Rash left home at age sixteen and found work as a hot walker with the Santa Anita Park racing operations of renowned U.S.
During his early working years, Rodney Rash went through a self-destructive wild period when alcohol and drug abuse became a problem.
Among his clients, Rodney Rash trained stakes-winning horses for Vistas Stable owned by Motown Records founder, Berry Gordy and for the racing partnership of sportsman Bruce McNall and ice hockey superstar Wayne Gretzky.
Another international racehorse owner, American Gary A. Tanaka entrusted Rash with the conditioning of his first horses and credits the young trainer with introducing him to Thoroughbred racing.
When his condition became exacerbated, he was taken to Los Angeles Midway Hospital where the thirty-six-year-old died on March 1 from the rare blood disorder, Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.