Her ledger consists of using at 18 racetracks in 10 states throughout her dozen years as an expert jockey, in addition to races in Puerto Rico and England. Beginning later this month, Katie Davis will probably be checking one other participant off her checklist.
Davis emerges as a breakout star within the Netflix docuseries and has already surpassed career-high earnings with seven weeks remaining race for the crown After his spring launch, he’ll journey full-time on the 2025-26 championship meet at Gulfstream Park. The nation’s most prestigious winter racing vacation spot opens on Thanksgiving Day, November twenty seventh, and runs by means of March twenty ninth.
“We’re going,” Davis, 33, stated. “We’re simply on the lookout for new challenges. I like setting targets and making an attempt to achieve them. That is it. It is a new monitor so as to add to my checklist, so I am excited.”
Davis’ title is well-known round Gulfstream. His father, Robbie, cut up his time between Florida and New York throughout a using profession that spanned 1981 to 2002, successful 3,382 races, together with 31 G1 stakes. His youthful brother, Dylan, spent the 2013-14 apprentice season in South Florida, returned final winter and, regardless of lacking the primary 5 weeks, received 38 races and earned $2.37 million, making him one of many main jockeys within the championship race.
Katie Davis grew up wintering in Gulfstream, the place she first met her future husband, former jockey Trevor McCarthy, when she was a baby and the place McCarthy’s father, Michael, rode the Florida-Delaware Park circuit. Their households have change into shut, and the older Mr. McCarthy now lives year-round in Delray Seaside, about 60 miles north of the monitor.
Davis and McCarthy, who married in December 2020, have a 4-year-old daughter, Riley. McCarthy received 1,871 races in Maryland from 2011 to 2024, was a four-time year-end champion, and is at the moment concerned in actual property funding and improvement.
“I stated to Trevor, ‘Riley is not at school but. If he’ll battle, he can battle in hotter climate,'” Davis stated. “His mother and father dwell in Delray, so we’re very near them throughout the winter. It was a choice we made after plenty of thought, however we’re sticking with it.
“I rode at Meadowlands this fall, and I acquired the sensation of successful slightly extra usually. I do know Gulfstream may be very powerful. It is like going to Saratoga in that sense,” she added. “I’ll take the chance. I am excited.”
Davis received 4 of seven mounts within the nine-day Thoroughbred Stand at Meadowlands, which ended Oct. 17. She received thrice on the Huge A Belmont, which ended Nov. 2, incomes $403,462 in purse earnings and pushing her season purse to $2,782,798. Total this 12 months, she has began 419 video games and received 40 video games.
“We have had some alternatives this fall with a number of trainers going there, and we’re on the lookout for these alternatives to both be with them or get extra, as a result of they arrive again throughout the spring and are right here for the summer time anyway,” Davis stated. “We wish to increase our enterprise.
“When my dad was using horses, we used to vary colleges yearly. Trevor has a profession fixing up and flipping homes, and he desires to get nearer to that, too. This winter is slightly gradual for him, so we’re like, ‘Let’s simply go,'” she added. “Go and take in some solar, spend time along with his mother and father, and develop your corporation.”
Davis is certainly one of six kids born to Race. Her older sister, Jackie, took up horseback using professionally for the primary time and is at the moment primarily based within the Finger Lakes of Western New York, the place she continues to get well from a spill in June. His older brother Eddie is a former assistant to coach Jimmy Jerkens, and though his personal profession as a coach was short-lived, he has since been acknowledged as a daily coach for the 2023 Horse of the 12 months, Cody’s Want.
Katie Davis likened her upcoming keep at Gulfstream to her first full-season journey at Saratoga in 2023, when she received seven races in 86 rides and earned $544,078. In the identical event, McCarthy had 4 winners and $559,549 out of 84 starters.
It was additionally the summer time when Davis, all the time enthusiastic and energetic, was hardly ever seen with out his signature huge grin, incomes him the nickname “The Smiling Murderer.” In 19 days, she received three races, and her husband, sister, and brother every took second place.
“My first 12 months at Saratoga, everybody was telling me, ‘You are loopy, it is best to go to Monmouth, Saratoga is simply too robust.'” I used to be like, no matter. Saratoga is my hometown and my husband rides there. If I could make it, I’ll make it, and if I am unable to, I will not make it. I’m right here to have enjoyable,” she stated. “Each time I come again from a race, I am straight up cheese.” Lafite Pinkay III stated, “She’s like a smiling murderer. She will get enthusiastic about it and nails them.” I used to be grinning all the best way residence. ”
One other benefit for Davis of using at Gulfstream is that it’s the solely monitor in North America with three racing surfaces: filth, turf and tapeta. Belmont Park, scheduled to reopen in fall 2026, would be the second park so as to add artificial surfaces.
“I hope I can leap on it earlier than the brand new Belmont opens. I’ve ridden it a number of instances at Presque Isle (Downs) and it went effectively. I like it. It is like using a grass race. You do not wish to fall down knocking on a tree, however I prefer it. I am doing effectively with this,” she stated. “Even (coach) Barkley Tagg stated, “In the event you come down and leap, you will know methods to journey when the monitor opens.” He was the primary individual I requested about Florida. He stated, “You need to come down.”
Based totally in New York, Tug has lived within the Gulfstream throughout the winter months for many years. In 2020, he received the Holy Bull (G3) and Florida Derby (G1) with Tiz the Legislation, then the identical horse received the Belmont and Travers (G1) and completed second within the Kentucky Derby. In 2003, Humorous Cide, skilled by Tag, began the season at Gulfstream and received the Kentucky Derby and Preakness.
“New York is residence, and with out the folks and help of New York, I would not be right here in the present day and I would not have had this a lot success,” Davis stated. “I’m excited to return again and proceed to work with them and proceed successful for them.
“As my dad all the time stated, ‘When you go up, you’ll be able to come down once more, and you will always remember your fellow trainers who helped you alongside the best way,'” she added. “I nonetheless journey for the fellows that have been there when the 10-pound bug began bugging me, and I used to be horrible. I nonetheless journey for all these guys, and it is nice.”
Davis will proceed to be represented by agent Ryan Bond, who obtained her e-book in January. Bond is the son of coach Jim Bond, who received the 1999 and 2000 Gulfstream Park Handicap (G1) with Behrens and the 2002 Don Handicap (G1), now a $3 million Pegasus World Cup, with Mongoose.
“We would like the problem. We’re each excited. We have fireplace in our butts,” Davis stated. “It is not concerning the cash for me. It is about successful, taking good care of the horses and giving everybody the expertise of successful. Everybody desires to win.
“I do not thoughts using such low-cost races. I wish to take part and present my expertise and character to extra purchasers,” she added. “I am preventing for third, second, fourth and even fifth. I’ve had house owners come as much as me in $100,000 races and say, ‘Thanks for coming fifth.’ I say, ‘Pay attention, I do know you are going to receives a commission for the feed.'” Okay. “
Outdoors of racing, the general public acquired a glimpse of Davis’ character on Netflix. Her nook of the collection targeted on rising as a girl in a male-dominated business that continues day by day.
“I used to be like, ‘I am not going to do something however be myself, and both you want me or you do not.’ I’ve plenty of followers,” Davis stated. “After Sunday’s race, I reduce my eye and drove to the ER and instructed the girl that I used to be a jockey and what had occurred. And he or she stated, ‘Wait, are you that woman on Netflix?’
“It has been extra just like the followers and individuals are gravitating towards me than the racetrack. In a means, I am additionally serving to folks on their journey, in order that’s nice. I like that,” she added. “It’s a tricky business to get into, however I’m nonetheless right here and preventing.”
