Kayla Stra
Encyclopedia
Kayla Stra is a jockey and television personality in Thoroughbred horse racing who raced in Australia
until coming to compete in the United States
at racetracks in California
. She currently rides in the Northern California
circuit after a 2 year stint in the Southern California
area. She is also known for her appearances on the reality tv show, Jockeys
on Animal Planet
.
Kayla Stra was born in Australia, where she launched her career in horseracing prior to moving to California in Late 2007. From a very young age, Stra was interested in horses, having talked her parents into buying her a pony when she was eight years old. During her late childhood
and adolescence
, Stra worked at racing stables and eventually bought her first horse — a Thoroughbred named Gurtie, which she trained on her own for picnic races (unregistered race horses) before getting her certificate in racing.
Stra acknowledges her first trainer, Ray Moore
, as someone who has had a strong influence in her life. Moore taught Stra how to be a horseman — how to communicate with horses by reading their body language and having a keen feel for what they're thinking. Stra credits John Letts
as one of her mentors for his outstanding jockey career, having won three Melbourne Cup
s and hundreds upon hundreds of stake races.
As an apprentice, Stra was always in the top five riders and won all her premierships. During this time, she began traveling to different tracks to learn more from those experiences.
Stra eventually racked up approximately 500 victories in her native country and became the "poster girl" for Australian horseracing. Now, she hopes to continue that success in the much larger US market. Racing in California, on November 9, 2007 Kayla Stra won her first American race aboard Flying Bearcat at Hollywood Park Racetrack. One notable victory was at Santa Anita
on 49-1 longshot Paddin' Mud. Stra's career goal to date is to hang in the game and not let the industry down. But here, she will face the toughest competitors in the world — serious professional athletes who are not likely to cut any slack for the new girl.
Stra became a leading Adelaide
apprentice jockey who posted 220 winners in Australia. Her biggest Australian win was in the 2005 City of Marion Stakes with gelding Navy Shaker.
Stra was one of the jockeys featured in Animal Planet
's 2009 reality tv show, Jockeys
. It lasted for two seasons.
After two years of the lack of wins in the Southern California circuit, Stra decided to leave the Southern California circuit in October 2009 after two years. In October 2009, she joined the Northern California area. In her first season at Golden Gate Fields
' fall meet she finished 10th in the standings. The Northern California Circuit is where she continues to ride their today.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
until coming to compete in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
at racetracks in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. She currently rides in the Northern California
Northern California
Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...
circuit after a 2 year stint in the Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
area. She is also known for her appearances on the reality tv show, Jockeys
Jockeys (TV series)
Jockeys is an American documentary sports reality television series that premiered on February 6, 2009 on Animal Planet. The series chronicles the professional lives of jockeys during the famous thirty-day Oak Tree Meet at Santa Anita Park...
on Animal Planet
Animal Planet
Animal Planet is an American cable tv specialty channel that launched on October 1, 1996. It is distributed by Discovery Communications. A high-definition simulcast of the channel launched on September 1, 2007.-History:...
.
Kayla Stra was born in Australia, where she launched her career in horseracing prior to moving to California in Late 2007. From a very young age, Stra was interested in horses, having talked her parents into buying her a pony when she was eight years old. During her late childhood
Childhood
Childhood is the age span ranging from birth to adolescence. In developmental psychology, childhood is divided up into the developmental stages of toddlerhood , early childhood , middle childhood , and adolescence .- Age ranges of childhood :The term childhood is non-specific and can imply a...
and adolescence
Adolescence
Adolescence is a transitional stage of physical and mental human development generally occurring between puberty and legal adulthood , but largely characterized as beginning and ending with the teenage stage...
, Stra worked at racing stables and eventually bought her first horse — a Thoroughbred named Gurtie, which she trained on her own for picnic races (unregistered race horses) before getting her certificate in racing.
Stra acknowledges her first trainer, Ray Moore
Ray Moore
Ray Moore may refer to:*Ray Moore , comic strip artist and co-creator of The Phantom*Ray Moore , British broadcaster*Raymond Moore , former South African tennis player...
, as someone who has had a strong influence in her life. Moore taught Stra how to be a horseman — how to communicate with horses by reading their body language and having a keen feel for what they're thinking. Stra credits John Letts
John Letts (jockey)
John Richard ‘Johnny’ Letts is a former Australian jockey whose career spanned almost 30 years, retiring from race riding in 1988....
as one of her mentors for his outstanding jockey career, having won three Melbourne Cup
Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is Australia's major Thoroughbred horse race. Marketed as "the race that stops a nation", it is a 3,200 metre race for three-year-olds and over. It is the richest "two-mile" handicap in the world, and one of the richest turf races...
s and hundreds upon hundreds of stake races.
As an apprentice, Stra was always in the top five riders and won all her premierships. During this time, she began traveling to different tracks to learn more from those experiences.
Stra eventually racked up approximately 500 victories in her native country and became the "poster girl" for Australian horseracing. Now, she hopes to continue that success in the much larger US market. Racing in California, on November 9, 2007 Kayla Stra won her first American race aboard Flying Bearcat at Hollywood Park Racetrack. One notable victory was at Santa Anita
Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park is a thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent racing events in the United States during the winter and in spring. With its backdrop of the purple San Gabriel Mountains, it is considered by many as the world's most beautiful race...
on 49-1 longshot Paddin' Mud. Stra's career goal to date is to hang in the game and not let the industry down. But here, she will face the toughest competitors in the world — serious professional athletes who are not likely to cut any slack for the new girl.
Stra became a leading Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
apprentice jockey who posted 220 winners in Australia. Her biggest Australian win was in the 2005 City of Marion Stakes with gelding Navy Shaker.
Stra was one of the jockeys featured in Animal Planet
Animal Planet
Animal Planet is an American cable tv specialty channel that launched on October 1, 1996. It is distributed by Discovery Communications. A high-definition simulcast of the channel launched on September 1, 2007.-History:...
's 2009 reality tv show, Jockeys
Jockeys (TV series)
Jockeys is an American documentary sports reality television series that premiered on February 6, 2009 on Animal Planet. The series chronicles the professional lives of jockeys during the famous thirty-day Oak Tree Meet at Santa Anita Park...
. It lasted for two seasons.
After two years of the lack of wins in the Southern California circuit, Stra decided to leave the Southern California circuit in October 2009 after two years. In October 2009, she joined the Northern California area. In her first season at Golden Gate Fields
Golden Gate Fields
Golden Gate Fields is an American horse racing track straddling both Albany, California and Berkeley, California along the shoreline of San Francisco Bay adjacent to the Eastshore Freeway in the San Francisco Bay Area...
' fall meet she finished 10th in the standings. The Northern California Circuit is where she continues to ride their today.