backstretch

The show "BACKSIDE: The Unseen Hands of Horse Racing" begins at the breakfast table as a quiet middle-aged Hispanic man is slowly eating his breakfast. Then the camera pans to his clock. It reads 1:56. The message is clear: even at this hour, this is a man who has to be somewhere. He must be dedicated to his job, no matter how difficult it may be. That message resonates throughout the documentary, which debuted Monday and is part of PBS's Infinite Lens Series. For the next hour or so, the...

Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) has received a generous grant from an anonymous donor to provide backpacks and school supplies for children of backstretch workers across the country, the non-profit said in a Thursday release. With more than 2,500 backpacks filled with essential school supplies, TCA plans to distribute the gift to 33 racetrack chaplaincies. Those organizations will deliver them directly to families over the summer so that kids can be ready for the school year. Click here to learn more.

Tuesday's immigration raid at Delta Downs--which resulted in the reported apprehension of 84 undocumented individuals--reminds industry stakeholders once again of a frustrating conundrum. On the one hand, they must navigate an environment of ramped-up immigration enforcement, and the potential that what happened at Delta Downs could happen at any other racetrack around the country. On the other, they face a long-broken system that makes sourcing legal immigrant workers a bureaucratic nightmare. "It's insanely difficult," said trainer Doug O'Neill, about a visa system that's necessary to properly staff the racetrack backstretch....

Major immigration reform has been talked about for decades, but torpedoed legislation is as far as that has gone. Indeed, President Ronald Reagan was still just in his second term when he signed the last comprehensive immigration reform bill successfully steered through Congress. Amid the cavalcade of immigration-related actions that the current administration has sanctioned, however, the possibility has appeared for that trend to be bucked. In the process, it opens the door for some of the nation's backstretch immigrant workforce to potentially find themselves on a new pathway towards...

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez and his wife Leona will be honored with the newly renamed John Hendrickson and Marylou Whitney Award by the New York Race Track Chaplaincy (NYRTC). The award recognizes the couple for their longstanding support of the New York backstretch community and will be presented at NYRTC's 18th Annual Fundraising Brunch to be held Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025, at Saratoga National Golf Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. "Johnny and Leona have demonstrated a deep commitment to the backstretch community and they continue to set...

For the most part, Tampa Bay Downs survived Hurricane Milton relatively unscathed. According to Margo Flynn, the track's vice president of marketing, the grandstand suffered only minimal damage. Milton hit the west coast of Florida just a few weeks after the area was hit hard by Hurricane Helene. Milton made land fall at 8:30 p.m. in Siesta Key, Florida about 77 miles south of the track. The storm did not begin to subside until around 11:15. Flynn also reported that the main track and the turf course came through the...

The Gulfstream-based Florida Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (FTHA) awarded 16 college scholarships to children of qualified Florida-licensed backstretch employees and trainers Tuesday, the organization announced. To date, the FTHA, which aims to "foster, promote and improve business conditions in the racing industry", has given more than $400,000 in scholarships through the Kent Stirling Scholarship Program. "This is a fitting tribute to Kent, who devoted his life to our industry and to its people," said FTHA President Joe Orseno. "He was diligent in his efforts on behalf of the owners and trainers,...

Over the next year, Los Alamitos Race Course will conduct a series of improvement projects throughout its backstretch facilities with the first set of upgrades set to begin immediately, the track said in a release late Thursday. Work will start next Monday with modernizing the men's and women's restroom facilities on the backstretch and new concrete has already been poured into designated areas to help prevent standing water and avoid excess mud around the barns. In June, Los Alamitos completed work on improvements to the receiving barn and testing areas...

Sunday evening dinners have always been a hit among the many backstretch appreciation events that go on throughout the Saratoga race meet, but this summer the affair has become an ever bigger attraction now that Morrissey's Lounge and Bistro at the Adelphi Hotel is catering the weekly celebration. Every Sunday just before 6 p.m., upbeat music and savory smells reach Union Avenue as a crowd gathers at the Marylou Whitney Pavilion. With dozens of volunteers on hand, the vast smorgasbord of food remains open until 8:30 so that workers who...

The New York Race Track Chaplaincy is seeking support for their Summer Enrichment Program for children of backstretch workers in order to help keep families together during the Saratoga season, and to give children an opportunity to experience something they may have never had before: a summer away from the city and from the track. No child is turned away from the program, which meets critical needs for the families that the Chaplaincy serves. The program is solely supported by contributions from the public. Those interested may click here to...

The New York Race Track Chaplaincy will honor Andy Serling for his work with the backstretch community at its 15th annual fundraising brunch, to be held Aug. 17 at Saratoga National Golf Club during the Saratoga meet. Serling is best known as a television analyst and handicapper for New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA), where he has been a member of the broadcast team since 2008. He is also the senior racing analyst on America's Day at the Races, which presents coverage of NYRA racing on the networks of FOX...

The Backside Learning Center (BLC), an organization dedicated to building community and enriching the lives of equine workers and families at Churchill Downs, will hold its largest annual fundraiser, Benefit for the Backside: A Day at the Races, Friday, Nov. 19 at Churchill Downs. This is a sold-out event. However, the BLC is hosting an online, silent auction consisting of many unique horseracing and other hard to find items and experiences including a year-long membership to Louisville Thoroughbred Society, a private tour of Spendthrift Farm, AirBnB experiences, top-shelf bourbon packages...