Down The Stretch Podcast

We’ve got a nice package of Canadians - Chantal Sutherland, Marty Drexler, Jim and Susan Hill – winning at Gulfstream. There was a 13-1 upset in the Risen Star Stakes on the road to the Kentucky Derby. Jennifer Morrison files from the Quarter Horse Awards Banquet, which had a sad subtext. Trainer Willy Armata assesses the chances of Ironstone for a Sovereign Award in the 3-year-old colt category and Woodbine’s Mark McKelvie reveals how the Free For Alls at Mohawk will mean bigger purses for harness people. We were fascinated by a Finnish study that determined that men with high IQs are more likely to bet the horses, so intellectual giants like Jim Bannon, Tommy Massis, Garnet Barnsdale and Jim McKenny submitted their opinions. And a guy had just one job at Rosecroft Raceway – how could he not know there was a race going on?

This podcast features win at Gulfstream from Chantal Sutherland, Emma-Jayne Wilson, and Martin Drexler. We have stretch calls from Kentucky Derby preps at Aqueduct, Tampa Bay and Golden Gate. Harness trainer Carmen Auciello talks about the upcoming New Holland pacing and trotting series at Mohawk and what it’s like to be the runner-up year after year in the O’Briens to Richard Moreau. Michael David is the son of long-time local jockey, Daniel David and because we saw his Facebook page, we called him to talk about his riding career. Jessica Paquette is the only full-time female announcer in the U.S. Her race calls are sharp and her interview in this podcast is fascinating. And how did we edit in Chuck Berry, Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney into a story about a pacing mare that won 17 straight?

This podcast has all the winners from the O’Brien Awards, also known as Bulldog Hanover appreciation night. We’ve got a couple of Kentucky Derby prep races, dominated by Bob Baffert and Bill Mott. Woodbine trainer Steven Chircop continues to win races at Penn National and Laurel. Trainer Sara Baillargeon talks about winning at Mohawk for the first time and driver Tyler Borth also delivered his first winner at the Campbellville track. Irad Ortiz is the best jockey in North America and he proved it again by winning 7 straight at Gulfstream. And some 39 years after he took the lovely Janice Groom to the 1984 Queen’s Plate, host Peter Gross finds her to see if a subsequent date is a possibility.

This week, we run the upset of the Pegasus Stakes and tell you how the winner has a Woodbine connection. Bob Baffert sent out the winner of the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn. Patrick Husbands won the Coolmore Stakes in Barbados and we have the race call. We interview Emma-Jayne Wilson who is getting fit and riding a few at Gulfstream and we chat with Steven Chircop who is the leading trainer at Penn National. Brett MacDonald hit a nice harness driving plateau and tells us how his pacer Saulsbrook Victor is exceeding all possible expectations. Woodbine’s Chris Lush explains why we can’t phone in our bets anymore, and Oaklawn’s Vic Stauffer gets props for his colourful call of the week.

In this podcast, we feature wins in Florida from jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson and trainer Katerina Vassilieva. We have the Lecomte Stakes from the Fair Grounds, and we advise that Instant Coffee might be nice in the morning, but don’t advance bet him for the Kentucky Derby. Bulldog Hanover will dominate the February 4 O’Brien Awards and we talk with his owner/trainer Jack Darling about the recent announcement that the Bulldog is the next recipient of the Cam Fella Award. Trainer Julia Ezra explains who you can get into her Double Blooded Syndicate for a small price and big thrills. Owner Carol Robertson talks with us about her Had To Be Ivory, who has just been named Canadian Quarter Horse of the Year for the 3rd time. And host Peter Gross made the mistake of running his life-long betting theories past a very cynical Garnet Barnsdale.

In this collectors’ edition episode, we present some of the most appealing songs about horse racing, which will include The Hollies, Carly Simon, The Band, George Jones, Bing Crosby, Chris de Burgh, The Pretenders, Betty Grable and Lisa G Fly.

We have an interview with Jim Hill, who, with his wife Susan, is a leading Canadian thoroughbred horse owner. Television producer, Curtis MacDonald talks about the Sam McKee Award his company won for coverage of the Hambletonian. Jason Portuondo, once a broadcaster, now a racing official, takes the Down The Stretch judging exam, trainer Marty Drexler pulled off a win at Gulfstream, and we have an embarrassing moment for a race-caller at Sunland Park when he proclaimed a winner a little too early.

Canadians are winning races in Florida – we’ve got 4 of them. Driver Doug McNair had a big Friday night at Mohawk Park and trainers Shawn Steacy and Camilla Christoforou assess their O’Brien Award chances. Psychic Nikki makes horse racing predictions. Did she see the winning jockey in the next Kentucky Derby? And what’s the deal with Jerry Seinfeld in this podcast?

We get nosy, asking What was the best gift you got for Christmas; what was the best gift you gave? We got answers from Jody Jamieson, Kevin Attard, Marty Drexler, Gary Boulanger, Justin Stein, Ken Middleton, Doug McPherson, Ed Walton and Doug McNair.

We present recent wins in Florida for owner Larry Cordes, and trainers Roger Attfield and Mike De Paulo. We have milestone moments for Jay Harris and James MacDonald. Did a Maiden Special Weight at Santa Anita reveal the first favourite for the Kentucky Derby? Did driver Paul MacKenzie never lose hope that he would finally win a race at Mohawk in 2022? And will you be able to stifle your laughter when you hear Daryl Ezra call the Gift Wrapped Stakes?

Podcast # 153 takes a look back at the great and unforgettable moments in horse racing in 2022.From the Pegasus at Gulfstream to the Saudi Cup and Emblem Road’s massive shock. What incredible statistic applied to all 6 winners of the Triple Crowns in the U.S. and Canada? This audio includes Rich Strike, Moira, jockeys Justin Stein and Declan Carroll, Sir For Sure, Roger Attfield, Charles Fipke and Modern Games. A fond farewell to Dr. Glen Brown and some great harness races – Oh Well in the Mohawk Million, Slay in a wild Canadian Trotting Classic and the impressive Pebble Beach in the North America Cup. Then we rank the most memorable stories of the year which include Natasha Day, James MacDonald, Bulldog Hanover and the wonderful Cody Dorman.

We break from our normal format to present a collection of the most amusing, goofiest and mind expanding stories of the year..things that can only happen in horse racing. Like Turf Paradise’s Craig Braddick playing Torture the Track announcer, or Tampa Bay’s Jason Beam and his hilarious parody of Don McLean’s America Pie. There was the night that the number 5 kept winning at Mohawk and we couldn’t resist when we found a horse named Horse. A race at the Meadows that paid tribute to alcoholic beverages, a heat in Alberta where the top 4 horses were all Outlaws and a race from Gulfstream where the chaotic outcome was specifically defined by the winning horse. Bill Megens is now 89, but when he trained a winner recently at Western Fair, he gave an unusual prediction of his retirement date. And there is no jockey quite like quarter horse rider Tony Phillips. To celebrate his winning year at Ajax Downs, Phillips produced a rap of his equine accomplishments. Also appearing in this podcast –Tom Durkin, George Thorogood, the Clash, Bruce Springsteen, Alanis Morissette, Fred Flintstone, the Who, the Bobby Fuller Four and Aerosmith.