It’s no surprise that many people perceive the horse racing industry as one that’s very difficult to get into without the right contacts. While that may be true to a point, Giovanni Ricardo and his experiences show how a young person can pave his or her own path in Thoroughbred racing. 

Ricardo is a student at the University of Kentucky majoring in Business Administration (Finance and Marketing). He is from New Jersey where there aren’t as many Thoroughbred outreach opportunities. He was introduced to horses in the Bluegrass State when he visited Keeneland Race Course to watch the races with friends. Right then and there, he had an epiphany – Ricardo wanted to explore opportunities within the industry. 

Ricardo with Greg Harbut, co-founder of Ed Brown Society (Courtesy of Giovanni Ricardo)

It wasn’t long after that Ricardo tapped into the University of Kentucky’s Scholarship Universe, and through that resource he was introduced to the Ed Brown Society, an organization that celebrates the rich history of African-Americans in the equine industry by helping young students gain exposure, training, and experience within the sport. From the moment he was accepted into the Ed Brown Society, Ricardo says he was “welcomed with open arms” and felt comfortable asking any questions he had about racing. 

Ed Brown, the organization’s namesake, was an African-American born into slavery. He was sold at the age of seven to a proprietor at Woodburn Stud. Brown then apprenticed under Ansel Williamson, who was the trainer of Aristides, the first Kentucky Derby winner. Brown was a successful jockey, winning the Belmont Stakes in 1870 on Kingfisher, and later trained 1877 Kentucky Derby winner Baden-Baden. 

The Ed Brown Society was founded by Clark Williams and Greg Harbut, who decided to honor Ed Brown as the namesake for the organization because of his accomplishments within the industry. Williams said: “Greg and I were looking for a vehicle to provide industry exposure to a generation of emerging professionals. One day, Greg happened to share the phenomenal accomplishments of Edward Dudley Brown with me, and I instantly knew that the Ed Brown Society would be the best name that we could use to define this body of work. Not only was Ed Brown a champion, but he was known for his generosity. Paying it forward is exactly what we always strive to do.” 

Daryl Love is one of Ricardo’s primary mentors at the Ed Brown Society. Love was one of the first people that Ricardo was introduced to when he entered the program, and they’ve formed a close mentorship since. Even though Ricardo was introduced to the equine industry for the first time as a freshman in college, his learning curve wasn’t nearly as daunting as one might imagine, thanks to the Ed Brown Society.

“I didn’t feel out of the loop having to join so late, since I didn’t really grow up in the sport like everyone else did,” Ricardo said. 

Lasting memories with Ed Brown Society. (Courtesy of Giovanni Ricardo)

The Ed Brown Society helped guide Ricardo toward success in the industry through internships and experiences. A couple of standout internships that Ricardo secured were with the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) and The Jockey Club’s Media Ventures division, also known as America’s Best Racing.

Ricardo was recently awarded with The Jockey Club Vision Scholarship. While that might’ve seemed unimaginable to him a few years ago, it has made him realize the traits that were crucial in getting him there. 

“Talk to people and build your social skills,” Ricardo said. “Soft skills are so important within the industry, so get comfortable being able to talk to people and create relationships.”

Through those internship opportunities and experiences, Ricardo is slowly narrowing down what kind of job he’d like to secure in the industry. Although he has not yet identified that “perfect job,” his goal is to find one that affords him the opportunity to help the people at the track have the best time possible and leave with smiling faces. 

One final piece of advice Ricardo would offer anyone entering an internship related to the racehorse industry is, “to ask people questions and learn from them, so don’t be afraid to fail.”

It may not be recorded, but Ed Brown surely didn’t jump on the Belmont Stakes-winning racehorse without falling off a few others first. He is just one example of the many pioneers in the industry, and the Ed Brown Society honors him by making the sport more accessible to those interested in it today.