Jockey Dana Whitney

Born     :  6/18/71, Angeles City, Phillipines

Resides:  East Liverpool, Ohio

Family   : Sonja, wife; Bryce, Grant, Mason and Spencer, sons 

Dana, who grew up in Sherwood, is nearing 3,000 career winners. “I have had some tremendous years, including one in which I rode 274 winners,” he said between races in the jockey room at Oaklawn. 

Dana, who has been riding well for more than a dozen years, has put together some outstanding seasons in West Virginia. Not all Oaklawn fans are aware of it, but  when the national list of winning  jockeys was published,  this Arkansas product has on occasion ranked in the top ten nationally in number of winners, once as high as sixth. 

"I was at Mountaineer Park for years, riding for the late Dale Baird, the most winning trainer in history with more than 9,000 winners. I won so many races for him that I lost count," said Dana.   

Whitney says the purses keep increasing at Mountaineer Park in Chester, West Virginia. 

“For me, the thrill of my career has been winning three derbies one year with Western Pride; the West Virginia Derby, Ohio Derby and Hialeah Derby,” said Dana.           

A natural lightweight, Whitney rides at 108 now, 106 in the summer.  "There were times last summer at Mountaineer, I rode all 10 races on the card," he told. 

Dana came to the race track out of the Philippines, by way of Sherwood, Arkansas. 

"I was born in Angeles City, but was adopted by an American air force officer.  He was subsequently transferred to the air base in Jacksonville, Arkansas and eventually retired there," explained Whitney. "I graduated from Sylvan Hills High School, as did my wife, Sonya."  

Dana was managing a clothing store in a Little Rock Mall, when he gained the attention of Mrs. Billy Davis, wife of the trainer.  

He came to the races under the Davis family. 

As a "bug boy" in 1995-96, Whitney won more than 100 races, including the apprentice championship at Louisiana Downs.