Kayla Stra

Who is Kayla Stra?

Kayla Stra is a jockey and television personality in Thoroughbred horse racing who raced in Australia until coming to compete in the United States at racetracks in California. She currently rides in the Northern California circuit after a 2 year stint in the Southern California area. She is also known for her appearances on the reality tv show, Jockeys on Animal Planet.

Kayla Stra was born in Australia, where she launched her career in horseracing prior to moving to California in Late 2007. From a very young age, Stra was interested in horses, having talked her parents into buying her a pony when she was eight years old. During her late childhood and adolescence, Stra worked at racing stables and eventually bought her first horse — a Thoroughbred named Gurtie, which she trained on her own for picnic races before getting her certificate in racing.

Stra acknowledges her first trainer, Ray Moore, as someone who has had a strong influence in her life. Moore taught Stra how to be a horseman — how to communicate with horses by reading their body language and having a keen feel for what they're thinking. Stra credits John Letts as one of her mentors for his outstanding jockey career, having won three Melbourne Cups and hundreds upon hundreds of stake races.