Mar 31, 2024 By John Sacco 3 min read

After several months without one, The Meadows has hired an outrider.

According to track sources and confirmed by Kim Hankins, Lindsay (Morgan) Borrelli is the outrider.

Hankins added that Borrelli, a Chartiers-Houston High School graduate, is receiving training from an outrider from Northfield Park in Cleveland.

Other track sources said Borrelli is searching for some horses to assist her on the track.

Industry experts said while finding outriders is a problem, finding horses who can serve capably in the role is even more challenging.

“Scott (Lishia) did everything he could to find an outrider,” Hankins said. “They are not around the corner. They are hard to find and horses are even harder to find.

“It was not a lack of effort on his part.”

While training or racing is going on at a racetrack, horsemen called outriders are employed to supervise the events and to help as necessary.

Typically, outriders are available any time horses are on the racetrack, whether it is during morning training, qualifiers or the afternoon or night’s races.

Outriders are expected to – in most cases — assist with the post parade, are stationed and at the ready during the race and help bring the winners back after a race.

One of their most visible and vital duties includes helping to capture a racehorse if it gets loose, which is a highly demanding and precise job. The outrider’s horse must assist getting in position, and sprint quickly up to speed to catch a loose racehorse, then slow down again with the captured racehorse in hand.

Meadows’ horsemen said Borrelli is the daughter of former trainer Terry Morgan, who is a part-time driver of the starting gate.

Track shutdown

Racing at The Meadows will cease next week for track maintenance.

Qualifying races will next be held April 9 with pari-mutuel racing beginning the next day.

The reported $380,000 capital improvements project addresses the racing surface, which will be reconditioned and scarified as in previous years. A cleanup of the barn will also occur.

When racing begins again, The Meadows will follow its spring and summer schedule — a four-day week Wednesday through Saturday with post time at 12:45 p.m.

Starting in late May, through the end of August, The Meadows will have a 5:10 p.m. first post time 15 Fridays and one Saturday.

New tote board

After more than 60 years, the tote board will be replaced in the track’s infield.

The new tote board (video board) will be installed during the shutdown. A larger video board will be put in place in front of the current tote board.

One of the major projects that will take place during the first week of April will be the replacement of The Meadows’ infield video board.

Later this spring, the current tote board will be removed.

Calling blacksmiths

The track is searching for a part-time paddock blacksmith to cover one to two days weekly during the summer and to fill-in as needed in the fall.

Qualified parties are asked to contact the human resources office at 724-503-1200.

Note: Jeff Zidek, track announcer, contributed to this story.