In addition to improved unemployment benefits, $ 600 stimulus checks, and the renewal of the eviction moratorium, Congress’ latest $ 900 billion coronavirus stimulus bill contained some unrelated surprises. Mitch McConnell, chairman of the Senate minority whose home state is hosting the Kentucky Derby, added a last-minute rider, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act. The law would improve the welfare of thoroughbred horses by ending the practice of drug abuse, which often leads to horse injuries and deaths. In addition, Congress extended the tax breaks for the racehorse industry that would allow all racehorses to be depreciated as depreciable property over a period of three years, representing tax write-offs of up to $ 500,000.
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Despite Congressional concerns about the welfare of thoroughbred horses, they have all but ignored the plight of the front stretch workers who are responsible for their training and care. You have spent months battling coronavirus with little financial or public support. Backstretch workers are mostly immigrants from Latin America and the Caribbean. Many live on site with other workers, often in pairs in a room in which the kitchen and bathroom are shared. Many of the workers who care for these precious animals live on low wages, even though the whole-blood industry has annual sales of more than $ 2 billion in New York State alone, where the famous Belmont Park is located. And when COVID-19 arrived they weren’t done yet.
Since Caroline Klicey immigrated from Chile in 2002, she has worked most of the time in America in Belmont. As a hot walker, she went for morning walks with thoroughbred racehorses every morning to stretch her tense muscles before a race. The work is challenging and the pay is low, but on top of her husband’s income, the $ 450 a week she makes is enough to comfortably raise her four children.
The route is also more than just a place to work; it has become their community. Most of Klicey’s friends are also backstretch workers, she met her husband on the track and her children often spend time on the track after school and on weekends. Before the pandemic, she found it difficult to imagine life off the back straight.
“Everyone who works here is like family. We treat each other well. In the morning everyone greets you with a smile. It’s a nice thing to work there. “
When the pandemic forced New York to suspend live racing last March, many workers like Klicey, who were very comfortable in their “recession-proof” jobs, were suddenly unemployed and in the pantry.
“It was very difficult for us early on. My husband was released for a few months and I had to stay at home with my children. We lived on our savings but it was difficult to get food but thank god for the pantry we made it. “
As the pandemic spread like wildfire across metropolitan New York, Belmont’s backstretch community proved to be a ticking time bomb. About 800 people are employed in Belmont’s hinterland. Nearly 600 workers live in dormitories on the property, where the cramped spaces have created the perfect environment for the virus to spread. At the height of the virus, 100 backstretch workers were infected between March and April.
In response, the New York Racing Association (NYRA) suspended all races on all New York state tracks in March until they could contain the virus. Joe Appelbaum, President of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen Association (NYTHA), an organization representing horse owners and trainers, faced the unprecedented challenge of mitigating a potential public health disaster and upholding animal welfare.
“We faced a very difficult challenge because it’s not like dorms where they just close the doors and send everyone home,” he said. “These are these guys’ houses, or their permanent residences could be Mexico or Guatemala. You also had a horse that needed grooming. “
In the background, we always take care of our own.
Although the race was temporarily suspended, some back workers were still employed as caring for the animals was considered an essential service. However, with no races planned, workers like Klicey preparing horses for races were left without work. For those who were still employed, many had subsidized their wages with second jobs on the route like concessions. With live races suspended and many unable to receive payments for economic recovery due to their immigrant status, these workers were forced to find other means to support themselves.
Karen Chavez, the general manager of NY Race Track Chaplaincy, which provides services to the backstretch community, saw a surge in her services. Chavez saw firsthand the toll the pandemic was taking.
“When the race was temporarily canceled, it was financially difficult for many families,” she said. “We have seen many men and women with panic attacks and anxiety disorders. Our pantries have grown from 60 to 360 families in just a few weeks. “
NYRA has been able to contain the virus since last April and there are currently no new cases among backstretch workers. Still, they don’t take any chances.
“NYRA follows all guidelines from the New York State Department of Health and the US Centers for Disease Control regarding social distancing,” said Patrick McKenna, NYRA director of communications. “Face covering is mandatory for everyone on the property.”
After the virus was largely under control, the race resumed across New York State in June, albeit with no crowds in the stands. Horse racing, in turn, saw a minor revival in popularity. Since the pandemic initially brought most professional sports to a standstill and many players like the NBA opted out, horse racing was able to fill the void. For the first five days of racing resumed, Belmont posted $ 76,264,891 in online stakes, an 84 percent increase over the previous year. On opening day in June, Belmonts Griff set an opening record of $ 10,972,254, beating the previous record of $ 10.7 million set in 2010.
Even so, the army of low-wage migrant workers with little money continued to work behind the scenes. Because owners received federal tax breaks and the horses benefited from heightened safety regulations, workers continued to accept low wages, occupational risks, and wage theft without the added benefit of paying the risk. However, many are reluctant to work anywhere else. Despite its shortcomings, the back presents an opportunity for a close-knit workforce of immigrants who have few other options. Like five million other vital workers, many are undocumented.
Caroline Klicey proudly describes the close connections that workers in the background have built with each other. When a worker gets sick, others bring him soup. If you have to borrow money, someone else helps quickly. Marriages, baptisms and quinceaneras are regularly performed in the stable full of horses. With workers from Central and South America in the background, they form a living mosaic of cultures that creates a unique cultural identity. Granted, Klicey admits that the pandemic has brought challenges she never anticipated, but she firmly believes that the background culture of self-reliance has enabled them to overcome them.
“In the background, we always take care of our own.”