Gate to Wire

Jose Santos grew up loving horse racing and was also the son of a champion jockey and one of the best around. Jose Santos ruled the roost for many years on the New York and Florida circuits while winning a Kentucky Derby and his share of Breeders' Cup races along the way. The Belmont Stakes, The Breeders' Cup Classic, name it and there is a good chance Jose won it. His son, also named Jose but often called Joe affectionately to differentiate the two, wanted to follow in his father's footsteps and be a rider. His height, size and weight said no, you'll have to find another way. 

Joe thought he would be a trainer but eventually realized being a jockey's agent was more to his liking and he has become a very respected agent in this highly competitive field. 

Joe sat down with Past the Wire's Jonathan Stettin and Michael Vale to discuss his career, how he got to where he is, and what his unique vision is for jockey agents in the future. The show is available both on our Past the Wire TV YouTube channel and our Gate to Wire podcast!

Besides Joe being extremely personable he brings knowledge well beyond his years to the table and is more than happy to share all he has learned about the game we all love, thoroughbred horse racing.

We thank our friends at Spendthrift Farm, Kingdom Nutrition Company, and Himalyan Equine Therapy for helping us bring this and other videos and podcasts to you. 

You'll enjoy our chat with Jose, our reminiscing about his Dad, amd learning what goes on behind the scenes in the world of a jockey agent. 

Thank you for tuning in and we have so many more great shows to come! STAY TUNED! 

Another great episode of Past the Wire's podcast, Gate to Wire brought to you by Spendthrift Farm!
When handicapping horses good fundamentals are so important. Whether it is reading past performances, looking at thoro-graph, watching replays, or doing whatever works for you and using what is in your arsenal, there is a right and wring way of doing it. The same applies to wagering, and money management. Ticket structure, knowing how much of your bankroll to invest, and knowing when to go for the kill or pass are vital elements equally as important as picking winners. Where and from who you learn is also crucial. 

Regardless of what level you are at two things always remain true. Your opinion is the most important one and a second set of well trained experienced eyes never hurts a la TRACKING TRIPS at pastthewire.com In this video professional player Jonathan Stettin shares some keys to becoming a better bettor and essentials to not just grinding out a few extra dollars but to beating the game and taking down scores. 

Cash less but win more is one of the things Jon has been telling people for years. 

You have to know how to make it count when you're right in a game where we all will be wrong more often than we are right. Be armed with the tools you need. One of the reasons so few beat the game like Jon has is many of these concepts go against human nature which is to cash as many tickets as possible, thus prompting people to use more horses than they should and create additional wagering hurdles. 

Learn how not to fall into the traps that will put you on that long list of people who have no shot at beating this game before the horses even get to the starting gate.

Join us for a deep dive into improving your game and having the right fundamentals in place;

Dr. Kathryn Papp joins the Past the Wire crew on this episode of the Gate to Wire podcast brought to you by Spendthrift Farm to talk about  Medina Spirit and his positive post Kentucky Derby test for betamethasone. 

Learn what this drug is, how it is used, is it a performance enhancer and more. 

We explore how this could happen under the strict safety and welfare protocols for the Kentucky Derby this year, and where the industry is with drugs and where it needs to be.

We discuss solutions and despite a lot of negativity about proper regulation and policing of the sport it can and has been done and we do not have to reinvent the wheel. We show the flaws in the current approach, and offer practical solutions. 

Scapegoats and selective enforcement along with gray areas are not the answer. They are band aids to appease people with no real stake or true love of the animal from where we sit.

A must listen to grasp what happened, how it could have happened, and how we can prevent it from happening again.  It is also a must listen for those who put the horse first. 

Sit back and enjoy the show!

You won’t meet two cooler people or jockeys to talk horses with that Chantal Sutherland and Corey Lanerie. Chantal was gracious to join us for this week’s episode of Past the Wire TV and Corey popped in and we were able to convince him to stay.

The four of us enjoyed a talk about racing, race riding, jockey fitness, and some of the toughness it takes to be a rider. Chantal and Corey were transparent on the competitiveness in the jockey’s room.
Learn how riders judge pace and how they know when they are sitting on a Porsche, Maserati, Ferrari, or Toyota or Volkswagon, or an older chevy Vega before they even get to the starting gate.

We talk the new crop rules and how they affect riders, safety, owners, trainers, and bettors. Is it more important how fast a horse is going or how a horse is going fast? Is it fair for couples married or otherwise to have to be an entry and what do Paco Lopez and Chantal yell at each other during a race?

Towards the end we were treated with the most special guest of all, and it will all of your pleasure to meet her. She stole the show with a smile.

This was just a great show, with some great racing people. It is just a bonus we can learn so much from it and them.

Sit back and enjoy the show:

Welcome to another episode of Past the Wire's podcast Gate to Wire brought to you by Spendthrift Farm.

Fresh on the heels of a record unprecedented seventh win in the Kentucky Derby, and while preparing two horses to run in the Preakness, Bob Baffert found time to sit down with Past the Wire’s Jeff Metz and Jonathan Stettin.

Sure, we asked some horse questions. Of course we wanted to know where Gamine might be heading, and how you prepare two speed horses running against each other in a classic. We also wanted to know Bob, and things like what was on the seventh Kentucky Derby dinner menu.

Does Bob bet? What kind of a jockey was he? What would he do if he wasn’t training? We know Bob, and soon you will too!

What we didn’t do was ask the same questions everyone else does. We already all know the answers to those.

Sit back and enjoy this very special episode of Past the Wire TV with two time Triple Crown winner and seven time Kentucky Derby winning trainer Bob Baffert. Nobody does it better!

A career dedicated to the improvement of horse health, welfare, and performance all started with a $300 bet, or investment if you will in a bucket of stuff. Justin Sallusto has a good heart, and that heart prompted him to feel for an older salesman trying to sell a bag of stuff he claimed was all natural and could help a horse. The rest has become horse health history and led Justin, a Grade 1 winning trainer into a venture that led him on a path to improve horse health and performance through nutrition and without the use of drugs.

On this episode of Past the Wire's podcast, Gate to Wire, brought to you by Spendthrift Farm you will meet Justin and hear how it all started. Justin has been around the racetrack a long time and has his share of racetrack tales and he did share a few with us.

Hear Justin's take on bleeding, Lasix, race day medications and a variety of other horse health and welfare topics including what constitutes a performance enhancer. We'll go back in time and explore horse health and how the thoroughbred of today is different from the thoroughbred of yesterday. 

You'll also hear about some of the Kingdom Nutrition Company products and what Justin claims they can do, and the examples of when and how they worked at every level of the game. 

This is an interesting show not only for owners, trainers, and breeders, but also fans and handicappers as there is a lot of knowledge and experience shared. Thank you for tuning in. You can listen to the podcast below or watch the Past the Wire TV YouTube version as well. Whatever works:

Jon and Mike pick some spots on Oaks day to build your Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby Derby bankroll!
For more on the Oaks and Derby visit Past the Wire Tv on YouTube or pastthewire.com

We have another great podcast here. This episode of Past the Wire's Gate to Wire podcast brought to you by Spendthrift Farm is a must listen.

On this show agent Ronnie Ebanks joins Jonathan Stettin and Jeff Metz for a frank and candid discussion on trainer John Sadler’s late decision to replace Santa Anita Derby winning rider Umberto Rispoli for Joel Rosario aboard Rock Your World in the Kentucky Derby.

Rosario became available after trainer Bob Baffert decided not to run Concert Tour who Rosario was scheduled to ride. Jockeys in the United States for the most part ride without contracts. It is usually a handshake type of thing which depending on which side of the fence you sit, can mean it is a strong commitment or no commitment at all. The conversation gets interesting and offers differing perspectives on business decisions and loyalty.

We did invite John Sadler onto the show. He never answered us. We also invited owner Kosta Hronis who did answer and say while he enjoys the show, it was John’s decision and he did not want to discuss someone else’s decision. He also offered that through the years of having horses with John he has never provided any input on riders.

Our invitation:

“Hi John, this is John Stettin from Past the Wire. I reached out to Kosta as well. I’d like to invite one or both of you onto the YouTube show I host with Jeff Metz who I’m sure you know. While I don’t agree with the decision about Umberto and Joel I certainly respect your right to make it. I think it would be great for the fans and the sport and the transparency we need to talk about what goes into a decision like this and I think it can go very well. Thank you in advance for considering it.”

No reply…….

The Past the Wire clan welcomes retired trainer Chuck Simon, who hosts his own podcast Going in Circles, along with renowned Veterinarians Dr. Kathryn Papp and Dr. Bryan Langlois to this episode of Past the Wire's podcast, Gate to Wire brought to you by Spendthrift Farm. On the heels of trainer Joe Orseno's comments about Lasix following Imprimis bleeding at Keeneland, and Hidden Scroll bleeding following a race on the same card the panel sat down to discuss Lasix. Sure we know the topic has been debated many times in the past, but now a federal law exists that will ultimately ban the drug from race day use in the United States, or at least in the states which opt in to the Horse Racing safety and Integrity Act. There is so much to work out and the panel starts by exploring what has changed in racing creating an environment where over 90% of our horses race with the drug, and how much it helps as opposed to whether it hurts the horses both short and long term. 

As with many aspects of the Sport of Kings, Thoroughbred Horse Racing one issue ties into another which ties into another and it almost seems endless. This is a video and podcast you won't want to miss as the panel brings so much to the table and hits on so many topics and issues hindering the success and growth let alone the survival of the sport we love. 

With a panel like this you can expect solutions offered with their opinions. This is an outspoken and passionate bunch who may differ in thoughts and views but share a commonality in their love for the horse and the animals well being put first before the business of racing and breeding. 

Lasix as a mask for other substances is debunked but the use of other substances is explored along with policies of racetrack management and state governing bodies on doing what is necessary to create a level playing field for healthy and sound horses. If you care about the horses and the sport this is a show you will wamt to check out. 

What would racing be without the bettor? Nothing, the bettor is the customer with no voice in the game, well not one that anyone hears or listens to anyway. Our panel tackles that issue as well realizing the bettor is an integral and vital piece of the equation. This reminds us of Jonathan Stettin's Who Yields the Power article and it is always the one with the checkbook or money. 

Sit back and enjoy the show. 

We hope you enjoy the latest episode of the Gate to Wire podcast, Past the Wire's podcast brought to you by Spendthrift Farm.

Nicholas Vaccarezza is the perfect example of what the future of horse racing should be. He has passion for the sport with his love of the animal itself always coming first. He has carved out a path and road for himself he hopes will take him to the top of the world in the Sport of Kings and from what we see he is doing it the right way and is the type of man the game needs. He is paying his dues, and learning all the facets. 

Nicholas comes from a racing family, but it was not always that way. His father, Carlo Vaccarezza is probably best known for multiple graded stakes winner Little Mike who currently resides at Old Friends Farm in Lexington where Nick and Carlo visit him. Carlo was able to transition himself from a fan and gambling man while an extremely successful restauranteur in New York City into an owner, buyer, breeder, and ultimately a trainer. It is not easy to break into the Sport of Kings coming from a restaurant and gambling background but Carlo did it. 

Nick is outspoken about his views on key issues in the sport, and also what he thinks are viable solutions. We think you will enjoy meeting and getting to know this young man who sets a good example of desire and work ethic getting you where you want to go. As gamblers ourselves our bet is Nicholas Vaccarezza has a bright future in horse racing and that is good for all of us who love this sport.