Kinnon LaRose, once known for his sharpshooting on the hardwood at Siena University, has swapped the rhythm of basketball for the cadence of hooves. After a brief stint at Sacred Heart University where he earned a master’s degree in strategic communications, he turned his attention to a world he had never entered: the stables of Kentucky.
A Mentor's Guidance
Six years ago, LaRose arrived at the stables of veteran trainer Tom Amoss, a relationship that began with a simple email expressing interest. What started as a groom's duties quickly evolved as he absorbed the nuances of equine care, moving up to assistant trainer and eventually assuming responsibility for a string of 64 horses that now straddle the circuits of Saratoga and Churchill Downs.
This Saturday, the former basketball standout will saddle his first contenders at Saratoga Race Course, marking a milestone in a career that has already yielded 13 victories from 78 starts since he took over Amoss's operation in April.
LaRose's family will be in the grandstand, with parents Stephen and Monica and his brothers cheering him on as he chases his first win at the historic track.
The journey was sparked by an invitation to Keeneland, where LaRose observed Amoss's methods and earned a chance to work with horses like Arthur Jr., whose debut victory on April 10 announced his arrival. Though his basketball pedigree might seem unrelated, LaRose says the court's strategic thinking informs his approach to race planning.
Amoss, now a Fox Sports contributor, continues to mentor him from the sidelines, while the trainer's stalls sit in the same barn on the Spa backstretch where he once assisted. The support of his family and the guidance of his mentor combine to make this debut more than a personal ambition — it is a family affair rooted in perseverance and a shared love of competition.