Cady Stribling
Features Editor
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Mason Galemore
Contributing Writer
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The first Racer 1 to be born and bred at Murray State, Vegas, is known to be a sweet and social butterfly.

Racer 1 jockey and junior pre-vet major Emily Helmick said Vegas lives up to his name with a huge, strong-willed personality. On top of being incredibly intelligent and a thrill seeker, Helmick said Vegas has a bit of a personal space issue since he constantly demands attention.

“His favorite place to be is as close to you as possible,” Helmick said. “Sometimes when I’m just standing near him, he’ll turn his head and start nudging me to make me pay attention to him. He knows he’s famous and he loves it. He loves to meet people at our community events, but he gets mad when we don’t let him bump people with his nose.”

Vegas, a 9-year-old Quarter Horse, graced the track with victory laps last year. Unfortunately, Vegas is unable to run after Racer touchdowns this football season because of COVID-19, but the Racer community is optimistic for his return next season. Prior to becoming Murray State’s mascot, Vegas was a former competitive jumper.

This is Helmick’s first year as the Racer 1 jockey. For 15 years, Helmick has been an equestrian, or a horse rider, having trained in dressage, hunters, jumpers and eventing. Her interest in riding horses began when she received a pony for her 12th birthday.

From St. Charles, Missouri, Helmick decided to come to Murray State when an alumnus informed her about the equine and veterinary programs.

“I love the large pastures and fields we have for our horses to live in,” Helmick said. “They have a lot of room to just run around and be horses. I also appreciated that fact that we do have a barn with stalls where we can keep horses inside if they are better off living that way.”

Helmick also enjoyed the very large and heated indoor arena, which is uncommon on college campuses. Helmick said the facilities at the Equine Center are phenomenal for housing the riding programs.

Helmick said she’d found out about Racer 1 when she first visited and was immediately interested in becoming a jockey.

Last year, Helmick submitted the application and was then invited to interview and do a riding and horse handling tryout.

“My interview started with the riding portion,” Helmick said. “The panel watched me saddle the horse and prepare him to ride, and then of course assessed my riding skills. The actual interview took place just after that. It was pretty nerve wracking simply because I had been looking forward to this moment for so long, and I didn’t want to blow it after I had gotten so close to achieving my goal.”

It wasn’t long before Helmick found out she had, in fact, achieved her goal. In November, she became the new Racer 1 jockey.

When Helmick found out, she cried tears of joy.

“To say I was elated would be a vast understatement,” Helmick said. “When I opened that email, I actually cried tears of joy. I immediately texted my close friend group and called my mom. To finally achieve my goal of this prestigious position was so exciting and so relieving.”

Shea Porr, professor and department head of the Hutson School of Agriculture, oversees all of Racer 1’s care and training. Porr said Racer 1 is very important to the culture of Murray State and represents Racer pride.

When it comes to picking the right horse, Porr prefers a lighter, smaller breed like a Quarter Horse because they can run faster and maneuver better than a larger horse. They can also traverse the track easily if it is slippery from rain.

The Racer 1 team is made up of caretakers that prepare him for each game.

“Training Racer 1 is an important responsibility that requires a lot of teamwork,” Porr said. “We want to make sure the horse has a calm temperament. In a loud football stadium, it is important to make sure the horse is focused and the rider has control.”

The team also has people positioned in the front and behind Racer 1 to ensure his safety and that he doesn’t get spooked in a stadium filled with thousands of people.

Fans have the opportunity to meet and pet Racer 1 during games.

“It can be dangerous if that large of an animal is spooked,” Porr said. “A horse can kick out of fear just as a dog can bite out of fear. We want to make sure all fans are safe but are also having fun.”

Currently, because of COVID-19, if a Racer 1 fan wants to pet the thoroughbred, the crew requires everyone to wash their hands after touching him.

Emily Fischel is one of the caretakers for Racer 1. Fischel said there is a lot of prepping to make Vegas into the distinguishable Racer 1.

“For a typical event, the other team members and I will get to the barn about an hour before departure to get Vegas ready.” Fischel said. “This involves grooming and getting him ‘dressed’—blue and yellow leg wraps, head piece, saddle, etc.”

Fischel said once they arrive at the event where Racer 1 is needed, the caretakers work with Helmick and Porr to ensure the safety of the horse and the public.

Helmick said a trusting relationship is very important when riding a horse. In an environment where multiple factors can make him nervous, Helmick said Vegas has to trust her to take care of him. To build this relationship, Helmick spends a lot of time with him.

“Aside from our track/working relationship, I like to have a fun, exciting relationship with him,” Helmick said. “Sometimes I’ll come out to the farm and just groom him and spend time with him, or ride bareback with no saddle, just to keep things fresh with him. I don’t want him to see me and assume he’s automatically going to be put to work.”

Helmick said Vegas tends to focus better when they are working and running the track because he loves being Racer 1. The distractions, Helmick said, come from casually walking around.

The Racer 1 crew will continue training until Murray’s first home football game, which has been postponed to Feb. 28.