Nicole Tate sees standardbreds through a unique lens
by Chris Lomon
Whether it’s through a laboratory microscope, a camera lens, or from a trackside vantage point, Nicole Tate always has her eye on racehorses.
Very few people — if any — see standardbreds through the unique lens that Tate does.
To her, they are far more than animals blessed with grace and power, but partners in healing, communication, and discovery. Her unique approach blends science, empathy, and intuitive understanding of equine behavior, setting her apart in the world of veterinary science and animal psychology.
“I studied Animal Science-Equine at University of Wisconsin–River Falls,” said Tate, who hails from North Branch, MN, a 45-minute drive north of Minneapolis. “I got my bachelor’s in animal science with an Equine Science emphasis and then went on to get my PhD in Animal Genetics from the University of Minnesota. Currently, I am a postdoctoral research fellow in the Equine Genetics and Genomics Laboratory at the University of Minnesota. My research interests are performance traits in standardbred racehorses.”
In 2023, Tate received a $225,000 grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture to study performance traits and their relationship to prevalent diseases in standardbreds.
The goal of the project is to develop a genetic tool that will help standardbred breeders select for elite performance while breeding away from disease susceptibility.
But Tate’s long-standing affinity for horses extends far beyond the research lab.
Her connection to the equine world can be traced back to before her teenage years.
“I grew up in Minnesota and competed in local horse shows and barrel races,” she said. “That was the start of my association with horses – I was around 12 when I started. I still have my first horse. He’s 30 now and he’s out in the backyard of our hobby farm. I also did rodeo.”
Tate’s journey into harness racing happened in an unexpected way – by nailing a job interview she wasn’t even applying for.
“I stumbled upon harness racing,” she said. “A friend of mine found a barn who was looking for help, local to us. She was nervous to do the interview and asked me to go with her. So, I did, and I was hooked instantly. I ended up getting the job and she didn’t, so that was a bit strange.
“That was in 2010. I was hooked and I have been doing it ever since. I still have riding horses, but my primary interest in horses is harness racing.”
So much so that she took out her trainer’s license, with the goal of racing at the 2025 Running Aces summer meet.
She found the perfect partner for that role in the form of Derby Doll.
The 4-year-old pacing daughter of Megatron (IN) out of the Party At Artsplace mare Shes A Pegase, who originally sold for $22,000 at the 2022 Michigan Winner’s Circle Yearling Sale, was bred by Brett Boyd Racing Inc, of Jonesville, MI.
“She came from Michigan,” Tate said. “Before I owned her, she was owned by Gene Miller, a trainer who I worked with for many years, from 2013 on. She was racing at the Michigan fairs and competing against the same horses for the most part. She had a bunch to learn, especially since she was going from racing against three or four horses to racing against nine or 10 horses. It’s a much different story. She races free-legged, so the first few starts she broke stride and just needed to learn some things.”
On May 25 at Running Aces, Derby Doll gave Tate — a former track photographer at the venue — a special, if not winning, memory.
“The first time she got a check, I cried,” she said. “We have a really great racing community in Minnesota. The first time she stayed flat and got a paycheck, my friends and I were in the paddock and we were screeching, holding on to one another, and she got fifth.”
Just two months later, Derby Doll gave Tate another reason to shed tears. This time, however, produced a picture-perfect result.
Saddled with post 10, Derby Doll, at 16-1, recorded a two-length score in 1:56.3.
“It was special for me,” Tate said. “Not only was it my first training win, but I got to do it with a horse that Gene Miller had. He is like family to me, so it was a whole different layer of specialness. I cried, but it was a happy cry.”
In 17 starts this year — her last two in Michigan with Miller — Derby Doll boasts a record of 3-1-3 and has earned just under $32,000.
Tate’s stat line for 2025 is 3-1-2 from 15 starts, all with her beloved pacing miss.
“It has been a very special summer for us,” she said.
As the calendar edges closer to a new year, Tate is already thinking about 2026 and what it might hold for her stable.
“I would only be able to train a handful at most, so this year I started with one,” she said. “I would like to see my stable grow a bit. Instead of one, maybe have two or three – I don’t think I could handle much more than that. Long term, I want to stay in this business. It isn’t my full-time career, but I would like to establish myself where I can always have this with me. I know people always say it, but once you get in your blood, you never want to let it go. I want it to be part of my life forever.”
There could be other areas of the industry for Tate and her husband, who live on a hobby farm, to explore down the line.
“We don’t have enough land to have a training track, but maybe one day, we can have a few broodmares, where we can either train or sell the babies,” she said. “I just want to be in the business and do what I love. Another goal is to also have a Minnesota-bred.”
Outside the lab, racetrack and pursuit of goals, both present and future, Tate still finds time to enjoy other interests.
“I still have my riding horses, so there is a lot of trail riding,” she said. “I have a younger horse, who I actually broke and trained. I have a German short-haired Pointer. She is also going to be a breeding dog, but we do a lot of training, trials, and shows with her.
On top of that, I also have a little hobby leather-working business, where I make horse tack and other things. I do that and I also enjoy reading.”
Wherever the next chapters of Tate’s life take her, standardbreds will continue to play a lead role.
And that is exactly how she wants it.
“Horses have infiltrated every part of my life, and I could not be more grateful,” Tate said. “I realize that my full-time job is very similar to what I have in harness racing, in that I truly enjoy it. I feel very fortunate to know horses will always be at the heart of everything I do.”
