Talk Racing To Me

It won’t just all be about Baaeed in the Champion Stakes..

Britsh Champions Day features four Group 1 events, and plenty of prices to be found throughout the day! From the Long Distance Cup to the Sprint Stakes, Michael and Naomi have got you covered. 

Check out the new show to get a head start. 

Let the long-time rider and groom of the exceptionally talented Baaeed tell you about their partnership.

Ricky Hall elaborates on the unbeaten Juddmonte International winner's winter quirks, his laid-back demeanor, and how the relationship has allowed them both to flourish. Working in horse racing can be challenging yet rewarding, and he has coined this horse as the pinnacle of his career already. “There will never be anyone like him,” Ricky said. 

If you weren’t a fan yet, please watch Baaeed’s last victory. He’s a perfect 10/10. Hopefully, he will bow out in style with a possible Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe bid having been thrown into the mix by trainer William Haggas and owner Sheikha Hissa. 

Want to learn more about the US Jumps scene? Look no further than current leading National Steeple Chase jockey Parker Hendriks. 

If you’ve been watching Saratoga, you noticed him secure his first win at the Spa on Freddy Flinshire about two weeks ago.  

Learn about this young and talented rider on this week’s Talk Racing To Me!

Talk Racing To Me with Naomi is back! 

Naomi covers racing on different continents, chatting with trainer Joseph O'Brien about his first ever Saratoga string, as well checking in from South Africa, in particular discussing their big feature race in the Durban July, with winning jockey S’manga Khumalo.

Stay tuned for some life updates as well from the Dutch traveler. 

We recorded this fun episode of Talk Racing To Me with Naomi on quite a special day for Maggie Wolfendale. Happy Anniversary to her and the Englishman she married, Tom Morley!

The show starts pretty straightforward, reflecting on the Belmont Stakes weekend action, and the stars we got to see. 

However, we go into uncharted territory after! Listen to the end..

After a busy and successful week for jockey Jose Ortiz, he joins Naomi to talk about his recent and first-ever Preakness Stakes victory on board of Early Voting for trainer Chad Brown and owner Seth Klarman. Listen to him recalling every moment of the race, and his emotional reaction afterward. 

Man of the moment, Eric Reed, trainer of this year’s long-shot Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike, joined me this morning in between his many media obligations whilst at the barn at Mercury Equine Centre in Lexington.

Listen to Eric’s career story, as well as getting an update on Rich Strike, their next move, what he thought of the outrider incident directly after the wire, and much more. 

Dubai Racing TV producer and presenter, as well as a globetrotting writer, Michael Adolphson joins from Dubai to go over every single Kentucky Derby and Oaks runner. 

Follow him on Twitter for tremendous racing insight: @AdolphsonRacing

We landed on the following selections! 

Mikey’s Picks:

Derby Top 3

1.     Taiba

2.     Messier

3.     Pioneer of Medina 

Oaks Top 3

1.     Shahama

2.     Echo Zulu

3.     Kathleen O. 

Naomi’s picks:

 Derby Top 3

1.     Epicenter

2.     Messier

3.     Taiba

Oaks Top 3

1. Nest

2. Kathleen O. 

3. Echo Zulu 

Good luck all!

Everything you’ve ever wanted to know and more about the Kentucky Derby! 

Freelance turf writer and author Jennifer Kelly, who has written about Sir Barton, the first ever Triple Crown winner, and has a book coming out in the spring of 2023 on Gallant Fox and his son Omaha, joined Naomi. 

A variety of topics were addressed:

Why is the KY Derby always (nearly always) run on the first Saturday in May?

When did the term Triple Crown become popular?

How did the field sizes fluctuate and become regulated over the decades?

How have the fillies fared over the years?

Time records and the story of Sham

The difference between the inaugural distance and current 1m1/4

This is the show to get you in a DERBY STATE OF MIND

Catch up with trainer Brittany Russell and the season she’s had with her team. A young and rising trainer who continues to progress with her runners.

This week’s show ends with a tribute to racing’s most loveable loser: Zippy Chippy. 100 starts without a win. He lived out his days at Old Friend’s Cabin Creek, and turned into a fan favorite. Owner and manager JoAnn Pepper recounts his stories.