Trainer-in-training wins $24K scholarship

The Saratogian - Saratoga, NY, USA


The results of the $80,000 Fleet Indian Stakes played out during the ninth race at Saratoga Race Course on Wednesday, but the recipient of a $24,000 scholarship with the same name already knew she was a winner.

Heather Cousins, of Burnt Hills, was presented the Fleet Indian Scholarship from The Race for Education following Talking Treasure's victory on the track. Cousins, who graduated from Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School this year with an advanced Regents diploma, plans to attend SUNY-Morrisville to study equine science and management with the goal of becoming a trainer.

The scholarship is named after Fleet Indian, a York-bred champion who won eight straight races, including Saratoga's Grade 1 Personal Ensign and Belmont Park's Grade 1 Beldame in 2006, and was founded by Paul Saylor, the horse's owner, to help New York students hoping to pursue a career in the Thoroughbred racing industry.

Saylor presented the scholarship to Cousins personally.
Cousins has achieved high honors since the ninth grade, and was a member of the computer club, the New York State Science Honor Society, the New York State Honor Society and the New York State Math Honor Society. She served for two years as vice president of the Ponies and Horses 4-H Club, which she and her mother founded. She has volunteered at the Saratoga Therapeutic Equestrian Program since 2003.

Saylor is a board member of The Race for Education, a 501(c)3 nonprofit that over the last six years has provided almost 200 college scholarships, totaling more than $2 million to students who intend to pursue a career in the equine industry and/or to children of industry employees.

In addition to the Fleet Indian Scholarship, The Race for Education has awarded $184,000 to 14 New York students in the last six years.

The Race for Education (RFE) enables children of low-income equine industry families, as well as those who want to pursue an equine-related career, to obtain a college degree by providing tuition support; financial literacy training to help minimize debt load; mentoring services to provide students with emotional support; and assistance in finding career-related internships during college and permanent jobs upon graduation.