Barry Spears, known as the Urbn Handicapper without that first A, talks about his growth as a respected horseplayer and tournament competitor when he is the special guest this week on the Ron Flatter Racing Pod.

A native of New England who lives in Florida, Spears recounts his early days when his parents and grandparents took him to racetracks to learn how to bet on horses. Those early seeds led Spears to becoming a regular at the betting windows and then a seasoned handicapper who has been a regular presence at tournaments across the country.

A self-professed math nerd, Spears gets into how the numbers game has worked for him as he integrates modern technology into his traditional forms of handicapping.

Spears also calls himself unapologetically Black. He talks about how racing has made strides in becoming more diverse but still has hurdles to clear.

Chuck Simon, the late trainer and media personality, took Spears under his wing, something that also is discussed on this episode.

Co-hosts John Cherwa of the Los Angeles Times and Keith Nelson of Fairmount Park offer their popular host chat.

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.