Courtney C. Reid
Courtney C. Reid, who has become a mainstay of the National Steeplechase Association’s racing program since joining the NSA in November 2015, has been promoted to Manager of Racing Operations, effective immediately.
NSA President Guy J. Torsilieri announced the promotion. “In a short period, Courtney has become a very important asset to the NSA and steeplechasing,” he said. “She is extraordinarily competent, she is a very quick study, and she has brought much-needed technological skills into our racing operation.”
A native of Williamsburg, Va., she holds an undergraduate degree from James Madison University and a master’s degree from Liberty University. She previously worked for the Virginia Racing Commission under longtime racing official Bernard J. Hettel.
During her time at the NSA, she has graduated from the Racing Officials Accreditation Program’s stewards school and become an accredited steward. She also has worked in the racing offices of the New York Racing Association and the Breeders’ Cup.
“I am both flattered and grateful that the NSA Board has acknowledged my efforts with a promotion and a new title,” she said. “I am very grateful for the many opportunities the NSA has provided me in the short time I have been with the association, and I look forward to the future.
“Thoroughbred racing is my passion, and while steeplechasing represents a small segment of the industry, it is steeped in tradition and plays an important role in Thoroughbred history, especially at Saratoga, which is my favorite racetrack.”
Ms. Reid will continue to report to Bill Gallo Jr., the NSA’s director of racing. “Courtney Reid has had a distinct and definitive effect on our racing operations at the NSA,” he said. “In a very short time, she has grasped the scope of the racing program and has streamlined many of our racing functions.
“Her understanding of technology and its benefits when applied to the traditions of racing allows us to move forward with swift precision to better serve our horsemen and the race meets. She is an invaluable asset to me in my role as Director of Racing, and I am delighted that the NSA Board has recognized her many contributions,” he said.
Ms. Reid paid tribute to the insights she has learned from working with Gallo, who joined the NSA in 1977 and has been director of racing since 1999. “Working with Bill has been a gift. I continue to receive an invaluable education and learn more about the industry every day. I could not ask for a better mentor,” she said.
“Managing a racing operation that includes 30 race meets in addition to the major track program is no small task. The challenges of writing appropriate races and filling them with competitive fields are the same throughout the country. We at the NSA have a strong racing product that has great appeal to our horsemen as well as our many followers.”
Members of the NSA Executive Committee praised the skills that Ms. Reid has brought to the NSA and the talents she has honed in her tenure with the organization.
“Courtney has quickly learned the nuances of the racing office and works well with our horsemen and race meets,” said NSA Vice President Doug Fout, a longtime licensed trainer and Middleburg Spring’s president. “In my opinion, she’s the best thing to come along for the NSA in a long time. From a horseman’s view, she’s always on top of her game.”
Al Griffin Jr., who is the NSA’s secretary as well as co-chairman of the Virginia Gold Cup and International Gold Cup, said Ms. Reid carried her high standards and productivity from the Virginia Racing Commission into her NSA work. “I had the pleasure of interacting with Courtney when she was with the Virginia Racing Commission, and her work there was exemplary,” he said. “She brings a wealth of racing knowledge to the NSA.”
As a steward, she will be able to provide assistance to officials at race meets. “Courtney’s initiative to become a steward is very important to our organization,” said NSA Treasurer Dwight Hall, who is chairman of the Iroquois Steeplechase and the NSA’s Stewards Advisory Committee. “She has added another skill that will assist her in her new position as Manager of Racing Operations.”