Gate to Wire

At Past the Wire where we are horse racing uncensored, we ask the question should players be able to professionally ask questions of riders when they see rides which as investors they are not comfortable with? We think yes they should and it goes towards the transparency the sport needs to truly thrive again if that is even possible.

On this episode of Past the Wire TV and our podcast Gate to Wire brought to you by Spendthrift Farm we have what we believe to be a very interesting show.

Past the Wire reader and founder of giddyupbets.com Mark Dilorenzo, a respected professional horse player watched a ride he thought was questionable. He reached out to several racing media outlets, nobody responded. Watch and or listen to our fair, unbiased and balanced conversation about this interesting and touchy subject.

The video of the race mark questioned and his breakdown of it can be seen on his twitter feed @GiddyUpBets or at our twitter feed @pastthewire

At Past the Wire we as much as anyone respect the riders for the true athletes and competitors they are. We know how difficult the jockey lifestyle can be. We truly believe the large majority are all in with every horse they ride and want to win every race they can. We also think it is fair to talk to them about rides and decisions they make the same way athletes in other sports take questions about plays, good and bad in press conferences, and also in interviews.

Sit back and enjoy the show:

Gulfstream Park track announcer Pete Aiello was kind enough on busy Florida Derby week to join the Past the Wire clan on their podcast Gate to Wire brought to you by Spendthrift Farm. 

Sure they talked the Florida Derby and who Pete, Jon, and Michael vale all liked and disliked. Things got fun however when Pete handicapped the Pick 6 King himself pegging Jon's single in the mandatory rainbow pick 6 payout. If that wasn't bad enough, Jon is planning on singling a horse who was beat more than 20 lengths in her last start and that is not something you see every day. 

Pete has a pretty good speed play opinion on the big race which closes out the mandatory payout rainbow 6. Jon has his single in the sequence and a horse he has been following into the Florida Derby. Vale comes in with his thoughts on the race also.

It is impossible not to have a great show with Pete at the table. In addition to the Pete handicapping the Pick 6 King himself the two also reminisce about the one ride the great Frankie Dettori would probably like to have back. Jon also shares some comments from jockey Jose Ortiz about Florida Derby favorite Greatest Honour's last trip in the Fountain of Youth. 

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.

In this episode Santa Anita trainer Jeff Metz talks with professional handicapper Jonathan Stettin about analyzing workouts.

The knowledgeable pair discuss what to look for in morning workouts, what trainers try and hide, what clockers miss and what you can take from following morning workouts. They discuss the recent work of early Kentucky Derby favorite Life Is Good who after the workout defected from the Triple Crown trail. This is a video any fan or handicapper can learn a lot from.

What makes a horse a “morning glory” and when are workouts most important? When can you ignore workouts and how do you spot trainer intent. Jeff is an experienced trainer, Jon has been in the game his whole life. Jeff’s wife is a clocker at Santa Anita so there is a Harvard Education world of information here. We are always helping you to be a better bettor.

Trainer Tells, what are they and how do you spot them?

On this episode of Past the Wire's podcast, Gate to Wire brought to you by Spendthrift Farm and Kingdom Nutrition Company, we once again offer one of those Harvard Education lessons on handicapping and insight on improving your game regardless of the level you are at. We can make you a better bettor!

Hosts Michael Vale and Pick 6 King Jonathan Stettin get into an interesting discussion on trainer tells, and how some telegraph their intentions. Knowing a trainer's intentions with a horse is valuable and can give you a significant edge or leg up on your competition. Trainers have tells and once you learn them it is like knowing what Teddy KGB had when he chomped those oreos in Rounders. 

Michael picks Jon's brain on tell's and how to spot and how to capitalize on them. If you are new in your handicapping journey, or just want to get better or closer to that small group who beat this game this is a show you will not want to miss. 

Of course we have some other fun and interesting banter between our hosts on everything from MMA to boxing to the three year old crop and the best early look you will hear on the Bob Baffert Kentucky Derby. RunHappy has nothing on Bob as far as we are concerned. 

Sit back and enjoy the show:

Joel Rosario, known for his strong finishes, is one of the best riders in the world. He has won the Kentucky Derby, Dubai World Cup, Breeders' Cup Classic, the Belmont Stakes, and multiple other Breeders' Cup races and graded stakes. Before coming to the United States Joel even won the Dominican Triple Crown. You can add two wins and counting at Royal Ascot. There is little question Joel's resume is already one of the best, and he will only keep padding it. 

Some firsts for Joel:

His First Grade 1 Win: 2009 La Brea at Santa Anita on Evita Argentina

His First Stakes Win: 2007 Luck of the Irish at Bay Meadows on Dealer Choice

His First Graded Stakes Win: 2008 San Pasqual (G2) at Santa Anita on Zappa

His First Career Win: July 2000 at the Galapagos Hippodromo V Centenario

Joel joined Pick 6 King Jonathan Stettin, and Eduardo Cofino on this episode of Past the Wire's podcast, Gate to Wire brought to you by Spendthrift Farm. This is the first of our podcasts also hosted on our Past the Wire YouTube channel. 

Joel may be one tough athlete, but he is also very personable and was a pleasure to chat with. he started riding at a very young age and has been around horses all his life.

Thanks for watching, listening, or both! Sit back and enjoy the show:

If we were going to take you inside a Vegas sportsbook, you know it was going to be the best!

Betting on sports is more popular than ever. On this episode of Past the Wire's podcast, Gate to Wire, brought to you by Spendthrift Farm we welcome Paul Zilm, Risk Supervisor at Circa Sportsbook in Las Vegas. Circa is quickly growing into one of the top sportsbooks not only in Vegas but in the country. It is a first class operation and run as such by knowledgeable people who care about their industry and customer. 

Paul plays an integral and key role in the day to day operations at Circa. He will take you inside his day, and talks about setting lines, moving lines, adjusting lines and watching the market. Paul talks with our hosts Jonathan Stettin and Michael Vale about spotting the sharp players and money and how a sportsbook reacts to their wagers. We go into setting limits, evaluation trends and plays, and all the aspects of managing the risks and liabilities in this fast paced and exciting environment where large sums of money can change hands over a tipped play. 

Paul is a lover of horseracing and also a player and student of the game. As such he discusses the relationship between the Las Vegas sportsbook and horseracing as well as how the Sport of Kings is viewed and treated in Vegas. We talk about Kentucky Derby futures, and how those lines are set, managed, and monitored. 

Paul answered a lot of questions and provided a world of information. We even talked about the ways some players try and take advantage of the books, type-o's, bad lines and any other vulnerability that may occur. Of course Paul explained how the books combat these types of opportunists as well. 

Jon and Michael both felt this was one of the most interesting and enjoyable shows they've done so far. We think you will too. 

Thank you and sit back and enjoy the show and visit Circa and say hello for us when you get the chance!

Get the straight scoop on racehorse claiming partnerships!

Racehorse partnerships are one of the things in horse racing that have steadily grown over the past several years. There are an abundance of them and more and more keep sprouting up. They certainly minimize the risk for owners, but they also limit the involvement and decision making process. 

On this episode of Past the Wire's podcast, Gate to Wire brought to you by Spendthrift Farm hosts Jonathan Stettin and Michael Vale welcome Steve Zorn. Steve was a managing partner of the claiming partnership of CVF Partnerships for over 20 years. In addition to being a former managing partner, and a student of the game, Steve is also a former law professor. 

Jon, Michael, and Steve discuss claiming partnerships and what to look for when joining one. They talk about how they usually work and their impact on thoroughbred horse racing. 

Obviously all partnerships are not created equal. Learn about the structures of different partnerships, how they make and how they lose money. 

This impromptu panel brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the show so if you are interested in possibly investing in a partnership this is a good listen for you. If you simply want to know how they work this is a pretty good place to start as well. 

Thanks for tuning in. Sit back and enjoy the show!

On this episode of Past the Wire's podcast, Gate to Wire, brought to you by Spendthrift Farm, hosts Michael Vale and Jonathan Stettin take a look at pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby future book. They look at all the horses listed in pool 3 and comment on how they stack up, how the betting will likely go, and if they offer any real value.

If you plan to play a Kentucky Derby future wager in pool 3 this should be a great episode for you. If the advance wager is not for you, and it is not for everyone, this is still a great place to start following the Kentucky Derby contenders, and spotting the pretenders. 

You can also get a leg up on the competition looking at Pick 6 King Jonathan Stettin's early Kentucky Derby list and see his early thoughts here.....

To go "all" or not to go "all", that is the question.

Some players like to use the all button. Pick 6 King Jonathan Stettin is not one of them. He hardly ever uses the all button. Co host Michael vale agrees with him. They are probably in the minority of today's horseplayers. It seems with an emphasis on larger tickets in smaller denominations most players favor the all button when fishing for those big long-shots. 

On this episode of the Past the Wire's podcast, Gate to Wire, brought to you by Spendthrift Farm, Jon and Michael welcome handicapper Dan Cronin, or Keeneland Dan or Fat Bald Guy as he is better known. Dan is the man behind fatbaldguyracing.com and he has made his fair share of scores using the all button. In contrast, Pick 6 King Jonathan Stettin has taken down some big pick 6's, none with the all button.

The trio have a lively discussion on when to use and not use the all button, and if it is right for everyone and in every situation. Of course if you get these three talking horses you just never know what is going to come up. 

Sit back and enjoy the show:

On this episode of Past the Wire's podcast, Gate to Wire, brought to you by Spendthrift Farm, we have stakes, stakes, and more stakes. Hosts Jonathan Stettin, the Pick 6 King, and Michael Vale, run through the all stakes pick 5 at Gulfstream Park anchored by the Pegasus World Cup. Get their selections and thoughts on the races. It is a competitive sequence and both handicappers have strong opinions in a few of the key spots.

As a bonus they discuss the Smarty Jones at Oaklawn Park, their opening day feature and a key Arkansas Derby and potential Kentucky Derby prep race. 

Let's see how they do in this Pegasus World Cup all stakes pick 5 sequence and the big three-year old race of the weekend.

Sit back and enjoy the show: