New Chaplaincy Built With Patience and Belief

On an unseasonably warm afternoon in Elmont, N.Y., 10 days before Christmas, the Belmont Park backstretch is relatively quiet, with most horses tucked in their stalls awaiting feed time. The occasional rumble is heard from horse vans transporting runners back from Aqueduct Racetrack, about 10 miles away.

The serenity of the setting extends to the spacious new chaplaincy building, which sits just inside the main stable gate, but come Christmas day, the space will be buzzing with its initial worship services—led by Chaplain Humberto Chavez—taking place in the first-ever chapel at Belmont Park. 

In addition to the multi-purpose chapel, the 3,500-square-foot building houses the administrative offices of the New York division of the Race Track Chaplaincy of America. Chavez, 46, has been at the helm of the NYRTCA since September 2003. He is joined by his wife, Karen, the general manager. They and their dedicated staff administer in immeasurable ways to the needs of the tight-knit community of backstretch workers at New York Racing Association tracks. Curated activities include enrichment programs for men, women, and children, such as book groups, arts and crafts sessions, sporting activities, and teen mentoring programs. In addition to societal needs, heavy attention is paid to the practical necessities of the backstretch workers through weekly food pantry distributions and clothing drives. During the holidays, donations are procured toward gifts for entire families so that good cheer is felt far and wide. 

The chaplaincy offices were previously housed in cramped yet functional quarters in trailers that remain a stone's throw from the new building and now serve the purpose of storage of non-perishable food items and clothing for distribution. The winter months in New York are particularly challenging for working outdoors and in the barns, and racks of warm jackets and other gear are available for those in need.

The new building, a long time in the making, is warmly inviting, with sunlight streaming through multiple, large windows, bathing the beautiful, donated equine artwork adorning the walls in a pleasant glow. 

In 2017, Chavez said he talked with the then-president and CEO of the New York Racing Association, Christopher Kay, about building the facility. But the wheels turned slowly, partly due to the COVID pandemic, and it wasn't until Oct. 6 when the ribbon-cutting ceremony took place following the official groundbreaking in March 2022. 

The building and chapel were designed by Frost Hurff Architects of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and its construction was funded through donations from industry stakeholders. Thoroughbred owner Michael Dubb provided the building supplies for the project and purchased the original two trailers that housed the previous chaplaincy. Significant funding for the new building was provided by founding partners Dubb, D.J. Stable, Dogwood Stable, John Hendrickson, Kristine and Christopher Kay, Seth and Beth Klarman, NYRA, the estate of Dolores Ochota, OXO Equine, West Point Thoroughbreds, and WinStar Farm.

Chavez sits in his favorite place in the chaplaincy, a spot named after the late Cot Campbell of Dogwood Stable that will be utilized as a learning center and classroom. It will also facilitate the chaplaincy's new initiative that aims to bridge the gap between parents of school-age children and personnel at local school districts. The goal is for parents to understand the importance of being involved in their child's education and for them to be able to have meaningful dialogue with school officials.

The chaplain said the process of seeing what was once just a blueprint design of a building morph into an actual structure has been so gratifying.

He recalled that "when the concrete was being poured here, people were just like, 'Is this going to be for us?' I said, 'Absolutely. This is going to be a building here for our community in the backstretch.' There definitely was some anticipation, and I was being asked all the time, 'When are you going to finish it?'

"We waited it out," said Chavez, who emanates a genuine warmth and welcoming demeanor that perfectly suits his position as someone the backstretch turns to for guidance and help, time after time. "Since the time we did the ribbon-cutting in October, many families have passed by here and love it. They are amazed by it. It's like new fresh air to the services that we provide them and it comes with a little bit more dignity…rather than being on top of each other, which we did manage for so many years (in the trailers)."

In May, before the final touches were put in place to complete the chaplaincy, retired New York-based trainer Richard Schosberg said he reached out to Chavez expressing his desire for the chaplain to officiate the renewal of his wedding vows with his wife, Dawn. Schosberg's longtime presence on the backstretch of New York tracks extends beyond his training career and continues with his ongoing work for the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association-administered Take the Lead program, which finds safe homes for retired racehorses who competed in New York. As a close friend of the Schosbergs for many years, Chavez suggested using the non-denominational chapel. The couple loved the idea, given how much the backstretch and its workers have meant to them through three-plus decades of marriage.

"It just seemed to be a perfect fit," said Schosberg of using the chapel for the special occasion that took place on his and Dawn's 33rd wedding anniversary. "It was just the three of us. Very intimate, very personal, and very emotional. It was pretty cool."

Chavez said there is a practicality to having the new building on the grounds of Belmont Park. Rather than directing members of the racetrack circle, many of whom live on the backstretch, to go outside the gates and locate unfamiliar destinations to partake in chaplaincy-sponsored activities and events, the locale is now in their own backyard.

"This is where we want to continue to run our programs and our brand-new programs that we will develop out of the building," Chavez said. "This represents more space for us to continue to grow. Our partners have really seen what we want to do for the industry and the backstretch community. That's to bring people services that they really need and ones that resonate with them. Just like what started as a book club now has 100 women who meet here every week to talk."

With 20 years behind him as the NYRTCA's chaplain, Chavez said he has learned much, but perhaps the biggest takeaway is the practice of patience.

"The only thing I think I would have told myself back then, when I started, was to be patient. Sometimes we have the vision that God has instilled in our hearts, and you're like, 'When is it going to happen for real?' It took one afternoon sitting down with the then-president of NYRA for the vision to come to fruition. When I look back on 20 years, it's like, 'Okay, it's God's timing, it's not my timing.'" 

To learn more about the vital work the NYRTCA is doing, visit rtcany.org.