The Race is On

For those struggling to remember the history of horse racing in Texas, it might be because until 1986, it had been illegal for decades. Even now, when compared to many other states, racing is minimal in Texas. However, Amy Fordham Cook '23, executive director of the Texas Racing Commission (TXRC), is out to change that.

Cook completed her Master of Laws Program in risk management while serving in her present role. The experience was immensely helpful due to her ability to overlap her coursework with the horse racing profession. She would incorporate the roles of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act of 2020 and the Texas Racing Act in certain assignments. Additionally, she would also broach cybersecurity's role in horse racing. Two of her favorite courses — risk management and ethical decision-making — gave her strong insight.

"We were encouraged to apply our interests to the work; being able to do this really helped me in my position," Cook said. "Getting feedback and looking at issues from historical, legislative, and business perspectives was incredibly valuable."

Trying to Find the Winner’s Circle for the State

Economic possibilities were a major goal of why the Texas Legislature brought horse racing back, said Cook.

"Texas has the capability of being the premiere state for horse racing if the agency, which the legislature considered abolishing in 2021, can earn credibility through a paradigm shift to a sustainable source of funding and a rebranding effort," she said.

The criticisms of the agency in Sunset reports during the 74th, 75th, 81st, 82nd, and 87th Legislatures all identified concerns related to the statutory impediments and fiscal structure of the agency, including the recognition that regulating pari-mutuel racing is substantially different from regulating other industries.

Based on industry feedback and legislative guidance from the nine-member commission that hired Cook, she set out to rebrand the agency from an unsustainable licensing agency to a specialized law enforcement agency that contributes to the statewide public safety of the citizens.

"Texas has a rich equine heritage of horses, horse racing, barrel racing, and rodeos," she said. "Current estimates are that Texas has more horses than any other state in the U.S."

On the public safety side, TXRC also runs a drug testing program, watches for criminal or drug activity, drugging of horses, and tests horses to make sure the horses are cared for with a focus on integrity and safety.

"For those concerned about the care of horses, we continue to encourage a culture of shared responsibility for the safety and welfare of horses from the owners, trainers, and jockeys to the racetrack associations. It is also the regulatory agency's responsibility to verify that horses are cared for through our veterinary staff and the continued modernization of diagnosis technology."

Cook had little knowledge of horse racing when she took on the role but chose to view it as an advantage.

"I undertook the challenge of rebuilding what I believed could be the best state agency in Texas," she said. "By studying the history and listening to the perspectives of folks who have made their living in this industry, the time I spent on the ground in the first 18 months at our licensed racetracks allowed me to gain the perspective I would need to lead the agency team."

From Brigadier General to Bridging the Gap in Horse Racing

Cook's leadership likely stemmed from her 35-year career in the military, rising from private to the rank of brigadier general.

"I joined the military in 1986 and have had the opportunity to build strong teams and organizations," she said. "I was stationed in Alaska for my second duty station, and I had the chance to work in trial defense and work with many soldiers who were facing non-judicial punishment for one minor offense or another. I got to appreciate how much good a lawyer could do for someone unable to tell or write their story in a way that explained why they shouldn't be disciplined."

She would later be a platoon leader for Operation Restore Hope in Somalia. After her army days, she would later join the National Guard, first for the state of Washington and then for the state of Texas, rising to the rank of brigadier general for the latter in 2020.

"My military background prepared me through learning to follow others, leadership, and working as a team," she said. "I have a goal of making the agency that I have the privilege to lead, a model organization that Texans deserve now and in the future."

Understanding Risk Doesn’t Mean Cook Ignores Boldness

Cook chose the risk management LL.M. program partly because she knew that after years of military risk management, gaining an understanding of legal risk management from different perspectives would add to her toolbox toward the new chapter in her career in public service.

"If you want to grow, you have to be agile enough to embrace change and accept that risk is a part of the dramatic change required for the agency before we are considered for sunset again by the Legislature in 2029," she said.

Cook is enthusiastic about the sport's future in Texas because of the great Texans and participants from around the world who participate in Texas horse racing as participants and spectators.

"This is a generational industry with families who have been a part of this industry since the late 1800s," she said. "These are amazing folks who make their livelihood and many Texas citizens who have not attended a horserace and we welcome them to learn more about this rich Texas tradition.

More information about TXRC and other horse racing resources can be found on the Commission's website.