Charlsie Cantey

Charlsie Cantey (born c. 1946 in Raleigh, North Carolina), one of broadcasting's veteran thoroughbred horse racing analysts, is an American sportscaster who worked for ESPN (1985–2002), ABC Sports (1986–2000), WOR-TV (1975–1977), CBS Sports (1977–1986), USA Network (2002–2005) and NBC Sports (2000–2005).

Cantey studied for two years at Mount Vernon College for Women then two years at George Washington University, graduating in 1968 despite missing class a number of times to ride horses. She was an exercise rider for Ruffian when Frank Whiteley first started training the filly in late 1973 in Camden, South Carolina, and she later became a horse trainer.

Cantey appeared on TV on What's My Line? as the trainer of a thoroughbred named Arlene Francis, which was named after one of the show's stars; the real Arlene Francis failed to guess her occupation.

When Cantey was an exercise rider at Belmont Park in 1975,WOR-TV chose her to co-host that station's weekly racing programs with Frank Wright and Dave Johnson. WOR, which at the time aired the most sports coverage of any station in the country with 1,000 hours per year, broadcast three thoroughbred racing programs -- Racing from Belmont, Racing from Aqueduct and Racing from Saratoga -- reaching 300,000 viewers each week. New York Racing Association executive director for TV and film Bill Creasy wanted to add a woman to the program, but more importantly, someone who could explain horse racing to the audience. Cantey was recommended by Frank Tours, who had played a major role in racing shows for KNXT in Los Angeles for 13 years. She owned the gelding Too Many Chiefs, the oldest horse active on New York tracks.

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