BY A NOSE –
Nov. 5, 2024 – Thoroughbred owner and recovering alcoholic Gino Roncelli has led the Santa Anita-based program for more than 30 years. “I can tell you that Winners Foundation really makes a big difference in people’s lives.” It all began in 1984, when the late Lou Rowan, a California owner and breeder and a recovering alcoholic, convinced the Oak Tree Racing Association board to put a trailer in the stable area where 12-step meetings could be held to help alcoholics and addicts begin the process of recovery. He enlisted several other prominent horsemen, including Roncelli, to develop a service to help and heal those with these afflictions. Winners Foundation has been going strong ever since – 365 days a year, often 24 hours a day.
They often work directly with trainers, realizing that their workers may have jobs that are on the line due to addiction. “We try to do as much as we can to keep people in their jobs,” Roncelli explained. “A job is a huge part of a person’s identity, and when they clean up people see it and it makes a difference. We don’t give up on anybody.”
Everyone’s story is unique, and some take longer and experience more falls than others on the road to recovery, sometimes coming back over and over for years.
