TDN Podcast

Oaklawn Park owner and president Louis Cella discusses the challenges and logistics of running a race meet in the coronavirus era.

He might not want to answer the question, but among his 1-2-3 Derby prospects, Nadal, Charlatan and Authentic, who is the best? Bob Baffert joins the writers on the Writers’ Room podcast to try to answer that question.

The Thoroughbred Idea Foundation issued a paper last week showing just how much of the pie goes to ADWs, and how little to purses, in California. Pat Cummings of the TIF joins us to talk about it.

“There’s still a lot of anxiety,” says Chaplain Humberto Chavez, whose ministry helps thousands of backstretch workers every day. “But in the midst of that, I get to see men and women that love their jobs, and come in every day to take care of these beautiful horses.”

After 30 years at the helm of their Denali Stud, Craig and Holly Bandoroff are–if not stepping aside–at least taking a step or two in that direction. But the operation is safe in the capable hands of their son, Conrad. Kelsey Riley reports.

In this week’s TDN Writers’ Room presented by Keeneland, NYTHA president Joe Appelbaum joined the crew as the Green Group Guest of the Week to talk about when we can expect to see racing again in New York, the efforts to help Belmont backstretch workers, his personal betting strategies and much more.

Scott Chaney, recently appointed executive director of the CHRB, talks to Bill Finley about the horse welfare and integrity issues he said will be the focus of the board. Chaney said he foresees a total ban of the whip in California within the next few years.

It has been a tough couple of months for trainer Tom Amoss, whose father Jim passed away due to the coronovirus earlier this month. Amoss had his own personal scare as he went into quarantine after shaking the hand of New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton after a race at Oaklawn Park. Payton announced a few days later, he was positive for the virus. But Amoss remains upbeat as he tries to manage his stable through these difficult times.

Will there be spectators at the September sale? The Keeneland Fall Meet? Like all of us, Bill Thomason doesn’t have all the answers, but he talks about plans, protocols and contingencies for Keeneland this fall on the Writers’ Room podcast.

He’s currently the most successful trainer in the sport, and Chad Brown joins Joe Bianca, Bill Finley, Jon Green and Alan Carasso to talk about racing in the age of the coronavirus.