She didn\u2019t grow up riding horses, no. It might have been the family business, but as a kid, she danced. Played some soccer. Went to USC and studied business while working toward an acting career. Did some commercials. Some theater. Eventually got burned out.<\/p>\n
Only then did Britney Eurton\u2019s career get on track \u2013 at the racetrack, naturally.<\/p>\n
Surprise, surprise. Sort of.<\/p>\n
Britney Eurton will be the host on NBC\u2019s broadcast that brings the 42nd Breeders\u2019 Cup to you at home this weekend, part of a the team providing 10 hours of coverage of the event \u2013 including, of course, the $7 million Breeders\u2019 Cup Classic, known as North America\u2019s richest horse race \u2013 from Del Mar.<\/p>\n
It is not what the daughter of Peter Eurton, a former jockey and accomplished thoroughbred racehorse trainer, expected to be doing for a living.<\/p>\n
But Britney is so good at it, so natural, so cool, so enthusiastic and insightful \u2013 it sure feels like it\u2019s what she\u2019s supposed to be doing.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Breeders\u2019 Cup is two of the best days of racing in the world,\u201d she said by phone recently. \u201cIt\u2019s like the Olympics of horse racing, but most people haven\u2019t heard of it or don\u2019t realize what an exceptional day of racing it is. And it\u2019s not just the ponies on display, it\u2019s the fashion, great food, a lot of celebrities will show up. And you can\u2019t beat the setting.\u201d<\/p>\n
That\u2019s the energy Britney has for the sport she grew up around. But it\u2019s really the energy she\u2019s bringing to any sport she\u2019s assigned. These days you can also catch her covering the National Women\u2019s Soccer League. She was part of NBC\u2019s Emmy-winning Olympics coverage. She\u2019s covered gymnastics and tennis and a bit of baseball.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s a lot of work, a lot of study \u2013 and a ton of fun. \u201cIt\u2019s a true joy,\u201d she said, to be able to learn people\u2019s stories, across disciplines, and to share them with us, her viewing audience.<\/p>\n
Like her father\u2019s horse racing story. It started when Peter Eurton was introduced to the sport by his father at age 10. He attended a jockey school in Chino and would wind up riding for 2\u00bd years in Tijuana, Edmonton, Calgary and Northern California.<\/p>\n