EDITOR'S NOTE: A successful live race meet at Oaklawn Park depends on hundreds of employees working a variety of jobs, from making sure the horses are ready to run to ensuring that customers have a memorable day at the races. The Sentinel-Record today continues its weekly series spotlighting the workers who make Oaklawn a success.
Behind every top-winning jockey is an agent keeping track of their schedules and getting them the best possible mounts for each race. Jerry Hissam has been in the business for 46 years and said he wouldn't trade the 7-days a week schedule for anything.
"I started as an official at Waterford Park -- now Mountaineer Race Track -- and was an entry clerk, a paddock judge and patrol judge," Hissam said. "I came to Hot Springs in 1968 and since then have only missed two and a half meets here."
Hissam has represented jockey Calvin Borel since 1991 and prior to that he worked with Sam Maple, Larry Snyder and David Whited. Borel is best known for reaching the heights of racing prestige with Kentucky Derby wins on Street Sense in 2007, Mine That Bird in 2009 and Super Saver in 2010, and having gained the stardom in the industry it's Hissam's job to not only continue to get him the best mounts, but keep track of his everyday schedule and special appearances.
"Winning the Kentucky Derby changes your life, and the second time is even worse and the third, and so on," Hissam said. "But it's quite a thrill and Calvin is a Hall of Famer with over 5,000 wins. You've got Jay Leno calling you and David Letterman. And my favorite story to tell is after the 2007 Derby, Amy Zantzinger called me and asked if we could come to the White House for a white tie dinner. I thought it was a joke."
Hissam said after sarcastically asking if the White House would "be sending a private jet after Calvin" Zantzinger said she had been trying to get in touch with him since the previous night with no luck.
"So I called Calvin and told him he needed to get to D.C. and he said he couldn't because he was about to work some horses for his brother. But I told him he was asked to meet the Queen (Elizabeth II) and President (George W.) Bush and needed to get up there."
Borel is the only jockey in history to be invited to a state dinner at the White House.
"The funniest thing he ever told me, and I'll never forget it," Hissam said. "We were sitting in the truck and Calvin looks over and says 'All I ever wanted to do was win the Kentucky Derby.' I knew what he meant -- we never realized all that comes with that.
"But I think Bill Casner said it best that 'Everyone wants to stand (in the winners circle) but when you realize you've done it, it's unreal.'"
Hissam starts his days waking up at 5 or 5:30 a.m., and begins contacting clients and visiting different barns along the backstretch to find horses for Borel to ride.
"Pretty much, it's our job to keep their lives straight," he said. "And do they get mad? Yeah, but they know that you understand the business and the time it takes to make those connections."
Hissam, who has made Hot Springs his home, spends his time here through the end of the live race meet at Oaklawn, leaving in April for Kentucky.
"I'm usually in Kentucky through the Monday before Thanksgiving," he said, adding that his wife often comes to visit him. "I've been married 40 years and I've been home 10 of them I feel like."
Hissam said managing Borel's appearances and press is all in order for the two to give back to the industry that has done so much for them.
"The autographs and interviews, and being happy to do all of that, is all just his way and our way of giving back to racing," he said. "It's not to help us out. It's to help out racing. It's why I'm involved as the president of the chaplaincy here at Oaklawn and why Calvin is so nice to everyone when he makes appearances.
"It's a fabulous career I've been blessed to have and it doesn't come without its rejection and disappointments. But none of us would be in this if it weren't for a love of the game."
Local on 03/27/2015