BY SARAH WELK BAYNUM

During his college years, Dr. John Rafalko had his sights set on a different sport—but a broken neck changed everything and set him on a path toward a lifelong passion for racehorses. 

“My grandfather used to take me, my sisters and my parents to the races at Finger Lakes and sometimes up to Saratoga. So, I was exposed to horse racing from a young age,” Rafalko said. “But when I got to college, I was focused on football—I was an athlete with big aspirations. Then I got injured, and that injury changed everything. I was going to Boston University at the time, and one day I walked across the street to Suffolk Downs. That’s where it all started. I spent the next decade on the backstretch, grooming horses. One career ended, but another, more lasting one, began.”

Now fully immersed in a career with racehorses, Rafalko understood that learning from the very best would lay the foundation for his future success as an owner. Along the way, he had the opportunity to work with some of the most influential racehorses and trainers of their era. 

“I traveled out to the West Coast and worked for trainer Rod Kaufman when he had Crimson Saint, a graded stakes winner and the future dam of the legendary Terlingua, who was trained by D. Wayne Lukas and would eventually foal Storm Cat,” Rafalko said. 

“At the time, a young assistant trainer named Victor ‘Lefty’ Nickerson had a turf horse called Big Spruce out west. His exercise rider was Richard Mandella. When Richard got his trainer’s license and began training for the Braugh Ranches, taking over from Kaufman, I became his first groom. I told myself I was going to learn from the best—and I made sure to put myself in those barns, with those trainers, owners and horses. That decision set me in motion, and now, over 50 years later, I’ve had the privilege of working with some of the greatest owners, stables, trainers and horses of the last century. The best horse I ever groomed was State Dinner, trained by Elliott Burch and owned by C. V. Whitney. At the same time, I groomed two black type fillies owned by A.G. Vanderbilt of Sagamore Farms, home of the legendary stallion Native Dancer.”

During his time as a groom, Rafalko says he’s collected countless stories and memories.

“Yankee Law, a filly owned by Thomas Bancroft, was looking sharp while training with Frank Whiteley. I bet big at 10-1 odds and she won easily—I was just a groom, but I walked around the barn like I owned her after that. The next morning, Whiteley, who was a man of few words, passed by a stall I was cleaning and quietly said, “Heard you cashed a nice bet on that filly.” I just smiled, and he did too. Some simple moments like that are stories that stick with you.” 

By blending his background in sports with the hands-on knowledge he gained as a groom on the track, Rafalko discovered a unique career path that brought together everything he’d learned—ultimately leading him to become a doctor. 

“The transition to human healthcare was unexpected but powerful. I started out as an athlete, but after breaking my neck, everything changed. While recovering, I found myself on the racetrack. That experience, combined with my background in sports and my own personal injury experience, gave me a unique edge when I later pursued a career in human medicine.

“And even as a P.A., a doctor, and later a professor, I never left the horses behind. What I learned on the track helped me in medicine. And what I learned in medicine, I brought back to the horses.”

Despite his career in human healthcare, Rafalko never lost his passion for racehorses, maintaining ownership of numerous runners and finding time to watch races whenever possible.

“When I was in Baltimore, I worked at St. Agnes Hospital for about 12 years. My office was located on the fifth floor, overlooking the racetrack. I kept a pair of binoculars and a radio at my desk—I’d listen to the calls and watch the races whenever I could. If I wasn’t performing surgery, I would be at the window with my binoculars, sneaking peeks at the horses,” Rafalko said. 

As of last year, Rafalko retired after a rewarding healthcare career spanning years, specializing in medical education leadership, during which he taught physician assistants and surgical clinicians at the university level. Today, Rafalko gets to focus his attention back on his first love—racehorses. 

“Now, I’ve transitioned my knowledge and experience from human medicine to equine veterinary care, applying it directly to my passion for racehorse ownership. Together with my racehorses business partner, Mary Reynolds, I co-manage Kinney K Stables, LLC—where we breed, raise and race Thoroughbreds in Florida. We currently have over a dozen horses under our care, with active daily involvement in managing foals, yearlings, 2-year-olds and older horses.

“Our horses are based at Samarah Farms and Cimarron Farms in Ocala, Florida. We race primarily at Tampa Bay Downs, Gulfstream Park and Colonial Downs with trainers Abraham and Ivan Garcia.”

“I genuinely love all the horses we own right now—from our two seasoned runners and promising 3-year-old filly to a 2-year-old colt and filly, six yearlings and three new foals. At one point, I didn’t realize I had 14 horses, but as Mary always says, ‘Horses are like potato chips—you can never have just one.’’

Although Rafalko traveled extensively during his career as a groom and doctor, he believes Florida is the ideal place to continue breeding, raising, and racing his horses. 

“Florida offers an incredible environment for raising and racing Thoroughbreds. With premier year-round racing venues and Ocala’s reputation as an equine hub, the mineral-rich pastures and ideal climate make it a perfect place to raise young horses.”

“My best memories are truly all the memories and stories that I have lived, not just as an owner, but also on the backstretch in every aspect of my equine career.  No job is too big or too small when it comes to the love of the racehorses. Now, I’m enjoying this next chapter—giving back to the sport I love and staying actively involved through ownership and as a proud member of the FTBOA.”

Return to the June 17 issue of Wire to Wire