Jockey Dylan Williams

Born: February 8, 19991 Resides: Edmund, Oklahoma Family: Single

Even when inclement weather persists and mud covers the racing strip, horse people continue to smile. Racetrackers, it seems, are immune to gloom. They perceive sadness only lightly and look toward tomorrow as a day of deliverance.

As jockey Dylan Williams summed this up, he remarked, “I have a long ways to go and a short time to get there!”

The youth is one of five children of Mr. And Mrs. Rob Williams. His father, a member of the Nebraska Sports Hall of Fame, is a career winner of more than 4,000 races.

“Mom wanted me to complete my education and start riding when I turned 18. I told her that I could not wait, that 18 might be too late for me. So on my sixteenth birthday, I took out my jockey license, Two days later I won my first race,” recalled Williams, who is being home schooled.

With a chuckle, the apprentice mentioned he got his license to ride before his license to drive.

“My dad started giving me pointers on riding when I was 13 – keep your hands down, always look before you drop in, always keep working on becoming a better gate boy, be ready for the unexpected.”

In school, Dylan was known as “Whip”.“My dad gave me one of his whips. I took it to school and was doing all kinds of maneuvers with it. It wasn’t long until the principal took it away from me,but a nickname was born,” Williams laughed.

In 2007, Dylan rode at Fonner Park, Santa Anita, Keeneland, Canterbury, Ellis Park and Turfway Park. He finished the year with 128 winners.

Williams said that his first added money win came at Fonner Park last March 10 when he rode My Halo to victory in the Ogataul Stakes.

“My dad has long ridden for David Anderson, who was running three horses in the Ogataul. The strong part of the threesome was My Halo. When David asked my father if he was going to ride My Halo, I was shocked to hear dad say, ‘why don’t you put the kid (me) on My Halo? I’ll ride one of your others. That was one of a number of winners that dad tossed my way when I started riding,” remembered Williams.