Ellis Park hires Barajas as track super; Thompson to stay on for 70th season

Ellis Park news release

HENDERSON, KY. (Friday, Feb. 27, 2020) — Javier Barajas, who has tended to horse tracks and courses around the globe, is Ellis Park’s new track superintendent. Glenn Thompson, a veteran of almost 70 years maintaining the track, helped Ellis Park become one of the safest racetracks in the country and will continue to work with Barajas, Ellis management announced.

“We now have two of the best and most-respected track superintendents in the world working at Ellis Park,” said Jeff Hall, Ellis Park’s Director of Racing Operations. “While Javier and Glenn have very different backgrounds, they share fierce determination to do what is best for the horse as far as surfaces over which they race and train.”

Barajas has been in the business of racetrack maintenance for 43 years, including as Keeneland’s track superintendent for five years before leaving in 2019 and building his consulting business. He was 13 years old and already a veteran hot-walker when he got his first job on a track crew, working for his dad, Arlington Park’s turf-course foreman. Barajas went on to work at Sam Houston Race Park in Houston, Fair Grounds in New Orleans, Minnesota’s Canterbury Park, and Golden Gate Fields in northern California, as well as in Dubai, China, Chile and Peru.

A former track superintendent for the Dubai Racing Club’s opulent Meydan Racecourse, Barajas will work year-round for Ellis Park while also continuing his consulting business, including a project to build dirt tracks in Turkey. He comes aboard as Ellis Park embarks on construction to widen its mile turf course and install lights that will allow for races to be held into the evening.

Said Ken Mimmick, Head of Project Development for Ellis Entertainment LLC: “Javier could have gone anywhere, and his hiring shows the commitment by Ellis Park’s new ownership to the safety of all our participants, horses or human.”

Barajas acknowledged that he had offers from other leading racetracks but believes Ellis Park is the best fit for his goal of nurturing a new generation of track superintendents.

“We have a big shortage of track superintendents,” he said. “I’ve gotten seven or eight calls from different racetracks in a month saying they need somebody. I think with my career now I need to focus on the future. I’m really happy Glenn is staying on, because I get to learn from one of the best. You never stop learning. I’ve been in the business 43 years, but learning from somebody who has that feel, who has everything in his head — instead of having data, he has it in his brain — hopefully he’ll share it with me and I’ll still learn more to give it to somebody else.”

Thompson, 84, was honored by Ellis Park at the end of the 2019 race meet for his 69 years working at the track, the vast majority as track superintendent. After spending his first meet selling lemonade at age 15, Thompson joined Ellis’ track maintenance crew as soon as he could legally drive a tractor.

“Glenn wanted to work at least a 70th year for us, but he also wanted to cut back on those 16- and sometimes 20-hour days during the racing season,” said racing secretary Dan Bork. “It’s very difficult to replace an institution who has meant so much to Ellis and our horses as Glenn. We’re extremely fortunate that Javier was available. He brings as extensive a resume as any track superintendent and has taken care of tracks in all kinds of climates, weather challenges and terrains.

“Javier proudly considers himself ‘old school,’ but he’s also well-versed in the using technology to supplement the art of being a trackman. Of course, no one knows Ellis Park’s dirt track, turf course and the barn area like Glenn. He’ll be an incredible resource for Javier. For us, it’s win-win.”