“employee of several big name barns as a teen back in the 70s here in New York”
I had an uncle who took horses from Kansas to NY to race back in that time. I can’t recall what tracks he went to, just that he went there in the summers. His name was Charley Ryan. Does that ring any bells for you?
No, sorry, it doesn’t.
As a teenager I had a job walking horses at Belmont Racetrack here in New York during the 70s and, for a short time, at the old Hialeah track in Florida. I worked for several Hall of Fame trainers and stables, including trainer JP Conway (trainer of ‘Twice Worthy’) and PG Johnson, a NY trainer who was always near the top of the trainer standings.
I also worked for the prestigious Ogden Phipps stable, under then trainer John Russell. The last horse I walked was for the Phipps stable. The horse happened to have been a full brother to the great Secretariat. But then Secretariat had over a hundred brothers and sisters! the offspring of the legendary Bold Ruler.