Maryland’s Thoroughbred Industry: Women at the Forefront
Horse racing may be known as “the sport of kings,” yet it is one of the few sports where both female athletes and behind the scenes officials have been instrumental in developing the sport to the level it is now. In honor of Women’s History Month, the Maryland Thoroughbred Partnership is highlighting some of the prominent women in Maryland’s Thoroughbred industry that are breaking barriers, hitting their stride and leading the way for women in the sport today.
Forest Boyce - Jockey
Affectionately known as the “Queen of Maryland,” jockey Forest Boyce is one of the most successful and well-known jockeys in the mid-Atlantic region. The Baltimore native and resident of Fallston, MD, won 55 races and more than $2.8 million in purse earnings in 2024, to push her career earnings over $38 million.
She began pursuing her dream of becoming a jockey at age 11 working for late Hall of Fame trainer, Mikey Smithwick. At Garrison Forest School, from which Boyce graduated in 2003, she competed on the polo team. She continued to train while earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Maryland Institute College of Art.
She made her professional debut in 2009, with her first win aboard Colony Club on June 30th at Colonial Downs.
In 2010, Boyce finished her apprentice season as one of three Eclipse Award finalists for Apprentice Rider of the Year and continues to set the pace with over 1,057 career victories to date.
Katharine M. Voss - President, Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association
An integral member of the Board of Directors of the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association (MTHA) since its inception in 1986, Katy Voss, was elected as the first female president in 2024. Instrumental in founding the MTHA, Voss has been an active member of the MTHA Purse, Finance and Legislative committees.
Hailing from a well-established family of horse people, Voss follows in her late father, John B. Merryman’s footsteps, as a breeder and owner and a past president of the MTHA.
The owner of Chanceland Farm in West Friendship, MD, Voss has been a trainer in Maryland for more than 50 years and is based at Laurel Park and is a longtime breeder.
Voss began training in 1972 and has won 873 races and more than $17 million in purses, according to Equibase. Over the years, Voss has developed many stakes winners including Twixt (a Maryland-bred champion in the 1970’s, bred by her parents John and Kitty Merryman), Bishop’s Fling, Smart ‘n Quick, Due North, Wood So, Woodfox, Rugged Bugger, Carnival Court, Polish Holiday, Creamy Dreamy, Lies of Omission, Tuzia, Our Peak, Plata, Corvus, Saratoga Bob and Las Setas.
She has trained four Maryland Million winners, the most recent being Saratoga Bob in the 2018 Classic, a horse named for her longtime life partner, Bob Manfuso, who passed away in 2020. Saratoga Bob is also one of four Maryland Million winners bred by the pair.
She also is a longtime board member and Secretary-Treasurer of Maryland Million Ltd. and a former president of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association.
Brittany Russell - Trainer
For two consecutive seasons, 35-year-old trainer, Brittany Russell, galloped into the history books becoming the first woman to lead Maryland’s annual training standings, a remarkable accomplishment for someone in her fifth full year as a trainer.
In 2023, Russell ended Claudio Gonazlez’s six-year reign atop of the leaderboard by notching 118 victories at Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Cours - finishing just five ahead of runner-up Jamie Ness. She also won a race at the Maryland State Fair meeting at Timonium on her way to becoming the first female trainer to achieve year-end honors.
Last year, Russell earned 113 victories between Laurel and Pimlico, 16 more than runner-up Ness. She was seemingly unstoppable last autumn at Laurel, winning 54 times from 149 starts for a sizzling strike rate of 36%.
Russell is also making her mark nationally. According to Equibase, her 157 wins overall from 655 starters placed her ninth among all trainers. She also produced 104 second-place finishes and 89 third-place results for purse earnings of $7,672,690 that ranked 19th.
In 2024, she conditioned stakes winners Saddle Up Jessie, Apple Picker, Regalo, Bosserati, Winterfell, Tony Eclipse, Sea Dancer, and One Man Team.
According to the Maryland Jockey Club, “Russell’s stable star was undoubtedly Post Time. Owned by Mrs. Ellen Charles’s Hillwood Stable, Post Time grabbed Laurel’s Grade 3 General George Stakes, Aqueduct’s Grade 2 Carter Stakes, and Laurel’s Polynesian Stakes. The gray son of Frosted was never off the board from nine starts in 2024, including runner-up efforts in Saratoga’s Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap and Del Mar’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, and a third-place performance in Saratoga’s Grade 1 Whitney Stakes.”
Today, the former assistant to the late Hall of Famer, Jonathan Sheppard, is often joined by her husband, jockey Sheldon Russell and their two young children, in the winner’s circle.
Lacey A. Gaudet - Trainer
Born into one of Maryland’s best known and respected racing families, Lacey Gaudet, is the daughter of the late Edmond “Eddie” Gaudet and noted horsewoman, owner, and trainer Linda Gaudet.
A second-generation horsewomen, Lacey A. Gaudet, grew up with horses at her family’s farm in Upper Marlboro, MD, and could be found from an early age at her father’s stable at Bowie Training Center, where she began galloping horses for him at 15. She even rode in a few amateur races but ultimately decided training would be her mainstay, so she gained additional experience working at Gulfstream Park for Helen Pitts and at Belmont Park for Thomas Albertrani, as well as a short stint at Saratoga for Allen Iwinski.
She received her trainer’s license in 2007, and eventually took over the family operation after her father’s retirement in 2011, which was highlighted by Concealed Identity, a multiple stakes winner who earned a berth into the Preakness Stakes.
When Bowie closed in 2015, the family moved the operation to Laurel Park. Gaudet had a breakthrough year on the Maryland racing circuit in 2016, finishing the Fall meet in the top 10 trainers, which included two stakes wins, her first three win day, and was topped off by a win in Gulfstream Park’s Claiming Crown in December.
Gaudet and her mother race under the name Team Gaudet. She has won 305 races and more than $9.9 million in purses since becoming a trainer, according to Equibase.
Lacey Gaudet, first elected to the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association Board of Directors three years ago, is an advocate of cooperation and following through on initiatives that are in the best interest of Maryland racing.
Georganne Hale - Vice President of Racing Development, Maryland Jockey Club
In 2024, the Horse Racing Women’s Summit (HRWS) honored Georganne Hale with the Jane Goldstein Exemplary Leadership Award, an annual award to honor those who have dedicated their lives to horse racing and to forging a path for women to come.
A true pioneer for women in the Thoroughbred industry, Hale started with the Maryland Jockey Club in 1984 as an assistant racing secretary. After taking on the role of racing secretary at Timonium in 1986, she became the first and only woman to serve as racing secretary at a major North American racetrack when promoted to the position in 2000 by the Maryland Jockey Club (MJC).
Throughout her career, she has been instrumental in building the Preakness, Black-Eyed Susan and Maryland Million programs, while fostering strong partnerships with owners, breeders and trainers throughout North America. Along with being a mentor to many racing officials, Hale’s commitment to Thoroughbred aftercare and other equine-related causes is deep. She has been an integral part in the planning of the Beyond the Wire aftercare program and the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, among other programs and causes.
Anne Litz - Executive Director, Maryland Horse Industry Board
Anne Litz took the reins as the new executive director of the Maryland Horse Industry Board (MHIB) in February 2025. A dedicated and key player of the MHIB for several years, along with her extensive background in Maryland’s equine industry, uniquely positions Litz to guide daily operations and work closely with stakeholders to contribute to the growth and development of the state’s horse industry and its vital role in agriculture.
Since 2016, Litz has played a vital role in the Board, where her proven track record includes forming strategic partnerships, launching innovative programs, and advocating for the horse industry. Throughout her career, she has established Maryland as a leading equestrian destination. Further, she successfully managed a $250,000 grant from the Maryland Department of Commerce to promote the Maryland Horse Park System and facilitated the 2022 Maryland-Ireland Equine Trade Mission, enhancing international trade connections.
Her leadership in significant events, such as the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill and the Washington International Horse Show, underscores her dedication to showcasing Maryland’s equestrian excellence. Additionally, Litz oversees the stable licensing and inspection system for the MHIB, improving efficiency for over 800 stables statewide. She has also worked closely with legislative teams and industry partners to maintain the horse industry’s vital role in Maryland’s economy.
A lifelong Maryland horsewoman, Litz grew up riding, showing, and hunting in Baltimore County with her mother and working alongside her father at Litz Bloodstock. After graduating from the University of Mary Washington in 2004, Litz began working at the Maryland Horse Breeders Association and Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred magazine as a photographer and director of membership services.
Cricket Goodall - Executive Director, Maryland Horse Breeders Association Inc., the Maryland Million Ltd., and the Maryland Horse Foundation
In 1986, Cricket Goodall began blazing her own trail in promoting Maryland’s horse breeding and racing legacy, when she arrived at the Maryland Horse Breeders Association (MHBA) to work on Maryland Million Day. After managing special events and public outreach for the MHBA, she took over as executive director in 2003.
Today, she manages three non-profit trade associations that work to inform, educate, and promote the diversity of the horse industry in Maryland. The MHBA administers the Maryland Bred Race Fund and publishes the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred, an award-winning monthly magazine covering the industry, and coordinates various public outreach seminars and events.
As Executive Director of Maryland Million Ltd. (MML), she has seen Maryland Million grow and flourish to become the second-biggest day on the state’s racing calendar behind only the Preakness Stakes (G1). Since Maryland Million was born, 21 states from New York to California, along with Canadian tracks in Alberta and British Columbia, have gone on to hold special racing days patterned after Maryland’s model.
And, as Executive Director of the Maryland Horse Industry Foundation (MHF), the charitable arm of the MHBA, she has worked with the equine industry to establish the Maryland Horse Library and Education Center (MHLEC) in historic Reisterstown, Maryland.
Committed to educating and getting more people interested in loving horses and the horse industry, Goodall is Chair of Maryland’s Rural Legacy Advisory Committee, and in the past has served as interim Chair of the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation; Board of Directors of the Maryland Farm Bureau; Board of Directors of the Baltimore County Farm Bureau; Board of Directors of the Maryland Agricultural Resource Council; Executive Committee member of the Maryland Horse Council; and LEAD Maryland Board (Class V Fellow).
Christy Holden - General Manager, Country Life & Merryland Farms
Christy Holden grew up riding. As a young girl, she showed hunters and jumpers and taught riding lessons. In 1985, she started working at Country Life Farm and loved working with foals and yearlings while in high school.
After earning a full tuition scholarship to Villa Julie College (now Stevenson University), Holden received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration. From there, she got jobs in the insurance industry and later joined her family’s fire protection business.
Her passion for horses, brought Holden back to Country Life full time in 2004 as Office Administrator, where she handled Stallion Contracts and Partnership Administration before becoming Broodmare Manager in 2010. After handling just about every possible office and farm duty, she was named General Manager of Country Life and Merryland in 2015.
Holden is serving her second term as Director of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association (MHBA) and is a MHBA Annual Yearling Show veteran and 2020 finalist for the Thoroughbred Industry Employee Award for Leadership in Breeding. Over the years, Holden has earned a reputation as being a “voice” for farm managers and professionals who make a living on Maryland farms.
Kathleen Anderson, DVM - Equine Medical Director for Fair Hill Training Center
A native of British Columbia, Kathleen Anderson grew up actively involved with horses as an eventing competitor, international competition groom, barn manager and racetrack exercise rider prior to obtaining her DVM from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (University of Saskatchewan) in 1986.
Following graduation, she entered private practice in South Hamilton, Massachusettes, under United States Equestrian Team veterinarian Dr. A. Martin Simensen. In 1993, Dr. Anderson established Equine Veterinary Care, at the Fair Hill Training Center for Thoroughbred racehorses and elite equine athletes.
Considered one of the most innovative training centers in America, Anderson's Equine Veterinary Care offers a wide variety of innovative diagnostic tools for performances issues that include digital radiography and ultrasound, gastroscopy, video and fiberoptic endoscopy. Its treatments include shock wave therapy, IRAP therapy, hospitalized medical colic treatment, acupuncture and massage.
Over the years, Anderson has worked with plenty of top-flight horses which include: two time Breeders Cup winner Da Hoss, Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro, Preakness & Belmont winner Afleet Alex, Belmont winner Union Rags and Dubai World Cup winner Mystic Guide in addition to other local favorites Waquoit (during his racing career) and A Heuvo.
Anderson was appointed to the Maryland Horse Industry Board (MHIB) this year and was recently appointed to the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) Veterinary Advisory Committee, working as a racehorse practitioner from yearling sales through retirement and second careers. She is the 2016 past president of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) and has held many volunteer leadership roles in the equine industry, including with the AAEP On Call program, and also donates her spare time to equine causes like the Thoroughbred Education and Research Foundation.
Ellen Charles - Racehorse Owner/Breeder, Hillwood Stable
Hailing from a family that’s been involved in Maryland racing for more than a half-century, Ellen Charles has bred or owned some of Maryland’s most popular and successful horses of recent years. Her mother, Adelaide Close Riggs, was described in a 1999 obituary as “one of the grand dames of Maryland racing” – had success with such thoroughbreds as St. Francis, McCarthy Moore, Westerlands, Wild Zone and Woods of Windsor, the latter a homebred winner of the 1993 Federico Tesio Stakes. Her father, Merrall MacNeille, held many jobs in racing before spending more than 20 years as a steward of Maryland tracks.
A granddaughter of Marjorie Merriweather Post, heiress to the Post cereal fortune, Charles one day hoped to enjoy the same kind of thrills with her own horses. In 2004, she purchased her first horse to race under her mother’s brown and white silks and propelled Hillwood Stable LLC to what it is today.
She bred filly, Hello Beautiful, Maryland’s champion older female of 2021 that is one of seven horses in history with three career Maryland Million wins.
Top horses owned by Charles include Grade 3 winner Bandbox; multiple stakes winner Phlash Phelps, Maryland’s 2015 turf champion; Gade 3-winning millionaire Coredmaker, Maryland’s champion older male of 2019; and current stable star, named in honor of her grandmother, Post Time, was recently named 2024 Maryland-bred Horse of the Year by the Maryland Horse Breeders Association (MHBA). Trained by Brittany Russell and ridden by the trainer’s husband, Sheldon Russell, Post Time raced nine times and never finished worse than third while earning $975,000, the most of any Maryland-bred runner for the year.
Last year, Charles was recognized with the Special Award of Merit at Pimlico Race Course’s Alibi Breakfast. The award is given to those who have made a positive impact on the racing industry. She was voted Maryland’s 2016 Owner of the Year by the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association (MTHA).
Charles has sat on the MTHA board of directors and currently serves on the MTHA’s finance and aftercare committees and is a dedicated board member of Beyond the Wire. For 25 years, Charles served as president of the board of Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens in Washington, D.C. before stepping down in 2014. It was Charles who helped realize her grandmother’s dream to turn her former estate into a public museum, known for its large decorative arts collection.