Future baseball Hall of Famer David ‘Big Papi’ Ortiz visited Gulfstream Park on Friday, March 9, 2018 to film a segment for his reality show, Big Papi Needs a Job, which debuted Jan. 31, 2019 on Fusion TV.
In the episode, Ortiz explores the ins and outs of being a thoroughbred owner, including a visit to trainer Mark Hennig’s barn, the jockey’s room and grandstand as well as the paddock and walking ring for Race 5, where he gave the call for riders up and later made a presentation to winning jockey Tyler Gaffalione and trainer David Fawkes in the winner’s circle.
Ortiz, 42, retired following the 2016 season after leading the Boston Red Sox to World Series championships in 2004, 2007 and 2013, when he was named Series MVP. A 10-time all-star, he finished with 541 home runs and 1,768 runs batted in and a career batting average of .286 over 20 seasons.
The first season of Big Papi Needs a Job featured 10 half-hour episodes where the 6-foot-3 Ortiz, a native of the Dominican Republic tried his hand at various professions. Previous shows had him working as a barista, barber, brewmaster, dog groomer, firefighter trainee, food truck cook, manicurist, mechanic, musician, zookeeper and tour guide at the Red Sox home stadium of Fenway Park.
Source: Press Release
Looking fresh and fit as he recuperates from surgery last Dec. 21 for replacement of his left hip, Gary Stevens was on hand at Clockers’ Corner last Saturday morning, counting down the time until he can resume his Hall of Fame career. “I’m doing well,” Stevens said. “I’m rehabbing every day, back on my Equicizer which I’ve been riding for about 10 days now.
