Calvin Borel readily admits to being poorly educated, and yet his knowledge of horses is as deep as the ocean is vast.

In a world filled with artificiality and superficiality, a world that emphasizes style, Borel is as real, as substantial, as it gets.

Borel’s willingness to learn horses from the ground up, his character and his loyalty all contributed to his rise from humble Cajun roots in Louisiana to his induction into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2013.

There she was — in the lead, vying for victory in the final furlong of the historic Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot in England. When Tepin gallantly crossed the finish line in front, the mare had made history as the first American-trained racehorse to win Royal Ascot’s signature meet-opening race. Sharing the glory was the trainer who made it all possible, the trainer who never made a wrong move in managing a versatile but slow-maturing racehorse until she was ready to make history on a world stage.