Those who work and live around Nery Delcid, an assistant worker for coach Dale Romans at Churchill Downs, believe he likely saved lives and horses when he acted quickly to quell the mobs. Fire broke out one night in the warehouse.
When receiving the White Horse Chaplaincy of America Racetrack Award on November 1 at Keeneland, Delcid thanked God for putting him in a position to act. The award celebrates heroism directly on behalf of humans or horses of individuals in the Thoroughbred industry.
Romans notes that Delcid started working for him about three years ago and has always been someone who doesn’t just work for a day without stopping thinking about the people and the horses he works with.
In a video shown at the ceremony, Delcid said one night he saw a woman with a lighter at the warehouse. He said when he went to investigate, he discovered that she had started a fire in a stall and the fire was halfway up the wall. Delcid said his first thought was about the people sleeping in the barn that night and then about the horses. For a split second he imagined the possibility of losing his life.
Then Delcid decided to act. He called 911 and contacted track security, then dashed to a nearby faucet and filled a bucket with water. He ran back to the stall to put out the fire. His quick action eliminated the danger.
During a video presentation, Romans said he was told by his mother that he first visited that barn at 9 months old – as the son of trainer Jerry Romans. The Romans said that losing that barn was like losing a home.
Jockey Club’s Shannon Kelly Honored
Also on Tuesday, Jockey Club chief executive and secretary Shannon Kelly was honored with the RTCA’s Community Award. Humberto Chavez, chaplain for the New York RTCA, notes that besides ensuring that Safety Net funds are used to help people, Kelly is a practitioner who can be spotted preparing meals and support everyone.
Shannon Kelly of The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation receives a community award from RTCA executive Dan Waits Photo by Skip Dickstein
“I really didn’t expect this,” Kelly said at dinner Tuesday. “This doesn’t happen often, but I’m really speechless.”
Kelly said she is especially proud of TJC Safety Net’s support during the early years of COVID-19. Those were difficult times, she noted, but they brought people and organizations together to support those in need.
The awards are part of America’s Night of Faith, Hope, and Love Race Chaplain ahead of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships on November 4 and 5 in Keeneland. Several hundred people attended the celebration that included prayer, music and an interview with Oscar Tshiebwe of the University of Kentucky all-American basketball, who spoke about his faith and basketball with RTCA president Elliott Walden — president, CEO and racing director of WinStar Farm.
