From PBS Voices.
Behind the glitz of the Kentucky Derby, there’s a hidden world few ever see: the “backside” of Churchill Downs, where immigrant grooms work tirelessly year-round to care for some of the most valuable racehorses in the world. Rising before dawn and laboring long hours, they feed, groom, exercise, and monitor horses whose value can reach hundreds of thousands of dollars.
BACKSIDE: The Unseen Hands of Horse Racing reveals the human stories behind this elite American sport, exploring how race, labor, and class shape an industry built on spectacle and precision. While fans cheer in the grandstands, these workers face low pay, grueling schedules, and little recognition—yet their dedication is essential to every race, every win, and every Derby dream.
This is more than a behind-the-scenes look at horse racing—it’s a tribute to perseverance, pride, and community. BACKSIDE honors the hands that groom, care for, and prepare these horses for glory, reminding viewers that every race is powered by people whose stories are rarely told.
Watch, witness, and honor the unseen hands that make the spectacle of horse racing possible.
CHAPTERS
00:15 — Before Dawn at Churchill Downs: A 2 A.M. Start
06:00 — Raised Among Horses: A Life on the Backside
08:00 — Tedious Tending: Daily Routines Behind the Scenes
11:00 — Preparing the Horses for Race Day
13:40 — The Unspoken Bond Between Groomers and Their Horses
15:15 — The Changing Trade and Generations of Groomers
16:53 — Rain or Shine: The Work Never Stops
19:40 — High Stakes Ownership: Inside Six-Figure Horses
23:10 — Immigrant Groomers Navigating the Industry
25:48 — For the Love of the Horse
28:13 — And They’re Off to the Races
30:51 — “They’re Not Just Horses, They’re My Coworkers”
32:48 — The Hidden World of The Derby’s Backside Revealed
41:41 — From $100K Bets to Millions
46:40 — Another Day’s Work: Life Beyond the Spotlight
52:12 — After the Finish Line: The Derby Winds Down
53:53 — Credits
~~~
ABOUT INDEPENDENT LENS
@independentlens is an Emmy® Award-winning PBS documentary series. With founding executive producer Lois Vossen, the series has been honored with 10 Academy Award nominations and features documentaries united by the creative freedom, artistic achievement, and unflinching visions of independent filmmakers. Funding is provided by the Action Circle for Independent Lens with major funding from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Acton Family Giving, Ford Foundation, and Jonathan Logan Family Foundation, with additional support from Artemis Rising Foundation, Wyncote Foundation, Park Foundation, the deNovo Initiative, and RandomGood Foundation. Additional support has been provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
FOLLOW INDEPENDENT LENS:
Independent Lens: https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/independentlens
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@independentlens
X: https://twitter.com/IndependentLens
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/independentlens
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnDUknWztWaLs7motsqGwPg?sub_confirmation=1
Keep up with PBS Digital Studios:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pbsds
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@pbsdigitalstudios
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PBSDigitalStudios/
*This program is made possible by viewers like you. Support your local PBS station: https://www.pbs.org/donate
