Matthew Straight had never even been on a horse when he left his home in East Greenbush to learn what it would be like to ride them for a living.

Twenty-one months later, he's about to find out.

A 2003 graduate of Columbia High School, Straight, 22, has two mounts scheduled for today at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

In doing so, he will become the second graduate of the North American Racing Academy, founded in 2006 by retired Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron, to ride in a pari-mutuel race.

“Oh, my goodness, it's been a long time coming,” Straight said by phone Thursday from Lexington, where the NARA is based. “For the last two years, going through the program and now to have everything come together and actually have two mounts at Churchill Downs under the twin spires, it's amazing.”

Straight was one of 11 members of the NARA's inaugural class, which also includes Saratoga's Jacqueline Davis, a daughter of ex-jockey Robbie Davis.

The son of Francis and Elizabeth Straight of Rensselaer, whose twin brother, Michael, just finished his first year at NARA, Straight will make his debut on Bali Warrior in the eighth race. The 5-year-old gelding is listed at 10-1 in the field of nine for the $11,200 one-mile dirt claimer. Post time is 6:22 p.m.

About 90 minutes later, in the 11th race, Straight will be aboard 4-year-old filly Miss Sara K. in the finale, a $12,000 claiming sprint at 51⁄2 furlongs. Both horses are owned and trained by Bernard Girdley.

As he did for Jessica Oldham Stith, the first NARA graduate to ride professionally, McCarron will pony Straight to the gate for his debut. McCarron will watch the second race from the stands.

Oldham Stith finished fifth in a June 17 race at River Downs in Cincinnati.

“We're thrilled about the fact that some of these kids are being pushed out of the nest now, so to speak,” McCarron said by phone. “Matt showed a lot of determination right from the start.

“He heard about the school's opening two years ago, and came down for an interview, and we liked what we saw right away. We're thrilled that he's at the stage now where he's ready to spread his wings.”

They'll spread a little further on Sunday. Straight's agent, Joe Paully, has him booked on two more horses —2-year-old colt Pumpjackcat in Churchill's opener, and 4-year-old gelding Call Me Afleet in the 10th race finale.

“I'm glad to see things are starting to pick up a little bit,” Straight said. “I can't wait for it to get going.”

Straight got his first taste of racing at the age of 7, when his parents drove him 35 miles north to Saratoga Race Course. He has been a regular visitor since.

“Every year, every day I could, I'd go,” he said. “It got a lot easier once I got my driver's license. It was one of things that I kind of fell in love with and kept going back and back and back.”

He was attending Hudson Valley Community College when Straight heard about NARA, which operates at the Kentucky Horse Park as part of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System.

Though jockey schools are common in other parts of the world, the NARA is the only formal training program for aspiring race riders in the United States.

“It wasn't a hard decision for me at all,” Straight said. “I always wanted to be a jockey. When I heard about the school, I said, `If I don't take this opportunity, I'm stupid.’

“I had no problem leaving home and coming down here. I didn't have much experience around horses and to get that hands-on experience every day from mucking stalls to grooming nand riding horses. It's been an amazing ride.”

Through the NARA, Straight also had a three-month internship with trainer Todd Pletcher that began in Florida in December and lasted to the end of the Keeneland spring meet.

“What a great experience being around the best quality horses in the world,” Straight said, “and riding with guys like Johnny Velazquez and Angel Cordero in the mornings doesn't hurt, either.”

On a provisional license, Straight needs to ride three times in Kentucky to get his apprentice license.

“They have to show the stewards that they're not going to wreak havoc on the racetrack,” McCarron said. “The main thing is to just be careful, go around there and, obviously, try to win, but do it in a safe, professional manner and enjoy it.”

Straight plans to ride this summer at Ellis Park, located 200 miles away from Lexington in Henderson, Ky., on the Indiana side of the Ohio River. The meet runs from July 4 to Sept. 1.

Meanwhile, Straight will be looking for any chance to get home this summer.

“It'd be a dream come true if I could go up there and ride a race,” he said. “I'm going to try everything I can to find an opportunity to get up there and ride one. It's definitely on top of my list.”