Lisa See, a groom and assistant to Delaware Park-based trainer Anthony Pecoraro, won the prestigious Dedication to Racing Award for an outstanding racing stable employee who has shown reliability in a racing role.
The announcement was made at the Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards sponsored by Godolphin at Churchill Downs on October 31st as part of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships week. The individual must have at least 10 years of service in the racing industry and must have been pivotal in the success of the stable.
“I was humbled and lost for words,” Lisa See said. “None of this would have been possible without my support team. This recognition is a reflection of all of them. The racing industry has given me so much and I am not sure where I would be without this wonderful sport. I just hope and I will try to make sure others get as much from this sport as I have enjoyed.”
“I was happy to nominate Lisa for this award and I am very proud of her,” said Executive Director of the Delaware Thoroughbred Horsemen Association (DTHA) Bessie Gruwell. “She has grown into a well-respected horseman and along the way she has also overcome many challenges in life as a mother, daughter and friend. She is very deserving of this recognition and we cannot wait to see her grow further in her career in our industry.”
See started working at Delaware Park as a hot walker for trainer Henry Worcester in 1994. In her more than twenty years at Delaware Park, she has also worked as a groom, stable foreman and she recently passed her trainer certification test.
“She is very deserving of this recognition,” said Executive Director of Racing of Delaware Park John Mooney. “She has built an exceptional reputation as a horseman through hard work and dedication and along the way she has always been an extraordinary and caring human being. No better person could have received this recognition. I congratulate her and she is a true reflection of all the good people who helped her in this journey.”
In the recently concluded Delaware Park live racing season, the barn of Anthony Pecoraro finished second in the trainer standings with a record of 26 winners from 80 starters. In 2017, the barn finished third in the standings with a record of 21 winners from 68 starters.
“She is on top of everything, the horses, the people and the paperwork, 24/7,” said trainer Anthony Pecoraro. “She is a big reason we have been as successful as we have been through the years. She is the ultimate team player and we work well together. I am not sure what we would do without her.”
The Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards, with a total prize money of $128,000, was managed and administered by The Jockey Club, the Horsemen’s Protective and Benevolent Association, and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.
“I can’t say enough great things about the Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards presented by Godolphin,” Bessie Gruwell said. “For them to recognize and reward our unsung heroes in the industry means the world to these very hard working and deserving individuals. Every detail that I witnessed, from start to finish has been superb!