Who are some of the movers and shakers in racing whose names might be known to fans and horseplayers, but their work might have been taken for granted? Two politicians who are friends of racing are featured this week and next on the Ron Flatter Racing Pod.

Retiring Kentucky state senate floor majority leader Damon Thayer, a Republican from Georgetown, has been considered on both sides of the aisle a friend and advocate of racing. He has been a guiding prod for tax breaks and other financial incentives to promote breeding and ownership in his home state, the spread of historic horse-racing machines that have stoked race purses as well as the advent of penny-breakage reform that has put money back in the pockets of horseplayers.

This episode goes beyond a listing of Thayer's accomplishments in his 22 years since there is plenty of talk about racing memories that turned him into such a fan of the sport.

Next week, California Horse Racing Board member Oscar Gonzales, a Democrat from Rosemead, will be featured.

The Ron Flatter Racing Pod via Horse Racing Nation is available via free subscription from Apple, Firefox, iHeart and Spotify as well as HorseRacingNation.com.