One Lucky Storm precipitated a new era. On Dec. 4, 2004, the 8-1 longshot became trainer Brad Cox’s first winner after going out on his own.

There is a lot to root for in horse racing. There are the horses, naturally, and they rightfully command the most attention as the main attraction. But each racehorse has an entire village behind it, and many of the people who help get a racehorse to the winner’s circle have become stars in their own right. Passionate and driven jockeys, cerebral and clever trainers, brash and colorful owners; horse racing has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to big personalities.