WASHINGTON — Final Gambit didn’t take home the garland of roses in this year’s Kentucky Derby, but finished fourth in the field.
Blane Servis, who helped Brad Cox train the horse at Turfway Park, was among those cheering him on.
“I got to be a part of his ascent and his rise and a little part of his journey, which was amazing to see,” Servis said.
Servis, who is in recovery from about two decades of addiction, got the opportunity through the Kentucky nonprofit, Stable Recovery.
The transitional living program helps men early in recovery find jobs at Kentucky’s major horse farms.
“They’re starting to build this trust, first with that animal and then in turn, it helps with their peers and stuff like that,” said CEO and co-founder Christian Countzler. “Horses put people back together.”
Horse racing was already part of Servis’ family history; his father John trained Smarty Jones, the 2004 Derby winner.
Stable Recovery saved his life and set him up for a future in the sport, said Servis, who is now a graduate of the program.
“To be at the point now where I have an opportunity to work for Brad Cox, to continue toward wanting to eventually train and just having this opportunity to work with these kind of animals, with this kind of trainer, with this kind of team is incredible,” Servis said. “Being able to give hope to other guys is the most important thing.”
Countzler said another graduate, Will Walden, trained Bless the Broken, the filly that placed third in this year’s Kentucky Oaks.
“I think we were cheering louder than the person who won the actual race,” recalled Countzler. “We were so excited. This entire thing has just been an incredible ride … it’s the support we’ve received from the horse industry.”
Stable Recovery has four houses caring for nearly 50 men with another house coming this summer at Keeneland, said Countzler.
