When Rasi Harper first heard tales of Saratoga Race Course from the trainers and jockeys who sat in his barber chair, it wasn’t the thrill of the races, the stakes of the bets or the social lives of horse racing’s elite that drew him in. It was the community of backstretch workers that makes all that other stuff possible.
“It was just their dedication to the animals—to a job that most people don’t want to do,” Harper says. “These people wake up every day at 3 in the morning and get it done.”
Harper was so inspired by the backstretch workers that, with no prior videography experience, he launched The Real Players Inside the Backstretch, a media company that shares the stories of the individuals who care for horses at Saratoga and beyond. The Real Players’ social media platforms currently boast more than 400,000 followers.
Through this work, Harper has seen first-hand the struggles many of the backstretch workers face—from injuries and illness to navigating confusing insurance policies and tax forms. He’s also seen first-hand the impact the Backstretch Employee Service Team (BEST) has on this community, from treating patients at its primary healthcare clinic and offering onsite counseling to translation and transportation services. BEST also hosts weekly dinners, bingo nights and other community events.
“BEST is boots on the ground,” Harper says. “They’ve known some of these guys since they were five years old, and now they’re grooming horses. It’s a real community.”
Harper is one of 10 honorees featured in the holiday issues of Saratoga Living and Capital Region Living. Join him and nine others at our 6th annual Capital Region Gives Back event, returning to Putnam Place at 6pm on December 11.