Popular racing TV presenter Christina Blacker, director of on-air talent at FanDuel, completes our regular questionnaire
Christina Blacker is one of the most recognisable faces on American racing’s dedicated TV channel, FanDuelTV.
Blacker, 41, was introduced to horse racing through her father Frank Olivares, who rode nearly 1,400 winners in a 25-year career. The mother of three began her broadcasting career as an intern with HRTV before successfully auditioning for a role with TVG in 2007 and was back at HRTV when the two stations merged.
Not only is she a member of the on-air talent, she is now Director of On-Air Talent for horse racing on FanDuel. In April she was appointed to the board of Light Up Racing, a group that aims to amplify the positive side of horse racing.
She is married to successful Californian-based trainer Dan Blacker, with whom she has three daughters.
Which racing figure past or present do you most admire?
The first person who comes to mind is D Wayne Lukas. He is just such a legendary figure in racing and was such a pioneer at the time when he was branching out and having different satellite divisions.
He really changed the way horse trainers can approach their profession. You never had people sending different assistants to different parts of the country years ago and now it’s so common. Many of the big trainers are operating in that way.
I have been lucky enough to know Wayne my whole life as my Dad rode for him when he was training in California. One of the things I admire about him is that he is one of those people who makes you feel really inspired when you are around him and you feel like you always learn something.
For example, I was reading some quotes from his Preakness victory when he took the opportunity to say you have to “find something that you are passionate about, willing to work, willing to lose sleep, willing to miss a meal here and there. It’s going to be hard but you are going to have to choose your attitude and choose your attitude early because that’s what is going to serve you in life.”
He is a really inspirational leader with a very strong character and has changed the game – and has been doing it at the highest level for so long. But he is also someone who, no matter what you are talking to him about, you are still learning something.
Which is your favorite venue, and race, anywhere in the world?
I still have so many places on my bucket list. I have never been racing in Japan, never been to Dubai. I am still intrigued by the White Turf at St Moritz. But my favorite venue is Del Mar, here in California.
It’s mostly because it is tied to all the wonderful memories of my childhood. I was fortunate to be there every summer as a kid and it felt like summer didn’t start until we got to Del Mar. My Dad was married once before and I have two half-sisters, who are five and ten years older than me, and they would live with us every summer. I would idolise them and I am still very close to them.
Every Tuesday all of the jockeys would meet on the beach at Del Mar at 18th Street. It was a really magical time because they were all so close. I would end up building sandcastles with Bill Shoemaker and having parties with his daughter because that was our racetrack family. I am lucky now to still go there so hopefully my kids will find it special too.
My favorite race is the Kentucky Derby. Surprisingly, this year was the first time I have been at Churchill Downs and watched the race live. It’s the race everybody asks you about the second they learn you are working in horse racing. In America, the Derby is the one sporting day where everybody cares about what we do.
Who is your favorite racehorse and why?
I was really young when Zenyatta went on that run. I was definitely living in the moment and enjoying it, able to be a reporter around her, John Shireffs and Jerry and Ann Moss. The excitement that built through her win streak was incredible.
To this day, when she won the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita, that’s the most euphoric moment I’ve ever had at a racetrack. I was standing down towards the winners’ circle and looked back to see the entire grandstand was cheering. It just erupted. It was without doubt the best collective experience of joy that I've had at a sporting event. She will always be at the top of my list.
The other horse is Silver Charm. What I loved about him was if he would see you, he would beat you. He was all heart. You look at so many replays where his ears are pinned and his neck is stretched out. He had that intangible grit and determination on top of the physical ability. He was the one that touched me early on.
What is your fondest memory in racing?
Probably back to Zenyatta again. I wish I could go back and relive it again and bottle up that experience.
The other one is when Dan won his first Grade 1 with Hit The Road. I was at Santa Anita and it was during the pandemic. Because of all the rules I was broadcasting from a house on the backside of the track and he was on the front side.
It was a culmination of so much work, many mornings getting up and starting a business. It was peculiar because I was alone. I celebrated by myself and I cried. I was completely overcome and so happy for him.
If you could change one thing in racing, what would it be?
Right now I am very focussed on the perception of racing and that is why I joined the board of Light Up Racing. I think there is a misconception in the public that we within racing don’t care and don’t love these horses like they are our family. – and that is just wrong.
What I really loved about the idea and approach of Light Up Racing is that it is on all of us to share our stories and to share them transparently – with facts, with data and with science – to support our opinions and to support the progress that has been made over the last several years.
We did go through a real crisis here in California with the breakdowns. From that came an immense amount of change, diagnostic equipment, investment and culture shift, from the horsemen here and across the country. I would really love to share that.
If I could change one thing it would to be have everybody help change that public perception and bring some young people to the racetrack. Through FanDuel we have definitely created some young fans.
We saw over 200,000 new bettors just from the Derby, so I think there is an appetite for new fans and a new generation of fans – but not unless we are really clear about our commitment to safety and our commitment to the horse.
Christina Blacker was speaking to Jon Lees
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