Among Champions

What keeps a jockey coming back after 6,400 wins, broken ribs, punctured lungs, and years of being told he wasn’t built for the sport?

Hall of Fame jockey and three-time Eclipse Award winner Ramón Domínguez sits down with DeShawn Parker to explore the mindset behind more than 6,400 career wins. From growing up around racing with Daryl Parker to returning from major injuries and becoming the winningest African American jockey in the sport, DeShawn’s career reflects resilience, discipline, and longevity.

This episode of the Among Champions podcast explores the elite athlete mindset behind staying focused, adapting under pressure, and enduring doubt.

🎙️ HOST & GUEST

Host: Ramón Domínguez - Hall of Fame jockey, three-time Eclipse Award winner, and host of Among Champions.

Guest: Deshawn L. Parker - veteran jockey with more than 6,400 career wins and the winningest African American jockey in the sport. DeShawn discusses injury recovery, weight management, representation, mentoring younger riders, and a future interest in stewarding.

💡 WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

• Turn criticism into motivation without letting it define your limits.

• Manage weight more consistently for greater long-term stability.

• Study experienced riders to sharpen technique and decision-making.

• Reconnect with competition to rebuild confidence after injury.

• Use mentors and trusted voices to stay focused under pressure.

❓ KEY QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Q: Who is the winningest African American jockey in horse racing?

A: DeShawn Parker holds that distinction and has recorded more than 6,400 career wins.

Q: How can jockeys manage weight over a long career?

A: Keeping weight relatively consistent can reduce the repeated strain of large gains and cuts.

Q: What helps an athlete return after a serious injury?

A: Physical recovery matters, but reconnecting with competition and the reason for competing can help rebuild motivation.

Q: How should young jockeys respond to criticism?

A: Learn from useful feedback, study successful riders, keep improving, and avoid letting outside doubt set the ceiling.

⏱️ CHAPTERS

(00:00) - Intro

(00:55) - Growing Up in Racing

(01:54) - Daryl Parker’s Influence

(04:20) - Reaching 6,000 Wins

(07:02) - A Difficult Career Start

(09:03) - Weight as a 5'10" Jockey

(12:45) - Returning From Injury

(16:29) - A Historic Racing Legacy

(17:40) - Representation in Racing

(20:55) - Becoming a Steward

(23:39) - Proving Critics Wrong

(26:28) - Social Media & Mindset

🎧 Connect with DeShawn Parker:

📸 Instagram → https://instagram.com/jockdeshawn/

🎧 Connect Ramón Domínguez:

📘 Facebook → https://facebook.com/RamonDominguez24/

📸 Instagram → https://instagram.com/ramon_dominguez1976/

💼 Email → [email protected]

⭐ Produced by Icons of Real Estate - https://iconsofrealestate.com/

#AmongChampions #RamonDominguez #HallOfFameJockey #MindsetMatters #Resilience #HorseRacing #ReinventionStory #HighPerformance #EclipseAward #ChampionMindset

🚀 He met his wife in a bar, got sober with her, and built a $20M painting company on the belief that it was never really his to own. 

Ramon Dominguez, a Hall of Fame jockey enshrined in the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame, hosts Among Champions to spotlight the resilience, reinvention, and mindset behind greatness. This episode is no exception; it just trades the racetrack for a paint crew. 

Brad Ghaster started painting a fence as a teenager and swore he'd never do it again. 51 years later, he's still doing it; just at a very different scale, and for very different reasons. 

🎧 Hosted by: Ramon Dominguez

👤 Guest:Brad Ghaster is the founder and president of Gastra Painting and Coatings, an Arizona-based commercial painting company he's built over 51 years into a business generating close to $20 million a year with roughly 80 painters on staff. 

💡 Key Topics Covered:

✔️Why he calls it "stewardship," not ownership, and how that mindset shift changed everything 

✔️The exact $25,000-a-month bet he made during COVID and why it paid off 

✔️How getting sober together became the foundation of his marriage and his business

✔️Why he keeps every painter in-house instead of subcontracting, even when it's the harder path

✔️The $2,000 check that turned a job into a lifelong passion

✔️How to build a company culture that outlasts the founder

✔️Why real accountability not motivation is what actually gets you sober and keeps you there 

🎵 Whether you're an investor, agent, or homebuyer, this episode offers valuable insights!

🎧Connect with Brad Ghaster:

🌐 Website → https://www.ghasterpaintinginc.com/

🌐 LinkedIn  → https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-ghaster-8601b39/

📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/ghasterpaintingandcoatings/

💼Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/ghasterpainting/

🎧 Follow Ramon Dominguez:

👻 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/RamonDominguez24/

📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/ramon_dominguez1976/

💼 Email → [email protected]

📌 Don’t Forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 Below!⭐ Produced by Icons of Real Estate - https://iconsofrealestate.com/

#AmongChampions #RamonDominguez #HallOfFameJockey #MindsetMatters #Resilience #HorseRacing #ReinventionStory #HighPerformance #EclipseAward #ChampionMindset

🚀 At 21 years old, professional soccer player Simon Keith was told his heart was irreparably damaged and he had only months to live. He got a heart transplant, made a full recovery, and became the first athlete in history to play professional sports after a heart transplant — a comeback story he calls "halftime," not the end of the game.

Host Ramon Dominguez, a retired professional jockey who rode in over 21,000 races, sits down with Simon for a conversation about resilience, discipline, and legacy — from growing up the "runt of the litter" in a soccer family, to playing pro soccer with no nerve connection between his transplanted heart and his brain, to founding a foundation that's raised over $10 million for transplant kids.

🎧 Hosted by: Ramon Dominguez

👤 Guest:🏡 Simon Keith – The First Transplanted Professional Athlete, Entrepreneur & Keynote Speaker 

💡 Key Topics Covered:

✔️How Simon turned a "you have months to live" diagnosis into the drive for one of sports' most improbable comebacks

✔️Why he calls surviving his heart transplant "halftime," not the finish line

✔️The mindset shift from relying on motivation to building systemized discipline

✔️How he adapted his game with no nerve connection between his transplanted heart and his brain

✔️Why believing in the "power of stupid" can help you push past odds that would stop most people

✔️The moment that turned him from a self-focused athlete into the founder of a foundation that's helped thousands of transplant kids

✔️What surviving two heart transplants and a kidney transplant, 32 years apart, taught him about longevity and gratitude

✔️ His one message for living life to the fullest and not taking anything for granted

🎵 Whether you're an investor, agent, or homebuyer, this episode offers valuable insights!

🎧Connect with Simon Keith:

🌐 Website → https://thesimonkeithfoundation.com/

🌐 LinkedIn  → https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-keith-c-m-89567340

📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/skeith1234/

💼Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/TheSimonKeithFoundation/

🎧 Follow Ramon Dominguez:

👻 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/RamonDominguez24/

📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/ramon_dominguez1976/

💼 Email → [email protected]

📌 Don’t Forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 Below!

⭐ Produced by Icons of Real Estate - https://iconsofrealestate.com/

🚀 Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith shares the mindset, discipline, and experiences behind one of the greatest careers in horse racing history. From riding legendary champions like Justify, Zenyatta, and Arrogate to overcoming injuries and staying competitive for over four decades, Mike reveals the habits, lessons, and passion that continue to drive his success.

🎧 Hosted by: Ramon Dominguez

👤 Guest:🏡 Mike Smith – Hall of Fame Thoroughbred Jockey

💡 Key Topics Covered:

✔️ Building a Hall of Fame career through discipline

✔️ The importance of fitness and recovery

✔️ Stories behind racing legendary horses

✔️ Lessons from decades of elite competition

✔️ Advice for aspiring jockeys and athletes

🎵 Whether you're an investor, agent, or homebuyer, this episode offers valuable insights!

💼 Connect with Mike Smith:

🌐 Website → American Best Racing: https://www.americasbestracing.net/jockeys/mike-e-smith

🌐 Website → Racing Museum:

https://www.racingmuseum.org/hall-of-fame/jockey/mike-e-smith

👻 X → https://x.com/mikeesmith10

🎧 Follow Ramon Dominguez:

👻 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/RamonDominguez24/

📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/ramon_dominguez1976/

💼 Email → [email protected]

📌 Don’t Forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 Below!

⭐ Produced by Icons of Real Estate - https://iconsofrealestate.com/

🚀 Hall of Fame jockey Angel Cordero Jr. shares the incredible story behind his legendary career, from humble beginnings in Puerto Rico to becoming a three-time Kentucky Derby winner. Discover how resilience, discipline, race strategy, and an unwavering competitive spirit helped him overcome adversity and inspire generations of jockeys.

🎧 Hosted by: Ramon Dominguez

👤 Guest:

Angel Cordero Jr. – Hall of Fame Jockey & Three-Time Kentucky Derby Winner

💡 Key Topics Covered:

✔️ Angel Cordero Jr.'s remarkable journey to the Hall of Fame

✔️ Overcoming adversity and building championship resilience

✔️ Race strategy and the psychology of winning

✔️ How horse racing has evolved over the decades

✔️ Timeless advice for aspiring jockeys and athletes

🎵 Whether you're an investor, agent, or homebuyer, this episode offers valuable insights!

💼 Connect with Angel Cordero Jr.:

👻 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/JockeyAngelCorderoJr/

🎧 Follow Ramon Dominguez:

👻 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/RamonDominguez24/

📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/ramon_dominguez1976/

💼 Email → [email protected]

📌 Don’t Forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 Below!

⭐ Produced by Icons of Real Estate - https://iconsofrealestate.com/

🚀 Triple Crown-winning jockey Jeremy Rose joins host Ramon Dominguez, alongside his mother Cindy Robinson, for one of the most honest conversations ever shared about horse racing, addiction, and redemption. Jeremy reflects on his unforgettable victories aboard Fleet Alex, the life-changing 2005 Preakness and Belmont Stakes, the devastating opioid addiction that followed career-ending injuries, and the long road back to sobriety. Cindy shares the emotional journey of supporting her son through recovery, making this an inspiring episode about resilience, family, and overcoming life's toughest battles.

🎧 Hosted by: Ramon Dominguez

👤 Guest:🏡 Jeremy Rose – Triple Crown-Winning Jockey & Horse Racing Champion

💡 Key Topics Covered:

✔️ Jeremy Rose's path to becoming a championship jockey

✔️ Behind the scenes of Fleet Alex's historic Triple Crown campaign

✔️ The hidden dangers of opioid addiction in professional sports

✔️ How family support helped Jeremy achieve lasting sobriety

✔️ Finding purpose and fulfillment after life-changing adversity

🎵 Whether you're an investor, agent, or homebuyer, this episode offers valuable insights!

💼 Connect with Jeremy Rose:

🌐 Website → [email protected]

🎧 Follow Ramon Dominguez:

👻 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/RamonDominguez24/

📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/ramon_dominguez1976/

💼 Email → [email protected]

📌 Don’t Forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 Below!

⭐ Produced by Icons of Real Estate - https://iconsofrealestate.com/

🚀 In this inspiring episode of Among Champions, host Ramon Dominguez sits down with legendary explorer Peter Hillary, son of Sir Edmund Hillary, to discuss growing up in one of history's most iconic families, climbing Mount Everest twice, the mental strength required to conquer the world's highest peaks, and why true success is ultimately measured by the impact we leave on others. Peter also shares powerful leadership lessons, the importance of curiosity, and how continuing his father's humanitarian legacy through the Himalayan Trust has become his life's greatest purpose.

🎧 Hosted by: Ramon Dominguez

👤 Guest:🏡 Peter Hillary – Explorer, Mountaineer, Author & Humanitarian

💡 Key Topics Covered:

✔️ Growing up with Sir Edmund Hillary

✔️ The mindset required to climb Mount Everest

✔️ Why fear improves performance

✔️ The importance of curiosity and lifelong exploration

✔️ Building a legacy through service and giving back

🎵 Whether you're an investor, agent, entrepreneur, athlete, or simply pursuing a bigger dream, this episode offers valuable insights!

💼 Connect with Peter Hillary:

🌐 Website → https://www.peterhillary.com/

🎧 Follow Ramon Dominguez:

👻 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/RamonDominguez24/

📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/ramon_dominguez1976/

💼 Email → [email protected]

📌 Don’t Forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 Below!

⭐ Produced by Icons of Real Estate - https://iconsofrealestate.com/

🚀 How horse racing is being transformed through fractional ownership, making the “sport of kings” accessible to everyday fans. Michael Behrens shares how MyRacehorse was built, the challenges of launching it, and how ownership is changing the fan experience worldwide.

🎧 Hosted by: Ramon Dominguez

👤 Guest:🏡 Michael Behrens – CEO & Founder of MyRacehorse
💡 Key Topics Covered:

✔️ The concept of fractional horse ownership

✔️ Building MyRacehorse from idea to execution

✔️ Overcoming skepticism in a traditional industry

✔️ Lessons from scaling consumer brands

✔️ How ownership deepens fan connection to racing

🎵 Whether you're an investor, racing fan, or entrepreneur, this episode offers insights into innovation, ownership, and the future of sports engagement.

💼 Connect with Michael Behrens:

🌐 Website → https://myracehorse.com/

🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelbehrens

🎧 Follow Ramon Dominguez:

👻 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/RamonDominguez24/

📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/ramon_dominguez1976/

💼 Email → [email protected]

📌 Don’t Forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 Below!

⭐ Produced by Icons of Real Estate - https://iconsofrealestate.com/

🚀 In this powerful episode of Among Champions, host Ramon Dominguez sits down with Frank Taylor, co-founder of Stable Recovery, and former champion jockey Herbie Castillo Jr. Together, they share an inspiring conversation about addiction, recovery, faith, purpose, and the healing power of horses. Frank discusses how his own recovery journey led to the creation of Stable Recovery, a groundbreaking program that combines horsemanship, the 12 Steps, and community support to help individuals rebuild their lives. Herbie openly shares his personal struggles with alcoholism, his path to sobriety, and how Stable Recovery gave him a renewed sense of purpose. This heartfelt discussion explores resilience, redemption, and the incredible impact of helping others.

🎧 Hosted by: Ramon Dominguez

👤 Guest:🏡 Frank Taylor – Co-Founder of Stable Recovery

🏡 Herbie Castillo Jr. – Former Champion Jockey & Stable Recovery Mentor

💡 Key Topics Covered:

✔️ The creation and mission of Stable Recovery

✔️ Herbie Castillo Jr.'s personal recovery journey

✔️ The healing connection between horses and people

✔️ Faith, humility, and the power of the 12 Steps

✔️ Building purpose, discipline, and community in recovery

🎵 Whether you're an investor, agent, or homebuyer, this episode offers valuable insights!

💼 Connect with Frank Taylor:

🌐 Website → https://www.stablerecovery.net/

🎧 Follow Ramon Dominguez:

👻 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/RamonDominguez24/

📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/ramon_dominguez1976/

💼 Email → [email protected]

📌 Don’t Forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 Below!

⭐ Produced by Icons of Real Estate - https://iconsofrealestate.com/

🚀 In this heart-warming episode of Among Champions, host Ramon Dominguez sits down with Amanda Delgado to share the remarkable story of her rescue horse, Athena. What began as a heartbreaking rescue mission transformed into an extraordinary partnership built on trust, patience, and perseverance. Amanda recounts how Athena went from a neglected and fearful horse facing overwhelming odds to becoming a multiple World Champion and the first Western Dressage horse to earn USEF Horse of the Year honors. This powerful conversation explores resilience, belief, and the life-changing bond between horse and rider.

🎧 Hosted by: Ramon Dominguez

👤 Guest:🏡 Amanda Delgado – Professional Western Dressage Trainer, Judge, Coach & Owner of Olympus Equestrian

💡 Key Topics Covered:

✔️ Amanda’s background in horses and military service

✔️ Rescuing Athena from neglect and abuse

✔️ Building trust with a fearful rescue horse

✔️ Success in Western Dressage competition

✔️ Winning USEF Horse of the Year and future goals

🎵 Whether you're an investor, agent, or homebuyer, this episode offers valuable insights!

💼 Connect with Amanda Delgado:

🌐 Website → https://www.olympusequestrian.com/

👻 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/olympusequestriannc/

📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/olympusequestriannc/

🎧 Follow Ramon Dominguez:

👻 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/RamonDominguez24/

📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/ramon_dominguez1976/

💼 Email → [email protected]
📌 Don’t Forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 Below!

⭐ Produced by Icons of Real Estate - https://iconsofrealestate.com/