OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – Horsemen’s Park is holding another weekend of races, beginning today. The track held its first race since 2021 last week, with additional events scheduled for the coming weeks.
Although a day at the racetrack can be enjoyable for anyone, for a local family, it has turned into their way of life.
“What career do you aspire to have as you grow older?” From a young age, Armando Martinez knew he wanted to become a jockey.
“I entered the library and spotted a book about sports. As I started looking through it, I saw a picture of a jockey riding a horse, which made me really excited because that’s what I want to do—ride horses,” Armando said.
While residing in California, Armando encountered John Shirreffs, a prominent trainer in the United States. At the time, the 14-year-old was too young to be employed at the local racetrack, so John took him under his guidance.
“Two years later, I went to the racetrack with him and met one of the top trainers…he recently passed away…and I gained a lot from him,” he said, struggling to hold back tears.
Armando traveled around looking for improved chances in horse racing. His search brought him to Lincoln, Nebraska.
That occurred in 1986. I was riding, not many horses, and that’s when I met my lovely wife, Kelli Martinez.
Kelli’s family was also involved in horse racing. Her parents bred and sold horses at Aksarben prior to the track’s closure in the mid-1990s.
She and Armando had a love for horses, a passion that they did not share with their children.
“My son, my daughter, and now my daughter-in-law, all the children — I mean, I have four grandchildren, three of whom are under the age of three, and they’ve all already ridden horses. So, it’s part of their heritage,” Kelli explained.
Armando competed as a jockey for more than 35 years before stepping away from the sport; he was among the most experienced in the Nebraska racing scene. Throughout his career, he achieved over 2,200 victories, competing across various locations throughout the United States.
