Several years ago while researching a story, I called a handful of trainers and asked if they had any clients who were Black. The story was about the history of African-American people in horse racing and I wanted to get their thoughts for it.

These trainers had big stables: dozens, if not hundreds, of horses. But none of those horses was owned by a Black person.

Bloodstock agent Greg Harbut is the great-grandson of Will Harbut, Man o’War’s groom in the 1930s. His grandfather was Tom Harbut, a groom who became the general manager for Harry F. Guggenheim’s breeding operation in the 1960s. Racing and breeding as Cain Hoy Stable, Guggenheim owned 1953 Kentucky Derby winner Dark Star, and he was the owner and breeder of Hall of Famer Ack Ack.

Businessman Ray Daniels has lived in Lexington for 12 years. He grew up riding horses and going to the track and he loves the pageantry of the Kentucky Derby, a race he attended before his move to Lexington.

Both Harbut and Daniels are Black, and this year, they join the very small ranks of Black people to own a Kentucky Derby runner.

Continue reading at The Saratogian…