Lakiyah Teachey takes her mind off racing by being around horses
by Chris Lomon
Lakiyah Teachey is following in her family’s standardbred racing footsteps while also forging her own path to success.
As a fourth-generation horsewoman and the granddaughter of U.S. Hall of Fame trainer George Teague, Jr., Teachey, who calls Magnolia, DE, home, was perhaps destined to join the ranks of a sport that has surrounded her since her earliest days.
“I got into horse racing through my grandfather,” she said of the horseman who has campaigned some of the top horses of the 21st century, including 2004 Horse of the Year and Hall of Famer Rainbow Blue, 2015 Horse of the Year Wiggle It Jiggleit, and 2018 North America Cup winner and world champion Lather Up. “My earliest memory of racing is probably when I was around 11 or 12. It was always my grandfather and my mom, Shanika, who worked for my grandfather. She was always around the barn, so I was there, hanging out with my mom and the horses.”
An unraced daughter of Im Gorgeous (OH) named Cookie Lyon played an instrumental role in Teachey’s decision to pursue a career in racing.
“I absolutely loved her,” Teachey said. “She was the mare who got me started in the barn. I would go there every day and see my little ‘Cookie.’ She was actually the first horse I sat behind. That is the horse who started everything for me wanting to be in the business.”
When Teachey began immersing herself in different aspects of the sport, the timing was anything but ideal.
“I was around 14 when I got my paddock license,” she said. “I started right after COVID, so it was a bit of a weird time to start things off. Everyone was wearing masks and things were obviously quite different from anything we had ever known. It wasn’t full-time at that point — I was still a high school student — but I was at the barn more often and enjoying it more than I ever had. So, on weekends, or after school, I was at the barn. It was around that time when I knew that this was what I wanted to do.”
Advice from trusted and familiar faces was plentiful.
It was also welcome and put into practice.
“The biggest thing I learned early on is that if you work hard, you do get rewarded for it,” Teachey said. “When you put work first and really put that time in, you will see the results, especially in this business. Yes, you do miss out on a lot of things, but you know that coming into it, so that aspect of your life never comes as a surprise.”
One moment that did catch her somewhat off guard came last spring at Harrington Raceway.
After two starts to launch her training life one month earlier with Lather Me Up, the son of Lather Up lined up behind the starter car for the second race on April 16, 2025.
While bettors made the horse the even-money favorite, Teachey wasn’t nearly as confident.
Driven by Cody Poliseno, Lather Me Up reached three-quarters in 1:34.4 before drawing clear and winning by a length in 2:04.3.
“It was definitely a little nerve-wracking,” she said. “I was nervous and I didn’t really know how he would race that day and then once the race got underway, I wasn’t sure how he would race on the lead. When he got there, he just kept going and digging in. When he got to the wire, everything kind of sank in that moment. It means a lot to train horses that my grandfather gave me the opportunity to have. My grandfather and grandmother [Joy] owned the horse, so it made the win even more memorable.”
Teachey completed her first season with a record of 1-0-3 from nine starts. This year, she has a mark of 0-2-3 from 14 starts. Somethn In Da Air just missed on April 27 at Harrington, falling a neck shy of taking all the spoils.
“This year, I am focusing on my horses,” Teachey said. “I have a horse, No Gel Nikki, who is a baby. She is the first horse I trained by myself, so she means the world to me. I have another horse, Somethn In Da Air, who I got last year from my grandfather. He’s been a challenge. It took six months to get him to the racetrack. It’s rewarding to see the work you put in pay off.”
Not everything has gone according to plan.
“I had another horse, Mr Catchaflight, who I got from my grandfather last year,” she said. “He was a bit of a project. I only had him for a short time and he unfortunately passed away — the necropsy came back inconclusive — on the track in his third start.”
The loss remains one of the most difficult experiences of her young career.
“I try to honor him in what I do,” Teachey said. “I raised him from a baby, so losing him early on was very tough. I want to fight for him and prove myself for him.”
Teachey is equally committed to providing each horse in her stable with their own tailor-made plan.
Individualized attention is the cornerstone of her training approach.
“I learned that every horse is different and that I want to train each horse on their own program,” she said. “I am not a one-size-fits-all trainer. Whatever works for each horse is what I will do. If something isn’t working, I am going to try something different. All my horses truly are individuals. I don’t want to put pressure on my horses – I believe they feel that stress. I want to prepare them and work with them to be the best they can be and when they go out there, I want to feel as though I have given them the best chance to be successful. If it doesn’t work out the way we want, we will try to find a solution and come back stronger next week.
“Every day is different, so you have to come in with a fresh mindset. Just because you had a bad day the day before doesn’t mean it will be the same tomorrow. I want to bring a positive mindset every day I am in the barn.”
Admittedly, on some days, it is far easier said than done.
“The most stressful part of the job is just not knowing what will happen in a race, despite all the preparation you and the horse put in together,” she said. “When you get those big wins and you see things all come together, it’s a wonderful feeling and a huge relief.”
She is also quick to credit the people around her.
“I am so grateful for my team and the help I have. This is a job you cannot do by yourself,” she said. “The people that I have around me are tremendous and they give me so much help. When I was still in high school and then in college, they made everything so stress-free for me. Anything I need, they are always there for me.”
Away from the pressures of racing, Teachey enjoys a slower pace.
One of her greatest passions is retraining standardbreds for second careers under saddle.
“I enjoy riding horses,” she said. “I have drifted a little bit into retraining standardbreds into riding horses. It’s something I enjoy, giving them a second career and others the happiness that these horses have given me. I ride for a trainer in Harrington and show her horses. To have something that allows me to take my mind off racing for a bit — and still be around horses — is wonderful.”
A feeling she has known for as long as she can remember.
