The Real Players Inside The Backstretch™️

Sharing this incredible story of Robbie Davis—his journey, resilience, and the powerful moments that shaped his life. A true reminder of what it means to be the best you can be. 🙏🐎 #TheRealPlayersInsideTheBackstretch

Horace “Jermaine” Gilberry fell in love with racing as a kid, riding ponies between races. He’s a veteran, a small owner, and still chasing the dream of becoming a trainer. He watched his first horse run from a tent in Afghanistan This week, he made his first trip to Saratoga.…

Snapped a photo with Griffin Johnson — part owner of Sandman, who ran in yesterday’s Jim Dandy. 🏇 Sandman didn’t get the win, but he showed a lot of heart out there. 💪🏾 Griffin’s been bringing fresh energy and great content to the racing world, and honestly, I think he’s good…

3rd Annual Charity Match Race! 🐎🔥 Where speed meets purpose. 🏇 Harness Race: Brett Beckwith vs. Trevor McCarthy 🐴 Under Saddle Trot: Sietske Spagnola vs. Katie Davis McCarthy 📍 Saratoga Casino Hotel 📅 July 26, 2025 All proceeds benefit the Franklin Community Center and…

Francisco Leal is the groom who shipped in with Baeza. 🎪✨ #JimDandy

Every generation has its own story. Jockey John Tartaglia shares what racing felt like in his day 🎪✨ 🎙️ The Real Players Inside the Backstretch

From growing up on the backstretch to watching over it. Rosa Escobar was raised in the heart of the racetrack — her father, Edward “Flaco” Escobar, has long worked for Bruce Levine, and her mother, Luz Escobar, is a dedicated groom for trainer Linda Rice. Now Rosa’s back — this…

The Coach always had an eye for talent and a heart for the youth. Jimmy Crawford, a true racetracker from the South, whose kids, Devone and Abate, were taken under the wing of none other than D. Wayne Lukas. Coach saw something in them — the same way he always did with young…

You couldn’t see Chuck Simon without seeing @UrbnHandicapper — they were that close. Chuck wasn’t just a friend to Barry; he was a mentor, a big brother. This is just a small tribute to a man who made a big impact — on the horses, the people, and the sport he loved. Rest in…

You might walk past a hundred people on the backstretch and never know their story — until you stop and listen. Gavin Stratton is a foreman for Saffie Joseph Jr., but more than that, he’s one of the real players who keeps the sport alive every single day. This is the fabric of…

Annie Danielson didn’t grow up around racehorses — she found them during COVID, took a chance, and never looked back. Now she’s chasing her dream of becoming a trainer, learning from the best at Team Cassie, and embracing the backstretch family like she was born into it. From a…

Love this! My guys @DDRacingLLC and the whole group are amazing people!! Glad Ken & Rasi ran into each other!

🎪🔥 @bobcatalini

We met Aaron and Chris first—two brothers proudly talking up their dad, Ken. Said we had to meet him. Moments later, we’re hearing this full-circle story about a random framed photo, a horse named Saratoga Flash, and a dream that somehow became real. @DDRacingLLC 🎪🔥 🎥: The…

I am so blessed to be a friend of @cannonshell 🙏🏾♥️🏇 There is no way I would be doing anything or have as many great connections that I do in horse racing without him. There is truly no me in horse racing without him

Props to ⁦@KendrickCarmou1⁩ on a great Win in the 7th today at the Spa 🏇🏿 He’s riding as good as any jock in this colony 🎯 ⁦@RealBackstretch⁩ ⁦@UrbnHandicapper⁩

Let’s go 💙

I’ve deeply admired D. Wayne Lukas’s competitiveness and peerless work ethic. And when he let me spend a morning with him last month, I learned about his generosity of spirit and wisdom. Just awful news. God bless him. horseracingnation.com/news/D_Wayne_L…