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Foundation (CTHF) in late 2023, giving Egan the chance to head up this stalwart nonprofit that provides medical and dental services to backstretch communities around the state.

“When it came open, I said this job makes my heart sing,” Egan said.

The CTHF was founded in 1984 to provide dental care to backstretch workers and then expanded over the years to offer primary care and basic optometric services in addition to dental. Funded through a small share of the wagers taken in at the state’s racetracks, this organization supports the horses at the heart of the sport by caring for those essential workers that care for these equine athletes.

“We’re always asking, ‘How can we really impact and help these workers live healthier lives?’ which then has just a huge impact on the racing community as a whole,” Egan said. “Because, when you have happy, healthy workers, they can show up every day feeling good. Nobody wants to go to work not feeling good.”

In addition, the CTHF partners with other area organizations to provide additional services like mental health care, food assistance, and more. They collaborate with Del Mar Thoroughbred Club and the Oak Tree Racing Association to operate the Del Mar Meal Program, which provides 400–500 free meals to the backstretch community every day during the racing season.

Along with the Sansum Diabetes Research Institute in Santa Barbara, CTHF offers a diabetes education program called Ocho Pasos (Eight Steps) with sessions held in Spanish to support those with diabetes. Participants also receive meals, snacks, and support throughout the program to boost their chances of success.

A partnership with the Winners Foundation, which started as a substance abuse program for the backstretch community and their family members, has enabled CTHF also to address mental health concerns within this essential population.

“We’re just constantly layering in things that have the comprehensive elements that we’re looking for,” Egan said. “We’re fortunate to work really well together here in California with these organizations that have all been around a long time in the backstretch community.”

“It’s everybody working in their strengths so that the funding — and we’re all industry funded for the most part — is being spent the most efficient way with the people who know what they’re doing.”

Egan’s passion for helping extends to her work with both Amplify Horse Racing, which provides mentorship and education for young people wanting to work in the sport, and the Horse Racing Women’s Association, a national organization whose mission is to connect women working in the sport and support them with professional development opportunities.

Jordyn Egan (Zoe Metz photo)

“Now, HRWA has this membership of almost 300 women. We work to connect virtually in a way that’s sustainable for someone that is remote or busy or cannot fly to California, Saratoga, or Kentucky. We look for ways throughout the year to connect and the trust that’s already been built within this membership in this virtual space has been really important,” she said.

Her work is about connection and advocacy, especially for those seeking to find their place in the sport.

“If we can get more people, as many people as possible, connected in some way — especially in jurisdictions that are no-brainers like Kentucky — then people sift their way through on, ‘I want to be this, I want to be that,’ and it all works out,” said Egan.

“The opportunities are there in racing if we get people going in the right direction.”

The common thread throughout Egan’s time in racing, from RTIP to the CTHF, is not just the business of the sport but also the people that make it go.

“I love people a lot. My husband describes me as a herd animal. I’m very focused on the backstretch community now, but every place I’ve worked I’ve appreciated the people and their individual passions. I have so much gratitude for the sport,” Egan said.

“I tell people that I think I have one of the top jobs in horse racing. I can’t imagine a better job. I still get to work at the racetrack with great people. There’s all the elements of the business challenges that I love. But then this, the work we’re doing and the team that works for CTHF and has for so long, just kind of having the opportunity to steward those responsibilities is such a privilege.”