Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of Raíces: The Making of Latino Legacies in Racing shares stories of victory, infrastructure building, and the bond between humans and horses. The chapter begins withVenezuelan Ramón Domínguez, one of the most dominant jockeys of his generation and, following a forced retirement due to injury, a staunch advocate for industry initiatives like jockey safety; Mexican-born Aracely García, a decades-long hotwalker and barn assistant with a deep love for the horse; Venezuelan jockey Javier José Castellano, one of the most influential riders in international horse racing; horseman Hiram David Rosario, a jockey-turned-assistant trainerhailing from Puerto Rico; Reina González, a trainer, breeder, and advocate for comprehensive horse care and personalized training regimens for horses; and the Mexican-born training team Fausto Gutiérrez and José Díaz, who together achieved international recognition with the campaign of Letruska.