Black is caretaker of year

Stephanie Black, a caretaker in the Alvin Miller stable, which races at Hoosier Park and Indiana Downs in Indiana, has been named the Caretaker of the Year by Harness Tracks of America and Hanover Shoe Farms, co-sponsors of the annual competition.



Black grew up in harness racing, and handles the duties of 10 people in a stable which maintains some 60 to 70 horses per year. She participates in the breaking of yearlings and the conditioning process, and the paddocking of horses on race night.



In her letter of nomination of Black, Tammy Knox wrote "Stephanie is not in a position to be a high-profile groom, but she is the type of groom that this business is built around--a dedicated, horse-loving professional." Knox also wrote that "Stephanie's horses always look perfect--and it is nothing for her and Alvin to race five or six horses a night, with just the two of them taking care of all the work necessary to get the horses raced."



An HTA-Hanover committee of present professionals and executives in the sport, all former grooms themselves, chose Black from this year's nominees. All nominees will receive handsome silk jackets and certificates of honor, and Black will receive an oil painting of herself and her favorite horse, painted by Harness Tracks of America's resident artist, James Ponter. (HTA)

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