Dr. Chris Samaha, who founded the industry-leading Backstretch Community Assistance Program at Monmouth Park more than 30 years ago, has been named the 2026 recipient of the Virgil “Buddy” Raines Distinguished Achievement Award, it was announced today by Monmouth Park.

The Raines Award, currently in its 31st year, is presented annually prior to Monmouth Park’s season opener. It honors men and women who have demonstrated a continuing commitment to the sport of Thoroughbred racing as an owner, trainer or administrator, and whose conduct has been exemplary for professionalism, integrity and service to the sport.

Monmouth Park’s 81^st season of racing gets underway on Saturday, May 9.

The 55-year-old Samaha, a sports psychologist, launched a substance abuse program for backstretch workers in 1995 that has since involved into a support system for all types of health issues. The program offers free counseling, as well as health education programs, for licensed stable hands, grooms, hot walkers and exercise riders and offers access to a variety of medical screenings.

Samaha resides in nearby Shrewsbury, N.J.

“I would have burned out long ago if it was strictly a treatment program, but I have all of the other components that help everyone on the backstretch, whether directly or indirectly,” Samaha said. “I’m passionate about what I do and I would not have stayed in it this long if I didn’t believe this a good industry.”

Samaha’s program features a free lunch program for backstretch workers and he provides Thanksgiving dinners for those workers prior to the stable area closing for the winter. Free medical clinics and screenings are key components of the program as well.

The list of previous Raines Award winners:

1996: J. Willard Thompson

1997: Danny Perlsweig

1998: Warren A. “Jimmy” Croll

1999: Joe Pierce Jr.

2000: Peter Shannon

2001: Dennis Drazin

2002: Sam Fieramosca

2003: Charles and Marianne Hesse

2004: Janet Laszlo

2005: Richard Malouf

2006: John Forbes

2007: Ben Perkins Sr.

2008: Gerald and Carolyn Sleeter

2009: Joel Kligman

2010: John Tammaro III

2011: Frank Costa

2012: John Mazza

2013: Ebby Novak

2014: Chuck Spina

2015: Bob Baffert

2016: Ed Barney

2017: Bob Kulina

2018: Mike Musto

2019: Tim Hills

2020: Leonard Green

2021: Bill Anderson

2022: Millie Fleming

2023: Pat McBurney

2024: John Bowers Jr.

2025: John Heims