Jody Demling’s passion for sports, horses, and writing is homegrown — and it’s led the way to cultivating a fulfilling career. “I’m a storyteller and a writer at heart,” he says.
Jody has lived in Louisville his entire life — well, except for those few months he worked a newspaper internship in Colorado. “So, every other moment of my life, I’ve lived here,” says the UofL graduate. “I remember going to the track when I was really young with my grandma and grandpa.” This childhood exposure played a role in developing Jody’s love of horses. Later, his position at The Courier Journal solidified it.
Racing and reporting
A self-proclaimed “newspaper guy,” Jody relays that during his time at The Courier Journal from 1991 to 2021, he covered a wide variety of sports, from golf to high school athletics. “I grew up at the newspaper and did a little bit of everything,” he says.
It was during his second year working at the CJ that Jody was asked if he’d like to add horse racing to his list of responsibilities. At that time, racing reporter Jenny Rees, who had been at the newspaper since the early ’80s, was the lead journalist. (She would go on to win Kentucky Sportswriter of the Year in 2013.) Jenny became a positive mentor in Jody’s life, broadening his knowledge of the track and how to write about it. “She was amazing, and I basically learned from her,” Jody says.
While Jody enjoys all aspects of sports reporting, when it comes to horse racing, it’s the stories he loves most of all. “When you’re on the backside with the horses in the morning, it’s like a different world,” he says. Hearing about how the horses got their names or learning the history of a certain horse’s sire and dam is all sacred ground for this storyteller. “There are so many different storylines about each horse, and I think that’s cool,” Jody says.
In fact, Jody was the first reporter to share the backstory of 2009 Derby winner, Mine That Bird: How the horse’s team drove cross-country to take part in the race, how famous trainer Chip Woolley navigated the expanse of Churchill Downs on crutches, and how extraordinarily, Mine That Bird surpassed 50-to-1 odds to achieve the greatest upset in Derby history. “That’s why horse racing is so awesome — you never know what story there is back there,” Jody says.
Off the track
Outside of horse racing, Jody stays connected to UofL as a contributor to Cardinal Authority, a website dedicated to covering University of Louisville football, basketball, and other sports with inside info, team analysis, and a forum/message board. “It’s worked out well to where I’m able to do a lot,” Jody says, adding that Cardinal Authority has opened more doors of opportunity for him.
Not stopping there, Jody also serves as the Director of Sports Ministry at Holy Trinity Catholic Church. Jody attended Catholic school all his life and vividly recalls the positive mentors he looked up to — the inspiring individuals who made sure the sports programs were supported and organized. “To be one of those kinds of mentors now is so satisfying and gratifying for me,” he says. Jody admits he has lots of irons in the fire, but he wouldn’t have it any other way: “I get joy from a lot of different things.”
At home, Jody finds support and love with his family. He and his wife have been married close to 30 years and have two kids. On fatherhood, Jody says it’s been fun watching his son and daughter grow into their own and flourish as individuals.
Tips for life and laying a betFor those of you looking to find a little more joy in life, Jody passes on the advice he received while working at the Courier Journal: Say yes. “Take that opportunity and do it,” he says. That ‘yes’ mindset can introduce you to new interests and deepen your appreciation for what you’re creating today.
And for those of you looking for racing tips, Jody says there’s no sure way to place your winning bets. “I look at the racing form and the numbers, and I’ll try to pour as much of my mind into those races to try to win,” he says, but adds that he has to laugh because people betting on the jockeys or just picking favorite names probably win more.
Whatever he’s doing, it is a sure bet that Jody is staying true to his love for Louisville and sports lore: “I am a storyteller and a writer, and that’s kind of always who I am,” he says.
By Tonilyn Hornung | Photos submitted
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