PLEASANTON — Barbara Lang isn't much of a horse racing aficionado.

But for two hours Monday, Lang and her best friend for the past 46 years, Marilyn Rivera, sat at Chicago's Metropolitan Deli here on the west side of town, waiting. The duo didn't want to miss an opportunity to meet Martin Garcia, a former cook at the deli turned horse racing star.

Lang and Rivera were two of several racing and non-racing fans that turned out to meet Garcia.

For two years, Garcia worked at the deli, making burgers and sandwiches and pestering owner Terri Terry to let him ride a horse she owned.

Terry finally relented and was so impressed with Garcia's ability with horses that she introduced him to a friend, Mark Hanna, a former jockey and horse trainer. The encounter started a journey that has taken Garcia to the top of the horse racing world, including winning the Preakness on May 15.

"It's such a great story," said Lang, who brought the sports page that featured Garcia's win at the Preakness for him to sign.

For the past month, Lang has not been able to get enough of Garcia's story, reading newspaper articles about him over the phone to Rivera, who is a die-hard fan. When Lang found out that Garcia was returning home to sign autographs and help give back to the deli and Terry, she drove over Thursday from her home in Castro Valley to find the deli. Tuesday, Lang and Rivera showed up at 2 p.m., not wanting to miss an opportunity

to meet Garcia.

"It's such a rags-to-riches story," said Rivera, who lives in Walnut Creek. "When I first heard his story, my heart went out. I couldn't believe it."

Garcia shot to stardom after winning the Preakness. The win followed a 15th place finish at the Kentucky Derby on May 1 and preceded a fourth-place finish at Saturday's Belmont Stakes.

"Everything has been amazing," Garcia said. "I just wanted to come back and help Terri. She is like my mother and supports me in everything."

Martin was all smiles Tuesday, mingling with fans and getting reacquainted with people, including former bosses he had not seen in years.

Two people who showed up to say hello were Mark Andrade and his wife, Anong, who help run Little Home Thai Cuisine in Pleasanton, where Garcia spent time working as a dishwasher.

Garcia quit the job at the Thai restaurant when he began working horses at the Alameda County Fairgrounds, but the Andrades kept tabs on him when he started racing at Golden Gate Fields and Bay Meadows.

After the Kentucky Derby, Andrade was not sure if the Garcia everyone kept referring to was the same one that had worked for them. It was not until he saw his picture in the paper following the Preakness win that Andrade was sure.

And when he and his wife walked up to Garcia on Monday, Andrade said to his wife, "See, it is him."

"We are so happy for him," Andrade said. "He worked so hard for us and to see him is so great."

Robert Jordan covers Dublin and Pleasanton. Contact him at 925-847-2184.