NEWS
Linda Rice
Posted: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 11:53 AM
LINDA RICE
Adam Coglianese/NYRA photo
Trainer
Linda Rice started training on her own at age 23 in 1987 and accumulated a long list of achievements by the time she became the first female to win a meet title at a major racetrack in the U.S. in 2009.
A steady career arc flowed into a seminal highlight as she led the standings at Saratoga Race Course in 2009 with 20 wins. Rice was an appropriate pioneer, since she had been thriving for years at the Spa.
One of Rice’s first major victories came with Double Booked in the 1991 Bernard Baruch Handicap (G2) at Saratoga, and she notched her first Grade 1 win there in the ’98 Spinaway Stakes (G1) with Things Change.
In 2000, Rice won each of Saratoga’s three major races for two-year-olds with City Zip.
The daughter of former trainer Clyde Rice, Rice was born in Wisconsin and grew up in Pennsylvania. She studied computer science for two years at Penn State University but kept her hand in racing, working for her father whenever she could. Eventually, she had enough of the classroom.
“I never really left the racetrack,” she said. “My heart was in the racing, and that’s what I ended up doing.”
Date of birth: March 7, 1964
Birthplace: Racine, Wisconsin
Residence: Floral Park, New York
Title: Trainer
Education: Attended Penn State University
Family: Single
Career: Licensed trainer since 1987 after working for her father, Clyde Rice, as an exercise rider and trainer; initially based in New Jersey, she has been training in New York since 1991
Favorite horse: City Zip
What book are you currently reading? What It Takes to Be #1: Vince Lombardi on Leadership, by Vince Lombardi Jr.
Biggest professional achievement: “Winning my first Grade 1, and then my second and my third and my fourth, and then this last season winning the training title at Saratoga was probably my biggest accomplishment so far.”
Outside interest: “I love good movies, and living on Long Island, I like to go to the city and see a show or listen to live music.”
What advice would you give other women interested in the racing industry? “There are a lot of different parts of racing that women can get involved in, whether it’s management of a racetrack or broadcasting or working with the horses. Women have been successful in all venues of it and I would encourage them that, if it’s their passion, to get involved.”
Outlook on the industry: “The industry as a whole is suffering because of the economy and New York racing is suffering because of politics, but I’d like to think we’re going through the most difficult times now and we’ll find the right direction and get better as the economy improves.”
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READER COMMENTS
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Posted by: keith, baltimore, MD on July 09, 2010 at 05:07 AM
besides being a real good trainer Linda is VERY GOOD LOOKING for someone who is SINGLE--guess Linda you are married to the horses
hope the racing gods smile down on you and have anthor great meet at the SPA---will be there 8/19--8/22 if you are running any during that time i will have my money on your horses
BEST OF LUCK!!!
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Posted by: Chip, Saratoga Springs, NY on July 01, 2010 at 08:44 AM
Linda is the perfect example for your topic as she demonstrates the results that can be garnered from determination and hard work.
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