Murray State University Athletics
Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics
Tradition Like None Other - Racer 1 Runs Saturday
9/8/2016 12:08:00 PM | Football, General
Racer 1 Workout Gallery I Racer 1 Historical Gallery
Not only has the Murray State Football team been going through fall practices and workouts to get ready for the season, but so has Racer 1.
As the only school in the nation that enjoys having a real horse run around the track after a touchdown, Murray State's Racer 1 has been running at Racer football games since 1976.
2016 Jockey Kelsey Hathaway, a senior equine science major from Bowling Green, Ky., has been working with this special pony since the end of last season.
Murray State fans get their first chance to see Racer 1 Saturday (Sept. 10) when the Racers host Missouri State at Roy Stewart Stadium at 6 p.m.
We'll never get to know what it's like to take Racer 1 around the track, but Kelsey will for the first time Saturday when the Racers take on the Bears.
"I know it will be awesome," Hathaway said after she put Racer 1 through a recent trotting session at the MSU Farm. "This is a huge honor to be the jockey of Racer 1 and I'm really looking forward to it. I'm sure Racer 1 will be as excited about that first trip around the track as I will be."
As for Racer 1 and horses in general, many people agree that they have a way of sensing the mood around them.
"I believe horses are really good about picking up on our emotions, Hathaway said. "I know he'll definitely know that something is up when we bring him over to the stadium. He ran the final game of last season, so it was good that he had the experience. We've been preparing for it and we're all very excited about getting out there Saturday, it's going to be fun."
This Racer 1 is named Lobo, a horse that was purchased by Murray State a couple of years ago. He's the next in a long line of horses that have been Racer 1 and Kelsey Hathaway is the next in a long line of students that have been the jockey.
Violet Cactus was the first horse to run in 1976 and after her death, she was buried just inside northwest wall at Stewart Stadium. A plaque on the stadium wall tells the story of the beginning of this grand tradition. Since 1985, each horse has carried the name of Racer 1.
Murray State fans have five chances to see Racer 1 in the 2016 season when MSU hosts Missouri State (Sept. 10), Southeast Missouri (Sept. 24), UT Martin (Oct. 15), Tennessee State (Homecoming, Oct. 29) and Jacksonville State (Nov. 12).
Not only has the Murray State Football team been going through fall practices and workouts to get ready for the season, but so has Racer 1.As the only school in the nation that enjoys having a real horse run around the track after a touchdown, Murray State's Racer 1 has been running at Racer football games since 1976.
2016 Jockey Kelsey Hathaway, a senior equine science major from Bowling Green, Ky., has been working with this special pony since the end of last season.
Murray State fans get their first chance to see Racer 1 Saturday (Sept. 10) when the Racers host Missouri State at Roy Stewart Stadium at 6 p.m.
We'll never get to know what it's like to take Racer 1 around the track, but Kelsey will for the first time Saturday when the Racers take on the Bears.
"I know it will be awesome," Hathaway said after she put Racer 1 through a recent trotting session at the MSU Farm. "This is a huge honor to be the jockey of Racer 1 and I'm really looking forward to it. I'm sure Racer 1 will be as excited about that first trip around the track as I will be."
As for Racer 1 and horses in general, many people agree that they have a way of sensing the mood around them.
"I believe horses are really good about picking up on our emotions, Hathaway said. "I know he'll definitely know that something is up when we bring him over to the stadium. He ran the final game of last season, so it was good that he had the experience. We've been preparing for it and we're all very excited about getting out there Saturday, it's going to be fun."
This Racer 1 is named Lobo, a horse that was purchased by Murray State a couple of years ago. He's the next in a long line of horses that have been Racer 1 and Kelsey Hathaway is the next in a long line of students that have been the jockey.
Violet Cactus was the first horse to run in 1976 and after her death, she was buried just inside northwest wall at Stewart Stadium. A plaque on the stadium wall tells the story of the beginning of this grand tradition. Since 1985, each horse has carried the name of Racer 1.
Murray State fans have five chances to see Racer 1 in the 2016 season when MSU hosts Missouri State (Sept. 10), Southeast Missouri (Sept. 24), UT Martin (Oct. 15), Tennessee State (Homecoming, Oct. 29) and Jacksonville State (Nov. 12).
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