Racetrackers and Their Dads: Lifelong Memories

Dads and the track often go hand-in-hand. (Photo by Eclipse Sportswire, all other photos courtesy of ABR Ambassadors)
Father’s Day is always an extra special time in the horse racing world. Not only do racetracks across the country typically host special Father’s Day festivities, most racing fans have an added sentimental connection to the date.
When you ask the question “how did you get into horse racing?” many people answer the same way: “My dad got me into the game,” so Father’s Day holds extra special meaning for a lot of people who follow horse racing, and the day evokes powerful memories.
As a tribute to our dads and father figures who introduced us to the sport, the America’s Best Racing Brand Ambassadors decided to put together a fun photo blog. We hope you enjoy and encourage you to share some photos of your own!
Dan Tordjman

An extremely special day at Belmont Park in 2013. This was just a few weeks after I got married and a horse my dad, Max, and I had owned in partnership was racing. The horse, Sky Lover, actually won! It was one of the greatest days I’ve ever had at the track, made extra special by the fact that I got to experience it with my dad.

This is a more recent shot of my dad and I at Belmont. It was taken on his birthday last year. We enjoyed a cigar and I think we even won some money. It was a great day!

While I always love spending time at the track with my dad, we probably spent a lot more time together betting races at the Off Track Betting (OTB) parlors in New York City.  This is one of the most memorable photos I have from 2010, on the night our local OTB in Brooklyn closed. We had a lot of great memories there and we still talk about “our OTB” all of the time.
Mike Johnson

My late father taught my family the value of hard work … he also taught us not to work away our life. As a result, he sent all four of his kids off Arlington Park to earn a paycheck growing up. Working at Arlington was the perfect opportunity for us to earn a decent wage, while enjoying ourselves in the process. Thank you, Dad for giving this kid the best career advice ever! I wouldn’t have had this opportunity to work in the horse racing business without your guidance and continued support from up above!
Victoria Garofalo

I've got to thank my amazing dad and late 'Grampy' for my love of racing. I started going to the tracks when I was only months old and have yet to stop. When I was 3 months old my parents took me out to Belmont where my mother urged my losing dad to let me point to a horse on the form - he bet it and I had my first winner. There are countless other stories about Grampy taking me to the backside and bringing me by all the barns in what he thought was a dress (it was a nightgown) and stories of me running away to visit the Big Red Spring at The Spa - needless to say, I've been hooked on everything horse racing encompasses ever since.

Racing is a Garofalo family affair. We love everything about Saratoga and love to tell everyone how right before getting married dad told mom that their prenup would be that he would get to go to Saratoga every year - something no one in the family complains about!

The last time my dad saw a Triple Crown was when he was 18, back in 1978, so what a special day it was for me to witness American Pharoah romp in the Belmont Stakes and become the 12th Triple Crown winner with him and my 18-year-old sister, Anastasia, this year. I love that we get to share so many special moments thanks to ‘The Sport of Kings.’
Vince Mathews

My father was my best friend, the ultimate role model and the best horseplayer I have ever met. Even though he passed away nearly 10 years ago, I will always think of him every single time I set foot inside a racetrack. In fact, I think my love for the game of horse racing is more about chasing the great times I had with my dad at the racetrack while growing up than it is about chasing the next big winner at the windows (though it doesn’t hurt to cash a big ticket every once in a while!). I feel fortunate to have spent so many great afternoons at the track with my dad, and I know that without him, I definitely wouldn’t be where I am today.
Jose Contreras

This is my entire family in this photo at Santa Anita Park: my parents, my two sisters, and my camera shy brother (I’m not in the picture because i’m probably the one who’s taking it). I’m sure there are some older pictures in the family photo album of when I was a toddler running around the race track but I like this one because it shows that racing is a family event with the Contreras family. My parents became horse racing fans before I was born and the rest is history. My dad taught me how to read the Daily Racing Form and soon after that I was picking winners and telling him who to bet. Not much has changed for us. We still go to the races, pick a few winners, and have a great time. I developed a passion for horse racing early on and I’m lucky to be able to call this sport my career. It all started because of going out to the races with my dad. Happy Father’s Day!