Horse Racing Hall of Fame Jockey Pat Day was the featured speaker at the First Annual Men’s Recovery Conference on the campus of Dismas Charities St. Ann Substance Abuse Program (SAP). The two-day Harvesting Hope-themed event, included workshops, panel discussions, family events and sessions on Relapse Prevention, Recovery Tools, Coping with Change, and Forgiveness. According to St. Ann Director Mark Meredith, who invited Day to the conference, the world-famous jockey had a choice to carry the Wanamaker Trophy during a news conference to announce that the PGA Championship was returning to Louisville or speak at St. Ann. He honored his word and stated: “I can either carry the trophy or the message.” Day won the Kentucky Derby in 1992 aboard Lil E. Tee, one of his nine winning individual Triple Crown mounts. He has won the Preakness five times and the Belmont Stakes three times and is the top money winning jockey in Breeders Cup history. According to his website, the flagrant excess of fame and fortune threatened his personal life and reputation on and off the track. He did some personal soul searching and decided to retire and devote himself to his spiritual calling. On August 3, 2005 he traded in his tack for a new position as industry representative and ambassador for the Racetrack Chaplaincy. He now divides his time with his family and home near Louisville and spreading the Gospel at tracks, colleges and churches worldwide.
