Barajas Named Track Superintendent at Ellis Park

Veteran trackman Javier Barajas has been named the new track superintendent at Ellis Park, the Henderson, Ky., track announced Feb. 28. Glenn Thompson, a veteran of almost 70 years at maintaining the track, will continue to work with Barajas.

"We now have two of the best and most respected track superintendents in the world working at Ellis Park," said Jeff Hall, Ellis Park's director of racing operations. "While Javier and Glenn have very different backgrounds, they share fierce determination to do what is best for the horse as far as surfaces over which they race and train."

Barajas has been in the business of racetrack maintenance for 43 years, including as Keeneland's track superintendent for five years before he left in 2019 to build his consulting business. He was 13 and already a veteran hotwalker when he got his first job on a track crew, working for his father, the turf course foreman at Arlington International Racecourse. Barajas went on to work at Sam Houston Race Park, Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Canterbury Park, and Golden Gate Fields, as well as in Dubai, China, Chile, and Peru.

A former track superintendent for the Dubai Racing Club's Meydan Racecourse, Barajas will work year-round for Ellis Park while also continuing his consulting business, including a project to build dirt tracks in Turkey. He comes aboard as Ellis Park embarks on construction to widen its mile turf course and install lights.

"Javier could have gone anywhere, and his hiring shows the commitment by Ellis Park's new ownership to the safety of all our participants, horses or human," said Ken Mimmack, the head of project development for Ellis Entertainment.

Barajas acknowledged that he had offers from other leading racetracks but believes Ellis Park is the best fit for his goal of nurturing a new generation of track superintendents.

"We have a big shortage of track superintendents," he said. "I've gotten seven or eight calls from different racetracks in a month saying they need somebody. I think with my career now, I need to focus on the future. I'm really happy Glenn is staying on because I get to learn from one of the best. You never stop learning. I've been in the business 43 years, but learning from somebody who has that feel, who has everything in his head—instead of having data, he has it in his brain—hopefully he'll share it with me and I'll still learn more to give it to somebody else."

Thompson, 84, was honored by Ellis Park at the end of the 2019 race meet for his 69 years working at the track, the vast majority as track superintendent. After spending his first meet selling lemonade at age 15, Thompson joined Ellis' track maintenance crew as soon as he could legally drive a tractor.

"Glenn wanted to work at least a 70th year for us, but he also wanted to cut back on those 16- and sometimes 20-hour days during the racing season," racing secretary Dan Bork said. "It's very difficult to replace an institution who has meant so much to Ellis and our horses as Glenn. We're extremely fortunate that Javier was available. He brings as extensive a résumé as any track superintendent and has taken care of tracks in all kinds of climates, weather challenges, and terrains.

"Javier proudly considers himself 'old school,' but he's also well versed in using technology to supplement the art of being a trackman. Of course, no one knows Ellis Park's dirt track, turf course, and the barn area like Glenn. He'll be an incredible resource for Javier. For us, it's win-win."