On Saturday morning, I participated in a 5k. Another member of the Louisville Backyard Crashers crew had signed up on Friday for the Saratoga 5k (Satin and Silks 5k I think it was called?). Given I run about 4 miles nearly single every day, I signed up a bit reluctantly as I have not raced in well over a decade as I'm on surgery number 3 on my knee.

I went out there that morning and competed and I gave it my best. I was beyond happy with my time. I was sub 7 minute pace off a 12 year layoff. After the race, I see Ramon Dominguez who now uses such competitions to focus his desire to compete. Articles are out there if interested in his feats running. I started up a conversation with him along with my fellow runner from our group and the gal in the Saratoga Live video.

Ramon was beyond accommodating to me as I asked him several questions. A few items he shared that are worth re-stating.

1. He told me while Irad and Prat tied his record of 6 wins in a day at Saratoga, he wanted to note that he did it TWICE at Saratoga. He also shared that he did it TWICE in the SAME Meet! I looked it up. True. 2012.

2. I asked him about being "in the zone" like that. What he described sounded remarkable and I hope I don't mis-state what he said but this is close. He said 4 or 5 times in his life he was in such a zone that a certain CLARITY came over him that he could see things on race day and before races like no other times. Specifically, he said he could see exactly what was going to happen before it happened and then it played out EXACTLY how he knew beforehand. He emphasized again that only happened maybe 4 times in his career. It was as if he brought Maslow's hierarchy of needs to life and described SELF ACTUALIZATION in one of the most concrete examples I've ever heard. Those are my words not his but it is exactly what I was thinking as he described this. He had one story about timing out a win for a Howard Wolfendale horse as part of being In the Zone that I wish I could have asked about some more.

3. He told me about a specific day in his career. He said it was the day before one of his 6 baggers at the Spa. He said they carded a race for HIM early in the card and it was a stakes race. He said he won the stakes for Weaver and then he left and went to Delaware. He won a race there. And then continued on to Colonial and rode a race there (not sure if he won). I found this article confirming his account. Then returned to Sar at midnight and went out on Sunday and won SIX!!

https://www.drf.com/news/saratoga-dominguez-ties-record-six-win-day

Remarkable.

4. He also told me he is doing something that has not received much press. My understanding is he is involved in a program with NYRA that also includes Bluegrass Community College in Lex with helping folks (riders, exercise riders?) obtain help and with learning skills to find other careers such as the trades and other assistance as well. I noted I had not heard about this and he said there was only one press release he knew about part of it. That aside, his telling me this was not about him as much about his giving back.

I found out during the medal ceremony, I was in the same age category as him for the 5k and he was 3rd in our division running in the 17's (17 minutes I mean). Meanwhile I was FOUR MINUTES behind him at sub 7 minute per mile pace. He was at sub 6 minute mile pace. LOLOL HE destroyed me! Suffice it to say except for the high school stars there, we were in the toughest age bracket I'm guessing. He even took a photo with me before we left.

I was told when I bought a book at the Hall of Fame gift shop later that morning that Ramon has been a guest to provide tours of the Hall. A photo of him right in the glass below the cashier's box is what sparked the conversation.

Last, I'll note he told me for a long while he couldn't go to the track at all b/c it bothered him so much to not to be able to compete. But he has overcome that and was going with family that was in town to the races on that day. I'm surprised no one has written a book about him as he would be a terrific subject and a great person to work with in recounting his stories.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/08/2026 09:39PM by Fairmount1.