When the gates snap open at the Del Mar Racetrack, jockeys pilot thousand-pound thoroughbreds at speeds topping 40 miles per hour. Pound for pound, they are some of the most conditioned, fierce competitors in professional sports as they navigate a sport that demands explosive power, razor-sharp reaction times, and strict weight management.
Off the track, however, staying at the top of the leaderboards requires an intense level of physical preparation. To gain that competitive edge, four of Del Mar Throughbred Club’s elite riders have adopted a new local training facility to prepare for each and every race: Bluprint Wellness, a new private wellness club in Solana Beach, designed around AI-powered strength training, functional medicine, and high-tech recovery.
From L to R: Jockeys Mike E. Smith, Diego Herrera, Juan Hernandez
Inside the facility, Hall of Fame legend Mike E. Smith, top Del Mar jockey Juan Hernandez, comeback star Umberto Rispoli, and rising talent Diego Herrera push their bodies through personalized, high-precision protocols to build functional power without adding extra weight. Bluprint Wellness’s AI-driven Technogym Biostrength system uses aerospace-level technology to deliver biofeedback and adjust resistance in real time, preventing overtraining while maximizing muscle activation.
"Techno Gym has really, I think, increased my strength," says Diego Herrera. "But not only has it made me stronger, but it's protecting my body a little more. Sometimes when we do free weights, I tend to try to do a little more than what my body can handle. Techno Gym really helps me—it doesn't overdo my workouts, so it lets me do as much as I can. It tells me what my body can do and what it can't do. I think that's really important for me as an athlete."
For Juan Hernandez, currently sitting second in the Del Mar standings with 25 wins, the combination of targeted strength work and recovery protocols has translated directly into victories.
"I love it, because I was working out about three to four days a week to keep myself strong and healthy," Hernandez explains. "The sauna is helping me with my weight—I keep my weight where it needs to be. I think working out here has helped me win more races. I just get strong and win more races."
While seeing world-class athletes train at Bluprint validates its high-tech methodology, founder Jonathan Uphoff emphasizes that the facility was created to give the general public access to the same elite environment.
"All these world-class athletes, A-list celebrities, they all have their personal trainers because they want to maximize their time," Uphoff says. "Working in an elite facility like this allows them to maximize each and every workout, which performs every day on the track for them. But one thing we want people to understand is this is the first time it's been open to the general population. They receive the same type of treatment that the world-class athletes are getting."
At the elite level, physical preparation is only half the battle; tissue repair and injury rehab dictate who stays in the saddle. Bluprint's recovery suite—equipped with subzero cryotherapy chambers, infrared saunas, red-light therapy, and outdoor cold plunges—provides the medical-grade relief these athletes require.
That recovery suite has proved essential for Umberto Rispoli, who is currently third in the Del Mar jockey standings with 18 wins despite suffering a severe accident earlier in the year that left him with a broken tibia, fibula, and ankle.
"I had a big accident in January... so I'm pretty focused on rehab and recovery, but it's been very good," Rispoli shares. "I can enjoy the facilities they have with the cold plunge, the sauna with red lights, and also the cryotherapy. It's very healthy and very good for recovery. When you stay out for four and a half months, your muscle is gone, so you need to help your body with a good diet and a good program."
Rispoli notes that recovering fully from such trauma takes time, but the facility helps him maintain form. "Obviously, the goal is to keep maintaining the shape to the end of the season,” he states. “From injuries like that, you need 365 days to recover totally to 100%, so that is going to be the goal."
Training optimization also extends to internal health. Led by Dr. Lain Lye of Amplify Health and Wellness, Bluprint also offers functional health services like IV therapy, nutraceuticals, and PRP joint injections to everyday members as well as elite athletes looking to fine-tune their biomarkers.
"For athletes, because they're already doing so much as far as training, we're making sure that all of their blood markers—as far as their hormones and nutrient panels—are the best that they can be," Dr. Lye explains. "Everything is very personalized. We do a full, thorough intake of each individual patient to see where they're deficient and how we can optimize them."
From L to R: Jockeys Diego Herrera, Mike E. Smith, Umberto Rispoli, Juan Hernandez
While horse racing is intensely competitive, the vibe inside Bluprint resembles an exclusive retreat where rivals trade tips, encourage one another, and build camaraderie.
"We do a lot of stuff together. We're a big family, so although when we step out on the racetrack everything changes, when we get off, man, we're brothers," says Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, a Triple Crown winner who serves as the elder statesman of the group.
Smith, who focuses on winning major stakes races, takes pride in mentoring the younger riders. "I try to set a good example, I really do. Some of them kind of look up to me, I've been around a while. All these younger guys, man, they're a good bunch of riders. Not only are they extremely talented, they're good boys."
Herrera agrees that the shared workouts enhance the experience. "We're a small group, and we come out, have very good workouts, and have good conversations,” he says. “All the equipment here is top tier, and we're very happy we made the change."
In a sport where championships are decided by fractions of a second and a single stride can separate victory from defeat, every physical edge matters. As this racing season enters its final push, these riders, together with Bluprint Wellness’ elite training stack, are setting a new standard for what it means to train, recover and build a lasting career like a champion—both on and off the track.
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