Supporting Body & Soul

The grass is a mighty green. Each blade of Kentucky blue stands on end, at its peak, carefully prepared and cared for, in anticipation of this very moment.

We’re at the Saratoga Race Course, but this is not the grass millions of spectators see shimmering in the distance behind magnificent horses racing their hearts out on the main stage; we’re looking at the grass on a glorious, freshly-painted soccer field designed to attract skilled workers to a campus unlike any other in the country – in the Oklahoma backstretch. 

Along with volunteer Pastor Jeff Stratton, we have been granted exclusive access behind the scenes to experience a place where history happens, the place where those who care for the horses at the Saratoga Race Course are cared for.

Entering the Machinery

Inside the backstretch, unsung heroes are created every day.

“It is an international community of people who endeavor, not only to work at the Saratoga Race Course, but who are motivated to take the best care of the Thoroughbreds here. They are incredibly groomed and impeccably cared for,” said Stratton.

This generation is provided with, and more aware of, an increasing number of services in place to support this community’s spiritual, emotional, and physical needs, said Stratton. 

At the campus core is the White House, a columned, climate-controlled colonial building. It’s the campus center, the main house where Recreation Director Nick Callas has spent more than 35 years creating opportunities for the thousands who have spent their summer here. Game tables, including pool, ping-pong, and fuse ball, fill most of the space. On the walls, pictures of smiling faces. There is also a ride-share board and posters of upcoming activities. The chaplain’s office is tucked into one corner, and in the back is the Backstretch Employee Service Team, or B.E.S.T. headquarters, a group striving to offer the best in care for those who care for THE BEST horses in the business.

We peeked in on this team in action as energies were rising for the season, when the campus population swells to between 900 – 1300. It is a campus full of promise, eagerly awaiting the rush of excitement that lies ahead, when all the countries represented here come together, and passions collide.

When the Backstretch Comes to Life

Beginning as early as 4:30 am, the backstretch comes alive. Horses and their riders head down from their stalls and through the chute on their walk across Union Avenue to practice for the spectacular show ahead.

“Horses are such a beautiful expression of creation. When you look at these horses, and how they are behaving, with their heads raised, held up high, feeling confident, you can see how well they are cared for,” said Stratton.

Racing is a dangerous sport, and despite everyone’s best efforts, accidents do happen. Injured workers receive immediate emergency care.

Stratton compliments the riders on their firm handshakes and invites them to attend that week’s community dinner and non-denominational prayer service, led in conjunction with New York Race Track Chaplaincy Chaplain Alberto Matos. The Chaplaincy ministry is one of presence, said Stratton, that he hopes brings a feeling of balance to the high-intensity life this workforce leads.

Help Starts Here

This is the calm before the storm, when people set about their daily tasks with quiet purpose and direction. In the distance, a pile of shavings twice as tall as the vehicle parked nearby has been cleaned from the barns. Golf carts (reserved for the special few) sit plugged in and charging while men ride by on bicycles, the preferred mode of transportation around the campus. Women are unpacking a cooler and plugging in crockpots in preparation for lunch under one of the many covered pavilions.

The campus also features Faith’s House (a daycare that opened in 2021), two restaurants, and the Saratoga Backstretch Clinic, which was built two years ago to replace a doublewide trailer that previously housed on-site healthcare services. New single-sex dormitories have also been built, adding more residences for backstretch workers.

Pastor Jeff Stratton, a retired minister, watches and prays from his seat on an Eagle Scout-built bench under another beautifully constructed pavilion where people gather for events and activities.

“I realized, in an authentic way, very early on, that my ability to communicate in Spanish was limited, so I asked prayerfully, what I could do that would be of immediate help, and the answer was, I could pray. Having a strong commitment to prayer can make a difference,” he said. “I ask for God’s blessings, for safety and healing, for each of the workers and within their relationships.  I ask for help with the struggles common to all those living the human experience.”

“It’s really hard sometimes to put in words how I pray, but I try to create a sense of security for them. I let them know that someone is looking out for them and for what’s best during difficult moments. I ask for compassion from someone and something that’s larger than myself.”

Stratton began volunteering at the Saratoga Race Course seven years ago and quickly learned that language barriers weren’t the only hurdles facing these workers. LifeWorks Community Action has an office on campus to assist newcomers with navigating life in the new community, helping with legal, financial, and educational services. In addition to the healthcare provided by the Saratoga Hospital and Albany Medical Center, BEST also provides onsite wellness services including mental health counseling, addiction recovery, and cultural supports. The multilingual staff at all the nonprofits is supported by numerous donations and volunteers, who, like Stratton, find meaning in the work and in supporting the backstretch - the backbone of the racing industry.

“Volunteers are at the heart of the Saratoga community and beyond. They do it because they really have a love for something very important.”