The Backside Learning Center at Churchill Downs spent time with jack-of-all-trades backstretch worker Michael “Homie” Wise in advance of the celebration of Black History month.
Born and raised in New Orleans, La., Homie has been in the horseracing industry for 30 years.
“You get going so much you can't keep calm,” he said. “I can't remember when I started, I get lost when I started. I like it. I really do like the horses. “
He had his start at Fair Grounds, and found his way to Kentucky.
“For some reason, I came to Kentucky,” Homie laughed. “I fell in love with it and made it my home. Well, New Orleans is home to me, I'd call this my 'happy place.'”
Homie is best classified as a jack-of-all-trades.
“I'm a groom, hot walker, everything you need me to. An all-around man.”
Homie works for Trainer Jimmy Baker now, but worked for other trainers, including Peter Vestal and Eddie Kenneally.
In terms of the work involved, Homie thinks it's rewarding.
“It's a great feeling being around these horses. Seeing them young, working with them and seeing them do the Kentucky Derby.”
However, he agrees it's a lot of hard work.
Homie has fond memories of what it was like back in the day as a black man on the backstretch.
“We was like family. Whites got along. Blacks got along,” Homie explained. “When another guy sees you do something wrong, he'll come and show you. Those old guys are gone now.”
Although he thinks the industry's changed a little bit, being mostly Spanish-speaking immigrants now, he thinks the lessons from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. still have valuable things to teach us.
“When you look at immigrants coming to live a better life, you got to know how to love and get along with each other. That's all I can say.”
The post ‘You Got To Know How To Love And Get Along With Each Other’: Backside Learning Center Shares Lessons From ‘Homie’ Wise appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
