Talk Racing To Me

Welcome to Talk Racing To Me with Naomi Show 22!

Perennial Saratoga Meet Leading trainer Todd  Pletcher kicks things off, looking back on securing his 14th Saratoga title. The 7-time Eclipse Award winning Champion trainer reflects on this incredible achievement and what is needed to continue performing at the top of the racing pyramid. 

The 2nd guest is Fasig Tipton Sale representative and bloodstock agent Ramiro Restrepo, who gives us full disclosure on the recently concluded and revamped Fasig Tipton Selected Yearling Showcase. Stick around until the end as he dives into his former life as a Club Promoter and how he ended up starting Marquee Bloodstock – the best part! 

Timecodes:

Todd Pletcher 2:43

Ramiro Restrepo 18:23 + 58:31 – stick around for this part 

Happy Kentucky Derby Week! Back at it again with Show 21. 

Talk Racing To Me! 

Three expert guests share their experience and views on this year's Kentucky Derby and Oaks:

Laffit Pincay III, the Saratoga Live host as well as NBC Sports broadcaster.  He will be covering all the action at Churchill Downs.  

NYRA paddock analyst Maggie Wolfendale returned again this week! Her analysis is second to none.

Champion Apprentice Richard Migliore provides a jockey’s perspective and invaluable insight. 

Timecodes:

Laffit Pincay III 2:30

Maggie Wolfendale 13:08

Richard Migliore 30:00 

Recap Selections:

Laffit

Derby

Tiz the Law 

Four horse trifecta adding: Honor A.P., Enforceable, Thousand

Words 

Oaks

Gamine

Interchangeable: Swiss Skydiver and Speech

Maggie

Derby

Honor AP

Tiz the Law

Authentic 

Oaks

Speech

Swiss Skydiver

Gamine

Mig

Derby

Tiz the Law

Honor AP

King Guillermo 

Oaks

Gamine

Swiss skydiver

Donna Veloce 

Show 20 is quite the anniversary episode! The one and only Maggie Wolfendale, the Queen of NYRA, joins Naomi this week. 

When Maggie talks, everyone listens. Her sharp eye and extensive knowledge of all the runners have made her a popular and unique member of the broadcasting team. Aside from paddock analysis, she’s a host, a handicapper and she conducts horse back interviews to boot. The national Fox Sports shows such as Saratoga Live and America’s Day at the Races wouldn’t be the same without her. 

Naomi and Maggie go over the Forego and Sword Dancer fields, reflect on the most impressive 2YO performances at Saratoga, dive into Maggie’s equine and professional history, her role as on air talent in combination with being an assistant and exercise rider to her husband Tom Morley and so much more. 

What are you waiting for? Check it out.

Talk Racing To Me with Naomi show 19 features New York’s own racecaller John Imbriale and Bob Edwards from e Five racing!

Johnny I as he’s affectionately known to all at NYRA has held

many different roles within the organisation, and has taken to the announcing

booth full time since earlier this year. Learn about his experience, race

calling style, as well as Saratoga history and so much more during this

interview. 

E Five Thoroughbreds consists of Bob and Kris Edwards and their

children Cassidy, Riley and Delaney. They have campaigned multiple BC winners

in New Money Honey, Good Magic and Rushing Fall, and have truly been an

outstanding force promoting the industry and their horses via their social

media outlets, newsletter and app. 

Timecodes:

Johnny I : 3:05

Bob Edwards: 39:55

Enjoy!

Show 18 is here! Featuring Hall of Fame rider Johnny Velazquez.

Johnny chats everything Gamine, from her character, to what she feels like to ride and possible race plans.

He shares his insight and experience in the game after 31 years, continuously developing himself and learning.

Saratoga mounts coming up this weekend were mentioned too: Gufo in the Saratoga Derby and Spice is Nice in the G1 Alabama Stakes.

A possible KY Derby ride is hinted at and Johnny elaborates on the quarantine experience for him professionally as well as personally.

TUNE IN!

It's Runhappy Travers Week!

Before we dive into the action coming up, there is a guest returning to the Talk Racing To Me with Naomi airwaves... Now Grade 1 winning trainer Jack Sisterson! We discussed 3 of his horses on show 16 and these were their results: Vexatious won the G1 Personal Ensign, Everfast won the race after and Lexitonian missed out by a nose almost making it a Grade 1 double on the day for the young Englishman. 

The second guest is co-founding father of the In The Money Media Network, a man most know very well, or at least his voice.. Peter Thomas Fornatale. Naomi joined him at Brentwood across from Saratoga racecourse for some cocktails and pizza. They orchestrated a nice little exchange podcast exchange, resulting in this segment and Naomi's appearance on the Brentwood show. PTF shares his opinion on the 3 Grade 1 races coming up this weekend: The Ballerina, the Test and the Travers.

Timecodes:

Jack Sisterson 2:49

Peter Thomas Fornatale: 26:27

The Saratoga G1 Stakes preview featuring the Personal Ensign, the Whitney and the H. Allen Jerkens. 

Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey chats Code of Honor as well as reminiscing on the legendary Personal Ensign and Easy Goer.

Calumet Farm trainer Jack Sisterson elaborates upon late Alfred G. Vanderbilt scratch Lexitonian, his Bing Crosby entry, Vexatious running in the Personal Ensign and Everfast on the undercard.

Long standing NYRA analyst Andy Serling ties it all together by going over the entire fields of the three top level events on the day. 

Enjoy! 

Timecodes:

2:36 Shug McGaughey 

16:45 Jack Sisterson

29:33 Andy Serling 

An action-packed Show 15 of Talk Racing To Me with Naomi is here!

Naomi kicks things off with Fox Sports host, reporter and analyst as well as Gulfstream park on air handicapper and assistant producer Acacia Courtney. 

Both of them are working at Saratoga and hence were able to find a spare hour for a proper sit down. It truly is a candid chat, no holding back, just two friends talking freely. 

It would be a hard act to follow Acacia Courtney, but 2015 Champion Apprentice, rising star and last year’s Preakness Stakes winner Tyler Gaffalione does not let you down.

He discusses the current quarantine experience, his recent CCA Oaks win and alludes at working on his Kentucky Derby options. Many topics were breached with this young hardworking star.

Both fervently promised to make more frequent appearances on the Pod!

Timecodes:

Acacia Courtney: 3:28

Tyler Gaffalione: 1:02:54

NT sits down with the voice of the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup Broadcasts on NBC Sports: Larry Collmus. 

They chat about a spontaneous visit to Amsterdam, his love for Baseball and the words he uttered after American Pharoah won the Triple Crown. Larry elaborates on the story of his NBC Sports call up, game plan for calling the KY Derby and so much more. 

They cover just about everything! Truly an episode you don’t want to miss. Larry Collmus like you’ve never heard before. Naomi actually makes a wager that every single person listening will learn something new about Larry or is entertained…

If not, you get your money back! 

Today’s show features a very special guest in Santa Anita Park Senior Vice President and Executive Producer, as well as long standing NCB Sports Producer Amy Zimmerman.

Amy elaborates upon the atmosphere and silence in the production truck when American Pharoah won the Triple Crown; how they had a major sportscast to produce, whereby the climax always presents itself in the last half hour, but even more so in that instant. 

She outlines her start within the industry, moving to Kentucky before realising California is truly home, in addition to sharing her memories of some of the greatest trainers that were based on the Santa Anita backstretch. 

We go over her favourite Charlie Whittingham trainee, Kentucky Derby and Breeders Cup Classic winner Ferdinand, the launch of HRTV and its eventual conclusion when taken over by Betfair’s TVG. 

Her success has truly spoken for itself, but it is worthy to note that her resume contains 26 Eclipse Award-winning, 14 Emmy-winning, and four International Simulcast Award receiving productions.