Horse racing is a cornerstone of Kentucky’s culture, boasting “the most exciting two minutes in sports” with the Kentucky Derby and “the horse capital of the world” in Lexington. It’s also an economic behemoth, generating billions of dollars in the Bluegrass State each year.

But amid a recent uptick in federal immigration raids under President Donald Trump, concerns about the industry’s specialized workforce are growing.

In June, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrested more than 80 backstretch workers at Louisiana’s Delta Downs racetrack. Of those arrested, only four had prior criminal records.

“There are trainers that are calling us saying, ‘We saw what happened in Louisiana. We want to make sure that we can ensure that we're going to have a workforce,’” said Will Ve

See Full Page