Joe Sharp

Born in Martinsburg, West Virginia, Joe's formative years were spent between Lexington, KY, and Charles Town, WV, working at the racetracks with his parents even before he could tie his own shoes...

 ..."Horses have been my passion my entire life," he says. "“As a kid, I used to sleep with a set of blinkers, purple and white diamonds. And I have experienced many walks of the business before knowing what I was best suited and most stimulated by." Indeed, Joe has seen and been a part of every facet of the racing industry, from foaling mares, riding races both here in the US and abroad, as well as a brief stint as a Jockey's agent. He knew, however, that he was destined to become a trainer when working as assistant for two of the top conditioners in the country, Mike Stidham and Mike Maker. "I have put 100 percent into anything I have ever done and gathered as much knowledge as possible along the way."

While Joe set up training on his own in September of 2014, he acknowledges that the support family and friends have offered him over the years has been instrumental in the startling early success of his career. "My parents have both always been in the business, my father [Marc Sharp] a trainer and mother [Sarah Escudero] an exercise rider. This has given me a tremendous amount of exposure to the world of horseracing from a very young age, thus making me a very well-rounded professional."

Perhaps even more instrumental in his success story is the involvement at the barn of his wife Rosie Napravnik, formerly one of the top jockeys in the US. Rosie is currently Joe's main assistant trainer. "She is every bit as effective in the barn as she was on their backs." And Rosie has just given birth to their first child together, Carson.

Joe's 10-year-old daughter, Aiyana, also looks to have inherited the family's precocious interest in horses, as she is already a frequent face on the show pony circuit. "I have even managed to coach her soccer team in my spare time."

That Joe managed to find the time to coach his daughter's soccer team is a minor miracle, given the rapid expansion of his barn. The numbers of horses in his care has quickly swollen to 50 - a testament to an incredible first meet as a trainer, when at the Fair Grounds winter 2014-2015 season, Joe was vying for top trainer honors right up to the end. But in typically self-effacing fashion, Joe is quick to credit a large portion of his success to a formidable team of owners and staff. "We have been very fortunate to get off to a great start with the support of an exceptional crew and a group of owners that are second to none. We have around 50 horses under our care and are always looking to expand and take on new business."

With such an astonishing success story already under his belt, it's easy to forget that the best is yet to come.