Down The Stretch Podcast

This podcast features races from Woodbine, Mohawk and Ajax Downs. We have the Jacques Cartier Stakes from Woodbine, and some huge payoffs thanks to Chantal Sutherland, Trevor Henry and Sylvain Filion. Larry Collmus breaks down his historic and spine-tingling call of 80-1 shot Rich Strike in the Kentucky Derby. Jennifer Morrison explains – logically - why she bet on Rich Strike and Morrison also provides Opening Day stuff from Ajax Downs. Jockey Isabelle Wenc describes how badly her friend Sheena Ryan was hurt and how you can help with a Go Fund Me project.

We give props to a lot of jockeys who don’t challenge for the riding title. In this podcast, we feature wins by Sunny Singh, Kirk Johnson, Keveh Nicholls, Shawn Bridgmohan, Corey Jordan, Antonio Gallardo, Eswan Flores, Larry Munoz and Nicky Alderson, who won a race with her first ride in 20 months.

Jockey Declan Carroll has landed at Woodbine and he delivered a $59 winner early in the meet. We needed to talk to him about that.

And the Ontario Regional Drivers Championship needed all 11 races at Western Fair to determine which drivers will go to the Nationals in November. We’ll tell you how Louis Philippe Roy pulled it off.

It was a week in which the $2 bet ruled – The Kentucky Derby went to an 80-1 shot, but you got more if you bet on Full Disclosure at Mohawk. Jockey Declan Carroll brought in a 28-1 bomb. Chantal Sutherland’s 2 wins at Gulfstream were both on outsiders. Bill Tharrenos with another winner in Florida and Ailsa Morrison delivered a heavy favourite.The reigning Queen’s Plate Champion, Safe Conduct pulled off a nice upset at Belmont. Broadcaster Jason Portuondo tells us about the abrupt change in his career, 11 time Sovereign Award winning writer, Curtis Stock chats about his book on the 5 Turcotte jockeys from New Brunswick and soccer star Cyle Larin has a thoroughbred that knows how to strike the back of the net.

We have two Stakes races from Woodbine - the Star Shoot and the Woodstock. We love women jockeys and we have three of them – Emma-Jayne Wilson, Chantal Sutherland and Ailsa Morrison with winning rides. There will be a dramatic purse adjustment to the Free For All Paces and Trots at Mohawk and race secretary Tony O’Sullivan tells us why they’re boosting the prize money. Garnet Barnsdale has been instrumental for over 2 years, suggesting stories for this podcast, but this week, Barnsdale is the story. Jennifer Morrison joins the podcast to talk about the upcoming Quarter Horse season, and with the help of the legendary rock group The Who, we ask the question, Who Are You Eswan Flores...and why are you winning races at Woodbine?

Very much about milestones and big numbers this week. Driver Paul Mackenzie talks about hitting the 9000 win mark and bears us no ill will that we never previously talked to him. It’s easy to lose track of how many Sovereign Awards Mark Casse and the horses he trains have won. Casse tells us it never gets lame. Michael Whelan became a $10 million man on the weekend. Driver/trainer Dagfin Henriksen can check a big one off his bucket list – he’s taking the excellent trotter Perfetto to the prestigious Elitloppet race in Sweden. Doug McNair had a pair of hat-tricks – he had 3 wins on Friday at Mohawk and 3 more on Friday. Horse of the Year, Mighty Heart made his debut as a 5 year- old, but it did not go well. We have another win at Gulfstream from Chantal Sutherland. Who is Eswan Flores and how many races did he win at Woodbine on Saturday? And the pacer, Line Drive Hanover can boast the longest active winning streak of any horse in Canada.

On Opening Day at Woodbine, we talked with Jim Lawson, Emma-Jayne Wilson and Robert Geller, and apparently, it was a good thing that jockey Patrick Husbands didn’t retire. This podcast mentions every winner from the Sovereigns, a noble deed since Down The Stretch lost in its category. Clips from Mighty Heart’s owner Larry Cordes, Groom of the Year Denzil Fonseca and winning jockey Kazushi Kimura. Shirl’s Speight carried the Canadian flag into the winners circle in a big race at Keeneland; we’ve got the call of a sensational finish.

This one is all over the place – to Tampa Bay and 2 wins from Chantal Sutherland, and to Gulfstream for a brilliant upset by Ailsa Morrison. There were Kentucky Derby preps at Keeneland and Santa Anita. Ho Hum, another 6 win night for James Macdonald. Pat Hudon tells us about his remarkable 11 year-old trotter Odds of Amethyst. Did you know that soccer star Cyle Larin is also a horse owner? We have his dad, Prentice Boreland. Mary Jane Jones takes us on a journey to the past. New Zealand’s Paul Court talks about Stable Hub, his app for trainers. And guest appearances by Tanya Tucker, The Pussycat Dolls, Ram Jam, The Village People and Richie Valens.

We have 3 Kentucky Derby Preps, but why is the one at Turfway Park not too persuasive? Lots of Canadians winning in the U.S. - Chiefswood Stables’ Weyburn and Susan and Jim Hill’s Phantom Currency taking down Stakes races and we have the calls. Have you ever heard of Ailsa Morrison? In this podcast, you will hear about this jockey from New Brunswick winning in New York and Florida. Jennifer Morrison offers sweet memories of Eugene Melnyk and we have 3 very strange horse races; one that defied math, one filled with off-stride chaos, and one involving jockey Manny Franco, who won a race after being dislodged from the saddle.

Woodbine’ CEO Jim Lawson tells us about a soccer stadium being built kitty corner to the racetrack, how good Opening Day will be, and why he’s very anxious for the Sovereign Awards. On the same day at Gulfstream, Canadian horsemen, Marty Drexler, Bruno Schickedanz, Mike De Paulo, Bill Tharrenos and Steven Chircop all sent out winners. Down The Stretch travels from New Orleans to Dubai for Kentucky Derby Preps. We talk with Mohawk’s outrider, Joanne Colville about a horse even she didn’t think would win. Jean Rene Plante has won over 2,800 races as a driver, but he’s most proud of a hockey championship by the Burlington Eagles, a team he coaches. And when trainer Kayla Hendry won for the first time with a pacer named Rough Trade, we couldn’t resist the urge to drop in some Carole Pope.

Jennifer Morrison, author of Run With A Mighty Heart talks about her book and who will be Horse of the Year in the upcoming Sovereign Awards. We have Bruno Schickedanz, Marty Drexler and Chantal Sutherland winning at Gulfstream. James MacDonald did it again – he won 5 races Saturday night at Mohawk. Owner/driver/trainer Rick Uppal explains how is 16 year-old pacer, Best Dream Seeker is even allowed to race, let alone win. And what would a podcast about horses be without a horse named.. Horse?

This week we present a critical Kentucky Derby prep at Tampa Bay Downs. Nine brave owners have committed $100,000 each for September Mohawk Million. We talk with Brad Grant and the stable.ca’s Anthony Macdonald. We have Dawn Lupul’s call of Natasha Day winning the International Women’s day race at Mohawk and comments from the winning trainer, Bob Fellows. Driver Scott Young chats about his career and women in sulkies. Saturday was a great night at the track for Ed Hensley (and those who bet him. And long-time harness horse owner Maurice Bygrave tells us how being a dentist comes in handy with a quarter crack and how he was instrumental inspiring his nephew Jason Portuondo into the thrill of the game.