Steve Hiatt never thought he would win an award for doing the thing he enjoys more than anything else in the world–helping horses. So when the 50-year-old California native was honored with the Race Track Chaplaincy of America's White Horse Award for heroic service to the equine industry, it was understandable he was more than a little surprised.

"I am in awe," said Hiatt, who was honored at a luncheon Nov. 5 at Santa Anita Park, just one day prior to the Breeders' Cup World Championships. "I have been hauling horses since I was 15. I never thought I'd get recognized with an award for it. The other nominees are just as worthy, if not more. This is very special."

As with previous White Horse winners, Hiatt's selfless service to the industry goes largely unnoticed by most. Since 1989 he has been a horse van operator for Hoofbeats Horse Transportation in Albany, Calif., a small town not far from Golden Gate Fields. Hiatt's job is to take critically ill or injured horses to nearby hospitals in emergency situations.

Often times the lifesaving transports start at Golden Gate or Fairplex Park when horses are injured on the track, either while racing or training. In those cases Hiatt normally takes the injured animals to nearby University of California-Davis Veterinary Hospital where they are cared for