Jade Cunningham came to know the winner's circle at Oaklawn Park the previous three seasons when assisting trainers D. Wayne Lukas and Dallas Stewart.
But when she visited it March 9 after the Oaklawn opener, it was for another occasion—marking her first win as a head trainer.
In the joy and pride that followed a victory from Spankster, Cunningham hugged jockey Joe Bealmear, who piloted the 5-year-old horse to a come-from-behind $71.20 upset in the 5 1/2-furlong starter allowance race. Along with Terry Westemeir, Cunningham co-owns Spankster, who passed all five of his rivals down the stretch for a two-length victory.
Asked to describe her emotions following the win, Cunningham said: "It's super exciting; it's a little unreal, honestly. I think I have to give all the props to Joe on that one. He rode an amazing race—lots of patience and just did a great job."
Cunningham, 27, is from a racing family and went on her own last summer in Kentucky. She started her first horse Sept. 3. Saturday's win came with her 16th starter.
In the second race Saturday, the Cunningham-trained Brahms Image ran third under Walter De La Cruz. Her final starter Saturday is Dog Red in the seventh race, again with Bealmear aboard.
Cunningham grew up near Nashville, Tenn., but now considers Hot Springs, Ark., home. She owns a house adjacent to the Oaklawn property.
She currently trains five horses at Oaklawn, and plans to race at Horseshoe Indianapolis after the Oaklawn meet concludes this spring.
In some of her first jobs in racing, Cunningham worked as a veterinary technician at Remington Park in Oklahoma City. She later was a hot walker for Danny Pish, then worked as an exercise rider for the Texas-based trainer before becoming his assistant at Lone Star Park.
Cunningham, who gallops and breezes her horses, graduated in 2019 from the University of Oklahoma with a bachelor's degree in communication. She is the stepdaughter of retired jockey Rob Williams, a winner of 4,254 Thoroughbred races.
