Down The Stretch Podcast

That was a monster, gutsy win at Churchill by Queen’s Plate Champion, Mighty Heart and it’s just one of many victories in the U.S. by Canadian horsepeople. We’ve got McNair, McClure, MacDonald, Zeron and Auciello attached to winning harness races. We have Chantal Sutherland producing a $21.40 winner at Gulfstream. Should Canadian horse racing have a lottery-type game attached? Comments on that from author Robin Dawson and Woodbine CEO Jim Lawson. Greg Thompson from Texas talks about his podcast, which covers only quarter horse racing. And if you remember the terrific jockey, Ray Sabourin, you’ll gobble up our story on how he’s morphed into a chef.

The Provincial Government has finally relented and allowed racing to resume. Woodbine’s new Chief Commercial Officer, Michael Copeland discusses that and other issues. Trevor Henry, Mark MacDonald, James MacDonald, Doug McNair and Scott Zeron continue to show our neighbours to the south how to drive standardbreds and we have an abundance of evidence. The podcast suffers when we don’t run Chantal Sutherland winning, so suffice it to say, we’re happy this week. It was a great Sunday at Churchill Downs for Canadian horse owners Jim and Susan Hill. American Bruce Lunsford tells the podcast why he loves racing at Woodbine and if there’s a more distressing accident than the one Daryl Thiessen experienced at Century Downs, we don’t want to see it.

The unpleasant case of Medina Spirit, Bob Baffert and the positive test gets full coverage this week. We have feedback from Jim Lawson, Lori Cirillo, Jennifer Morrison, Garnet Barnsdale, Robin Dawson Ric Chapman in Australia, Gary ‘Suitcase’ Smith in California, Boomer Esiason and even Saturday Night Live. Oklahoma City lawyer, William Federman lays out the Class Action suit against Baffert. And then, how did Medina Spirit do in the Preakness Stakes? It was another week in which Canadian drivers marched onto American tracks and took down their purses. We have race calls of wins by Scott Zeron, Doug McNair, Louis-Philippe Roy, Bob McClure, Trevor Henry and Mark MacDonald. We find out from Irwin Driedger how much a jockey is worth in this province, Bob Broadstock updates the status of the Quarter Racing industry and Josie Carroll’s Belichick raced tough at Churchill Downs. Chantal Sutherland brought in another good-priced horse and how come a horse named Hohohoho didn’t get the last laugh?

Host Peter Gross looks at the wonderful life of Keith Waples, with help from Earl Lennox and Fred Grant. Mark McKelvie reveals why Woodbine had to push back the NA Cup and who could go to the track to get a Covid vaccination. Scott Zeron tells us how much he has to drive in order to drive all afternoon and all night. Canadians winning at the Meadowlands, Yonkers, Scioto Downs and Philly. Jockey John Velazquez got a headache he didn’t deserve – an offensive Facebook posting that he spent the week denying. And the heart-warming story of Nigel Latham, the dying Aussie horse racing fan, who had his last wish fulfilled.

A huge portion of this podcast is consumed by Canadian harness drivers winning races at U.S. tracks. In fact, this podcast has 19 harness race calls, unofficially a record for a podcast. Down The Stretch interviewed Louis-Philippe Roy then watched him win at Hoosier Park. Other Canadians taking down U,S. purses are Scott Zeron, James MacDonald, Mark MacDonald, Bob McClure and Trevor Henry. Chantal Sutherland makes this podcast again, thanks to a brilliant ride on an 8-1 shot at Gulfstream. Jockey John Velazquez had the kind of weekend all athletes dream about. He won the Kentucky Oaks on Friday with Malathaat, then delivered 12-1 shot, Medina Spirit to victory in the Kentucky Derby. Writer Robin Dawson has been around horses for several decades and he gifted us his first novel, Last Hurrah, which is a great read. Dawson tells us it’s about murder, money laundering, horses killed for insurance and crumbling racetracks. And we ‘sampled’ Mic’d Up to hear Jody Jamieson giving us the play-by-play while he wins with the outstanding Sintra.

We cover a lot of ground in this episode. Jason Portuondo, Jennifer Morrison, Garnet Barnsdale, Jim McKenny and host Peter Gross give their Kentucky Derby selections. Several local harness drivers have taken their bikes to U.S. tracks and we document wins by Louis Philippe Roy, Doug McNair, Bob McClure, Scott Zeron and Mark MacDonald. Jody Jamieson talks about his decision to go to Tioga Downs. Shannon Henry explains why Trevor is off to Hoosier Park and she’s staying home with the two year-olds. Chantal Sutherland has won some more races at Gulfstream. Lee Drake tells us about the upcoming racing on Prince Edward Island and trainer Gary Contessa will whip up a lot of horse people. He says the new whip rules at Monmouth Park only make things more dangerous. This podcast also includes appearances by Nat King Cole, Devo and Merle Travis.

With the province back in lockdown and horse racing in no man’s land, Mary Jane Sibbitt created a petition to let Doug Ford know how safe horse racing can be. The race stoppage was a huge impediment to Anthony MacDonald whose thestable.ca has 121 horses and nowhere in Ontario to race. They could not stop the Sovereign Awards and Mighty Heart could not be stopped in his quest for the Horse of the Year Trophy. Sam-Son Farm’s Danceforthecause was named the Outstanding Broodmare and two days later, one of her sons won a Grade III at Keeneland. Chantal Sutherland keeps winning races at Gulfstream, and we also have race calls from Yonkers, the Meadowlands, and just for fun, a race at Oaklawn that gave announcer Vic Stauffer fits.

There’s a very satisfying female component to this week’s episode. Host Peter Gross talks with the irrepressible Chantal Sutherland whose epic career continues as she is winning races at Gulfstream. Another lady rider, Rachael Blackmore became the first female jockey to take down the prestigious Grand National, the gruelling 4 ¼ mile steeplechase at Aintree. Trainer Gail Cox sent out a winner at Gulfstream for Sam Son Farm and Aida Yahyapour is an award winning culinary expert who helps us pair great meals with great races. Also in this podcast – Woodbine’s CEO, Jim Lawson tells us how frustrating it is to run a horse racing operation when the government won’t allow live racing. Harness driver Jonathan Drury did a wonderful thing – he sought out one of his favourite horses, bought him out of a sale and sent him to the farm for a well-deserved retirement. Scott Zeron and Mark MacDonald continue to take down purses at the Meadowlands. And all the Kentucky Derby preps have been run; the two Stakes last Saturday produced long-shot winners.

Another pandemic lockdown means racing in Ontario has been stopped again. Racing continues in the United States and this podcast has three Kentucky Derby Preps, including a mind-blowing upset in the Wood Memorial. Canadians took down races in the U.S. – Norm McKnight send out a winner at Oaklawn, Bill Tharrenos scored at Gulfstream and Chantal Sutherland is also at Gulfstream and she brought home a winner on Sunday. Host Peter Gross talks with Zenia Wadhwani, Woodbine's Director of Corporate Citizenship about the track’s support of students at nearby Humber College. Horse owner Dale Desruisseaux explains why he sold his pizza business to get a slice of the horse racing world. And no one took down as many handicapping tournaments and huge pick 6s like Tommy Massis, who now insists – he’s retiring as a professional horse player.

A sad note in this podcast as the great jockey Todd Kabel has died. Woodbine CEO Jim Lawson discusses single sports betting and the odds of the thoroughbred opener going as scheduled on April 17. A win at Gulfstream for trainer Josie Carroll, 6 wins on one night for driver Sylvain Filion. We also have three Kentucky Derby Preps, a preview of racing at Fort Erie with Antonietta Culic, and 17 year-old Joshua Attard tells us how thrilled he is to have a Queen’s Plate eligible.