JJ Graci was Philadelphia made and racing bred—a man who gave more than six decades of his life to Thoroughbred racing and never stopped loving the game.
Born in Philadelphia and educated at Villanova University, JJ entered racing as an owner and trainer and made his mark quickly. He became the winningest trainer in the history of Atlantic City Race Course, a record he carried proudly, and won multiple training titles at Garden State Race Course.
His passion for racing eventually found another voice in broadcasting. JJ launched At The Races on Fox Sports Radio in Florida in 2002 and later continued the program online. In 2018, he returned to the Mid-Atlantic racing scene as a paddock host and handicapper at Delaware Park—back around the horses and horseplayers where he belonged.
JJ was also an entrepreneur, creating The Dominator, an equine-products company he continued developing later in his life. Trainer, broadcaster, handicapper, businessman—JJ knew the game from more than one side.
JJ passed away in 2022, but he will always have a place at Past the Wire. He believed in Jon Stettin and Past the Wire from the beginning. He supported what Jon was trying to build, and when Past the Wire needed him, JJ never said no.
That kind of loyalty is rare anywhere. In this game, it is unforgettable.
Loved. Missed. Never forgotten.
