About Raíces: The Making of Latino Legacies in Racing
The Raíces: The Making of Latino Legacies in Racing podcast series supports Keeneland Library’s bilingual exhibit freely available to the public in Lexington, Kentucky. The exhibit and its education initiatives trace more than a century of history, sharing the stories of men and women from across the Americas who have sustained and transformed the Thoroughbred industry from the late 19th century to today. Select stories of Latinos working at every level of the sport speak to individual and collective legacies central to the evolution of modern horse racing.
The American horse racing workforce has had deep Latino roots for decades, while horses bred in Latin America have shone on the world’s most demanding stages. This podcast series brings together emblematic stories of headline-making, record-breaking athletes, trainers, and international racing and breeding stables alongside the men and women charged with the around-the-clock care and management of horses on the backside of racetracks and at horse farms across the country.
We will release the podcast series in 11 chapters throughout 2026. With each chapter’s release, the series presents stories through the decades from the past to the present. All chapters open with a segment of stories introduced in English by Carlos Morales, producer and host of Agentes 305, followed by the same stories in Spanish recorded by the Lexington-based, Guatemalan-born voice recording artist Ana León-Bellamy.
In the final chapter of Raices: The Making of Latino Legacies in Racing, we close with a celebration of what has come before with an eye to the promising future of Latino impacts onhorse racing across the Americas. Key figures in this final chapter include Irad Ortiz Jr., thePuerto Rican jockey with multigenerational ties to the sport and one of the most dominant jockeys of his generation; Mexican-born horseman René Morales Ortiz whose years as a hotwalker, groom, and exercise rider have cultivated an evolving identity in the global industry; jockey José Ortiz, Irad’s younger brother, who has built a stellar career on precision and commitment to his family; Dominican-born horseman Franklin De Jesús with a cemented reputation for versatility in the industry; and Juan Hernández, a jockey who employs his skillsgained at the Hipódromo de las Américas racetrack in México to the California racing circuit and beyond.
13 Mar 2026
Chapter 9
Chapter 9 of Raices: The Making of Latino Legacies in Racing includes less visible roles that sustain the industry. Figures covered in this chapter include Kelley Amanda Stobie, the founder of Caribbean Thoroughbred Aftercare, who created the first and only retirement and rehabilitation center for racehorses in the Caribbean; Adolfo Cordero López, a respectedmultigenerational Puerto Rican farrier; Mexican-born jockey-turned-trainer Rudy Rodríguez, whose years at Aqueduct, Belmont, and Saratoga racetracks cemented his presence on the New York circuit; Saúl Castellanos, a horseman from México who has played many roles in the industry, including hotwalker, groom, assistant trainer, and in horse transport; and Hall of Fame Dominican jockey Joel Rosario who, with consummate professionalism, became the first Dominican-born jockey inducted into the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame.
13 Mar 2026
Chapter 10
Chapter 10 of Raices: The Making of Latino Legacies in Racing continues to explore Latino figures operating at every level of the sport. Though their daily roles differ, their impacts shapethe Latino legacy in horse racing. The chapter showcases Alex Solis II, son of the legendary jockey Alex Solis, who forges his path in bloodstock and sport management; Mirna Fabian, a Guatemalan hotwalker, groom, and forewoman whose work helps sustain the operation of trainer Paulo Lobo’s team in Lexington; Gonzalo Anteliz Jr., a jockey-turned-turf photographer whose knowledge and experience help him capture not just action, but moments of raw emotion on the track; México City native Juan Levya, a jockey-turned-assistant trainer, who played a role in developing superstars like Flightline; and Panamanian jockey Luis Sáez, one of the country’s most consistent riders on the biggest stages of North American racing.
13 Mar 2026
Chapter 8
Chapter 8 of Raíces: The Making of Latino Legacies in Racing shares stories of victory, infrastructure building, and the bond between humans and horses. The chapter begins withVenezuelan Ramón Domínguez, one of the most dominant jockeys of his generation and, following a forced retirement due to injury, a staunch advocate for industry initiatives like jockey safety; Mexican-born Aracely García, a decades-long hotwalker and barn assistant with a deep love for the horse; Venezuelan jockey Javier José Castellano, one of the most influential riders in international horse racing; horseman Hiram David Rosario, a jockey-turned-assistant trainerhailing from Puerto Rico; Reina González, a trainer, breeder, and advocate for comprehensive horse care and personalized training regimens for horses; and the Mexican-born training team Fausto Gutiérrez and José Díaz, who together achieved international recognition with the campaign of Letruska.
13 Mar 2026
Chapter 7
In chapter 7 of Raíces: The Making of Latino Legacies in Racing, we hear stories of champions and record setters alongside stories of those whose hard work and dedication drive the sport and chronicle its history. Figures in this chapter include Víctor Espinoza, the unforgettable Mexicanjockey whose partnership with American Pharoah makes them both household names in theracing world; Maria Carolina Lobo, a lawyer from Brazil who transformed her career to become a key figure in international racing operations; Héctor Soler, the first Puerto Rican to hold the role of head starter at a major U.S. racetrack; racing photographers Silvio Gonzalez, Carlos “Manchego” Calo, and Miguel Espinoza; and journalists and broadcasters Juan Carlos Feijoó Gonzalez and Roberto Rodríguez.
13 Mar 2026
Chapter 6
Chapter 6 of Raíces: The Making of Latino Legacies in Racing paints the portrait of an established presence of Latinos in American horse racing, exemplified through jockeys, trainers, and breeders who mold the sport. This chapter includes Chilean Hall of Fame jockey José Santos, who conquered the country’s most demanding tracks and rekindled the public’s passion for the Triple Crown aboard Funny Cide; Brazilian-born Alberto Figueiredo, a key figure in integrating South American, European, and North American bloodlines through breeding and genetics; Panamanian jockey Alex Solis, whose career built on discipline and respect for the craft resulted in more than 5,000 career wins; one of the winningest jockeys in modern American history racing and partner to the unforgettable Barbaro, Peruvian Edgar Prado; Brazilian trainer Paulo Lobo, who brought South American-bred horses to victory in the U.S. and strengthened the connection between the North American market and Southern Hemisphere breeding programs; and Puerto Rican jockey John Velázquez, one of the most successful jockeys and industry ambassadors of the modern era.
13 Mar 2026
Chapter 5
In chapter 5 of Raíces: The Making of Latino Legacies in Racing, listeners are introduced to Latin American produced leaders in the sport, whose knowledge, resilience, and strategic visions continue to shape the industry. We meet Venezuelan trainer Gustavo Delgado, whose dreams of succeeding in the American racing circuit came to fruition when Mage won the 2023 Kentucky Derby; Ignacio Correas IV, heir to a horse-racing tradition dating to the 19th century in Argentina, who worked his way from stable crews in the States to top-level trainer; the Chileanmother-son team Liliana Solari and Carlos Heller Solari, leaders of the influential Don Alberto Corporation; Eduardo Terrazas, founder of Terrazas Thoroughbreds, who hails from México and has overseen some of the country’s most important stallion operations; and Panamanian René Douglas, whose multi-chapter story as jockey, owner, international project manager, and jockey agent speaks to strength and commitment.
13 Mar 2026
Chapter 4
Chapter 4 of Raíces: The Making of Latino Legacies in Racing broadens the series’ scope, spotlighting not only those who had tremendous success on the racetrack, but also those whose knowledge, investment, and vision helped shape and sustain the sport off the track. The chapter begins with Panamanian-born jockey Laffit Pincay Jr., who became the winningest jockey in North American history with over 9,000 career victories; Cuban American businessman Benjamín León Jr., whose ownership and breeding vision at Besilu Stables transformed the modern breeding industry; Hall of Famer Jorge Velásquez, hailing from Panama, whose partnership with Alydar produced some of the sport’s most memorable moments; Venezuelan veterinarian Óscar Benavides, whose career at South American stud farms and Kentuckybreeding operations has developed champions; Maria Pinzón, a Guatemalan trainer forging her career while raising her family in the horse racing world; and Gonçalino Feijó de Almeida, a Brazilian jockey-turned-trainer who made a name for himself across competitive circuits.
13 Mar 2026
Chapter 3
In chapter 3 of Raíces: The Making of Latino Legacies in Racing, we step into an era where Latino talent in the sport extends beyond figures who broke barriers and evolves into a dynamic force of lasting legacies firmly integrated in American horse racing. We see these legacies through figures like Juan Arias, the Venezuelan trainer behind the triumphant Cañonero II; Mexican-born trainer Héctor Palma with more than 50 years of training success; Chilean jockey and Hall of Famer Fernando Toro, who made history when he won the first Breeders’ Cup Mile with Royal Heroine in 1984; the Panamanian jockey, Triple Crown winner, and era-definingBraulio Baeza; the Peruvian father-daughter duo of Bernardo Álvarez-Calderón and Gabriela Álvarez-Calderón, whose breeding operations continue to influence international bloodlines; andjockey Ángel Cordero Jr., a force from Puerto Rico who amassed more than 7,000 victories and mentored the next generation of riders.
13 Mar 2026
Chapter 2
In chapter 2 of Raíces: The Making of Latino Legacies in Racing, the foundations of the Latino presence in American horse racing continue to expand and begin to occupy a central position in the psyche of the sport. The chapter spotlights Ángel Penna Sr. of Argentina, one of the most respected and versatile horse trainers of the 20th century; Frank “Pancho” Martín, the Cuban-born trainer behind memorable campaigns and a dominant force in the New York circuit; Venezuelan jockey Gustavo Ávila, known for his success in multiple countries, including his 1971 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes wins aboard Cañonero II; Mexican American Ismael “Milo” Valenzuela, two-time Kentucky Derby winner and partner of one of the greatest horses of all time – Kelso; and Manuel Ycaza, a fiercely competitive Panamanian rider and the first Latino jockey to be inducted into the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame.
13 Mar 2026
Chapter 1
Chapter 1 of Raíces: The Making of Latino Legacies in Racing traces the 19th century beginnings of Latino roots in the workforce of American horse racing from the saddle, behind the microphone, and on the training grounds. Key figures in these early years include Joe Rodríguez, a Cuban-born jockey who ranked among North America’s top jockeys in 1920; Argentinian and third generation horseman Horacio Luro, one of the most influential trainers of the 20th century; announcer Joe Hernández, the voice of Santa Anita Park for decades; Cuban-born Lázaro Soto Barrera, the only trainer inducted into racing halls of fames in Cuba, México, and the United States; and Avelino Gómez, the Cuban-born jockey known for his confident, winning style.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Contact Raíces: The Making of Latino Legacies in Racing
Guest appearances
Does not typically book guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of Raíces: The Making of Latino Legacies in Racing?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
