our history

HOW IT STARTED

In 1998 Pam Eckert was an assistant trainer and pony rider who also was an exercise rider for the racehorses at the Santa Anita Racetrack. That is where she met Garrett Gomez who recently arrived as a new jockey on the scene. Through their passion about demonstrating the beautiful, elegant, and athleticism of these horses they fell in love. The two of them took their passion off the track starting Restin Farms. A facility for Layups and Rehabilitation of Thoroughbreds. Overtime, Pamela branched out from Restin Farms starting Rising Star Equestrian. This is where she had formulated a program to take the off the track Thoroughbreds into their second career.

PAM GOMEZ, FOUNDER

Pamela's passion for horses started at a very early age. Spending daily time in the saddle at five years old going to competitions in showjumping and riding on the Junior Rodeo Team. She continued to expand her knowledge under the tutelage of Dorothy Miller as a young rider. At the age of sixteen she began working on the racetrack and developing a special kind of bond with Thoroughbreds. This bond landed her at the Santa Anita Racetrack where she worked for Wayne Lucas, Bob Baffert, Jack Vanberg, amongst others.

AMANDA GOMEZ, PROFESSIONAL RIDER

Amanda Gomez is the daughter of legendary jockey, Garrett Gomez, and now the head trainer at NLE. She was born and raised around Thorougbred's. Her first Grand Prix win was on her late father's last homebred OTTB by Pioneerof the Nile

Gogo's Legacy

In loving memory of Garrett Gomez

Garrett's talent as a jockey quickly became apparent, and at 16 he won his first race. He worked tirelessly to hone his skills, often staying up late to study videos of his own races and those of the horses he would be competing against. His dedication paid off, and he soon became one of the top jockeys in the country, winning the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey twice, thirteen Breeder's Cups, and 318 graded stakes, including 87 Grade 1 events. He was inducted into the Racing Museum Hall of Fame in 2017.

Despite his success, Garrett never lost his love for the horses. In fact, he became even more passionate about caring for them, especially once their career on the track was over. He dreamed of creating an aftercare system that honored the professional training that the horses were given on the track while also helping them transition into a new athletic career. He understood that these magnificent creatures were coming off the track as babies and were not designed to spend the next 20 years in a backyard stall. They needed a job to truly flourish. Sadly, Garrett died before he could see that dream realized. NLE was established in his honor and as his legacy as a jockey, trainer, and advocate for horses.