Fletcher Served as Longtime Winners Foundation Director

When Winners Foundation president Gino Roncelli walks the backstretch at Santa Anita Park, he can't help but bump into people who were helped by the organization's longtime director, Bob Fletcher.

Fletcher, who served as Winners Foundation director for more than 10 years until he stepped down after suffering a stroke in November 2016, died Jan. 6. Winners Foundation provides free assistance to track employees and backstretch workers troubled by alcohol, drugs, or gambling problems, as well as mental illnesses.

Fletcher's legacy is readily visible at Santa Anita and racetracks throughout California.

"He helped so many people. You walk around the racetrack and you could point out this guy or that guy who was helped by Bob," Roncelli said in 2017 when the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters honored Winners Foundation with the Joe Palmer Award for meritorious service to racing. "We had this going away send-off for Bob. We had 20 or 30 people at this gathering and a number of them said that without Bob, they'd be dead. And of course there are many more who have had their lives improved, their families back together, things like that."

Before his efforts at Winners Circle, Fletcher worked for close to 40 years at Santa Anita. Roncelli said Fletcher worked in the parking lot and when he retired from that position he became director at Winners Foundation. Roncelli noted that Fletcher was a recovering alcoholic who saw his new career as the perfect opportunity to help others.

Seeing the commitment Fletcher brought to Winners Circle each day, Thoroughbred owner-breeder Roncelli named a horse after him: Bob's All In. Just a few hours after Fletcher's passing, Bob's All In rallied from fifth to win the sixth race Jan. 6 at Golden Gate Fields, scoring a 19-1 upset.

 "Bob was known to all for the Winners Foundation and the name of the horse depicts that," Roncelli said. "His family was at his side at his passing. All of us at Winners Foundation feel a great loss."

A Celebration of Life will be held at the Winners Foundation at 11:30 a.m. Jan. 15, located at Gate 7 at Santa Anita.