Camac retiring from the racetrack

Charles W. Camac, the association steward at Calder Race Course since 1995,

is retiring. The venerable 72-year-old has spent many years working different

jobs at different racetracks. In addition to being a steward, he was also

Calder's starter for many years, this coming after his decades of work on

starting gate crews and as a patrol judge at venues from Florida to New Jersey

to his native Delaware.

Camac is a Calder original -- he has worked at the Miami Gardens, Florida,

track since before the first meet was held in 1971. His final day of employ will

be closing day of the current Tropical Meet (January 2, 2008), and he will be

honored in the Calder winner's circle on December 13.

The son of renowned trainer Charles M. Camac and nephew of trainer Joseph W.

Camac, "Charlie" got his start in his family's stables at a very early age.

"I've been going to the racetrack since I was three or four years old," Camac said recently between races in the Calder press box, just downstairs from

the stewards' stand. "As I got older, I learned to become a hot walker, a groom

and an exercise boy. I galloped my first horse when I was 13 years old for my

dad at Delaware Park. I'd get on horses before going to school in the morning.

Later on, around 16 years old, I spent summers on the starting gate crew. I had

thought about training for a while, but I really enjoyed schooling horses."

Camac got to work with some of the best that ever raced, teaching them how to behave around, stand in, and eventually break

out of the starting gate.

"I got the chance to OK Kelso as a three-year-old," he grinned while

recalling the eventual five-time Horse of the Year. "I schooled some of the best

in the country: Secretariat, Affirmed, Alydar, Seattle Slew....so many I can't

think of them all.

"I have been fortunate to be around the best horses, horsemen and jockeys in

the country," Camac added. "I shook hands with 'Sunny' Jim Fitzsimmons. That was

quite a thrill."

When Camac moved to the stewards' stand in 1995, it was with "mixed emotions"

because it took him away from his direct interaction with the horses and his

crew.

"I accepted the responsibilities of the job and have enjoyed my time as

steward," he said. "I also got to travel some, as I was the presiding steward at

the Caribbean Racing Confederation's Clásico

del Caribe for several years in the 1990s and also served as a consultant in

Japan."

After a rich and rewarding career, Camac will now have more time to spend

with his wife, Lisa, an equine therapist, and their six horses on their

seven-acre farm in Williston, Florida. But that doesn't mean slowing down for

Charlie.

"I'll help school some horses on the local farms," he said of his future

plans.

"I've been working 12 months a year a long time...I've always been into the

job."

Camac has two sons that work in the horse racing industry -- Andy Camac is

the stakes coordinator at Calder and Chris Camac is the assistant racing

secretary for the New York Racing Association.