Meet Taylor Fisher, the rising star apprentice jockey
Taylor Fisher (right) with horse Coral Reef
At 15, Taylor Fisher had his eyes set on becoming a successful jockey.
Fisher's career aspirations are high, and the young man has goals to reach as a racing master.
Now 18, Fisher hopes to race during the Flat and ride 95 winners to make it to the top. He has competed at Cheltenham on ponies and has 27 wins so far.
Dreaming big
Fisher has big dreams of becoming a household name in the racing industry. He dreams of winning the derby and becoming a champion jockey on the Flat.
Everyone involved in the horse racing industry hopes to one day compete in the Kentucky Derby. It is perhaps the biggest race of the year and a major spectacle.
People travel to Churchill Downs from around the US and the world to watch the historic race year after year.
American online sportsbooks and retail providers see thousands of dollars wagered on the event as bettors vie for the underdog and top racers.
Fisher wants to be one of the favorites, and the 18-year-old is on track as he moves through the apprentice ranks.
However, he faces little competition from his friend and fellow apprentice, Billy Loughnane. Both started by riding Annie R U OK, a little pony providing much-needed training for the jockeys.
The friends are competitive, and Fisher notices that Billy is flying and has many wins. Fisher wants to give the title a good go and hopes he will be selected to move on from apprenticeship to actual racing.
Teaming up with agent Paul Clarke
Fisher has a great camp to work with as he tries to move out of apprenticeship to an actual jockey.
His agent is Paul Clarke, the individual responsible for helping Benoit de la Sayette earn the 2022 apprentice title.
The apprentice currently has 34 rides under Rules before he found success with Gliding Bay in July 2022.
In August, he was able to beat many professional jockeys with the help of Mukha Magic. He defeated William Buick and Ryan Moore, which helped to showcase his rising talent.
Fisher was proud of winning that race, and everyone wants to be able to say they have beaten the best jockeys. He can look back at that moment in the future to see how far he has come.
Working with the best
Fisher has had a lot of help as he works his way through the apprenticeship process. He started working with Andrew Balding, one of the former trainers of the Queen.
He then moved on to Richard Hannon and eventually began working with Archie Watson and moving to Lambourn, which helped to turn his racing in the right direction.
He is now learning from the best of the best, Hollie Doyle, and hopes that the record-setter will help to catapult him towards a successful career. Fisher pointed out that Hollie is a racing icon, and she rides at Archie's regularly, so he often talks to her about horses.
The young man also receives help from his stepdad Joe Tickle, a successful trainer. Tickle received a license under Rules to help his son move up the ladder.
Fisher had his first ride for him and has helped with schooling the National Hunt horses at home with his stepdad, essentially growing up around the beautiful creatures.
Fisher will continue to enjoy his accomplishments and work towards a jockey career.
He is currently revealing the success of Mujid's 15-length summer romp at Ffos Las. We shall see what the young man does next as he continues to try and land winners in the apprentice ladder.
