Grooms are the unsung heroes of horse racing. They care for horses each day, often starting well before the sun rises and working into the evenings.
Each Wednesday the Minnesota Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Agency, the organization that represents trainers, grooms and owners, honors a groom in a winner’s circle presentation.
Jose Zapata is the Minnesota HBPA Groom of the week.
He works for trainer Gary Scherer.
Jose has been with the Scherer racing family since 1999. He first worked for Richie Scherer and accompanied Gary, who was running Richie’s barn, to Canterbury in ’99. That summer the Scherer barn had stakes winner Blitz Joi and the reliable Up the Sandcreek.
Jose has been to racetracks all around middle America including Arlington, Hawthorne, Fair Grounds and Canterbury Park.
Gary says that having Jose in the shedrow is like having another trainer in the barn. Jose is extremely knowledgeable about horses and has an intuitive sense with them. Jose has had the trust of the Scherer family for two decades.
Congratulations to Jose Zapata, Minnesota HBPA Groom of the Week!
