Winning Ponies

It's Win and You're In! weekend, with top races on both coasts and in the heart of Bluegrass country. It's opening weekend at Keeneland and covering the races there is one of the Daily Racing Form's top writers and handicappers - Marty McGee. The Eclipse Award winner will join John to analyze the Grade 1 $500,000 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity; Grade 1 $400,000 First Lady Stakes; Grade 2 $250,000 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes and the grand finale Grade 1 $1 million Shadwell Turf Mile. Author and Handicapper Rich Eng will cover the coasts from his palatial estate in Las Vegas with the Grade 1 $300,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship from Santa Anita and the Grade 1 $500,000 Champagne Stakes and Grade 1 $400,000 Beldame Stakes from Belmont Park.

The Breeders' Cup is just around the corner! Santa Anita showcasing 4 win and you're in Breeders' Cup races on Saturday as we ever so quickly approach the Breeders' Cup. Jeremy Balan is our boots on the ground correspondent working for the Blood-Horse and he will give his insights to the fields that will compete in the four Gr. 1 $300,000 races - The Awesome Again; the Chandelier; the Front Runner and the Rodeo Drive. HorseTourneys.com Communications Director Eric Wing will cover on the East Coast the 4 graded stakes at Belmont Park, three of which are win and you're in Breeders' Cup races - The $750,000 Gr. 1 Jockey Gold Cup, the $500,000 Gr. 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, the $350,000 G1. Vosburg Stakes and the $200,000 Gr. 3 Pilgrim Stakes.

A longtime lover of horse racing, Keith got into the industry in 1985, his first job coming in the publicity office at the newly re-opened Garden State Park. Today as the track’s announcer and host of PTHA’s 'Let’s Go Racing,' he is both the face and voice of the track. He will tell us about the highs and lows of a 32-year career in the horse racing industry. Our spotlight this week we will go to the City of Brotherly Love. Parx has two $1 million races with the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby and Cotillion Stakes ,the Grade 3, $300,000 Gallant Bob and the $150,000 Pa Derby Championship Stakes. Joining John for the first time is Keith Jones to give us some insight into these stakes. Previous host of this show Ed Meyer will join John to handicap the Grade 2 Kelso from Belmont (only graded race there Sat.) and 2 from the re-scheduled Laurel Fall Festival of Racing. - The Grade 3 $250,000 De Francis Dash and the $150,000 All Along Stakes.

Dan Tordjman is a freelance writer, blogger, handicapper and founder of the horse racing website, DanonymousRacing.com. Dan is beyond thrilled to be joining America's Best Racing as a Brand Ambassador in New York. He has worked tirelessly to promote racing on his site and strongly believes in the mission of ABR. He will convey the excitement at a typical Breeders' Cup post positions draw which will take place this year at Equestricon on Monday October, 29th at the Kentucky International Convention Center in downtown Louisville. It is also a big Saturday at Woodbine with four major graded stakes on tap, Our show's sponsor Woodbine Entertainment Group will provide A special Woodbine Handicapper who will join John to cover the $800,000 Grade 1 Ricoh Woodbine Mile a Win and you're in Breeders' Cup race, the $300,000 Grade 1 Northern Dancer Turf, the $250,000 Grade 2 Canadian Stakes and the $125,000 Grade 2 Bold Venture Stakes.

Saturday is the biggest day of the meet at Kentucky Downs with four graded stakes races and daily purses through the roof. We have two members of the Kentucky Downs analysis team joining us with Dick Downey and Caton Bredar. Dick Downey will be our Ladies Man as he will tackle the Gr. 3 $450,000 Kentucky Downs Ladies Sprint and Gr. 3 $500,000 Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf. Caton Bredar will join us to help find the top contenders in the Gr. 3 $750,000 Calumet Farm Kentucky Turf Cup; Gr. 3 $500,000 Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint and the $500,000 Kentucky Downs Juvenile Turf Sprint.

It is Labor Day weekend and the Stakes will be smoking all over the country! We are putting two great racing personalities to work on helping us find angles and winners in Kentucky and New York. Respected author and on-site handicapper Gary West will take us through opening day at Kentucky Downs that features the unique All-Stakes Pick-4 with only a 14% takeout. It starts with the $250,000 One Dreamer followed by the $750,000 Tourist Mile, then on to the $400,000 Kentucky Downs Juvenile and it closes out with the $400,000 Juvenile Fillies. Tom Law of the Saratoga Special got the meet off to a start on Winningponies and he will close it out with a review of the summer at the Spa. Races on tap for Saturday are: the “Win and You’re In” Gr. 1 $350,000 Spinaway; the Gr. 1 $750,000 Woodward; the Gr. 3 $300,000 Saranac and the Gr. 2 $250,000 Glens Falls. Be sure to download Sunday’s “Saratoga Special” as “Racing’s Regular Guy” John Engelhardt!

It is time for the “Mid-Summer Derby” and a plethora of quality-laden graded stakes races. We are lucky to get the “Daily Racing Form’s Dynamic Duo” of Dan Illman and Matt Bernier to weigh in on the historic Travers Stakes and the amazing undercard. There will be plenty of betting opportunities at Saratoga with 6 grade 1 stakes on tap and we will be getting the insight of two of racing’s most respected handicappers. Matt will kick it off with the $1 million Sword Dancer (G1); the $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial (G1) and the 1.25 million Travers Stakes (G1) while Dan will tackle the $700,000 Personal Ensign Stakes (G1); the $500,000 Ballerina Stakes; the $600,000 Forego Handicap and also the Travers Stakes.

Daily Racing Form's Andrew Champagne currently serves as a Web Producer, maintaining pages on DRF.com. and optimizing our online content to reach the most people possible. Furthermore, he continues his freelance work as a handicapper for The Saratogian and his 128 winners at the 2017 meet led all public handicappers across the media. Andrew will lend his handicapping skills in dissecting with John the Stakes on this Saturday's Saratoga card - the Grade 1 $600,000 Alabama Stakes for 3 year old fillies and the Grade 2 $300,000 Lake Placid Stakes also for 3 year old fillies. The main focus of the weekend shifts to Del Mar. Daily Racing Form's Jay Privman who covers the Southern California circuit and such national events as the Triple Crown and Breeders' Cup, will join the show to give us his insights on the Grade 1 $1 million Pacific Classic; the Grade 1 $300,000 Del Mar Oaks and the Grade 2 $250,000 Del Mar Handicap.

This week it is an all handicapping show from Saratoga to Chicago ! First we will examine two of the top Juvenile races at Saratoga - the Gr.2 $200,000 Adirondack on Saturday and Grade 2 $200,000 Saratoga Special on Sunday. The Happy Horseplayer Ed Meyer will join John at examining those races from Saratoga. We've got boots on the ground in Chicago with Daily Racing Form's Marcus Hersh who is based there. All eyes on the Windy City as they present the Gr. 1 $1,000,000 Arlington Million; Gr. 1 $6000,000 Beverly D. and Gr. 1 $$400,000 Secretariat Stakes. The Million and Beverly D. are B.C. Win and you're In races.

Jockey Julio 'Maganja' Felix recorded the 3,000th win of his career in a photo finish aboard Ragnar Korthase's Carnoustie on May 25 at Arlington International Racecourse. He will tell us a little about his career as a jockey and the mentoring he has bestowed on jockeys such as Kevin Krigger, Victor LeBron and a newcomer Eucklyn Pede Prentice who accredit Julio as a great teacher when speaking of their success. Julio Felix, 51, is New York born but his family hails from St. Croix, Virgin Islands. He rode a handful of races there as a teen before he set up shop in South Florida in 1989. Another big week at the races and John will be joined by the other Regular Guy - Ed Meyer. They will start at Saratoga with the Gr.1 $1.2 million Whitney and the Gr.1 $500,000 Longines Test Stakes. Then it is time to head west and land at Mountaineer Park where the track's premiere race of the year will be run - the Gr.3 $500,000 West Virginia Derby.

The other shoe finally dropped and it is officially announced that Justify will be leaving the racing game. What are the implications and impact? We'll discuss this late breaking news with Evan Hammonds and reflect on a recent column he penned on changes in the horse's ownership. Evan Hammonds has worked at The Blood-Horse for over 15 years, first as managing editor in 1998 and was named executive editor in 2007. Daily Racing Form columnist and handicapper Byron King will help catch up on the national news. Then he and John will look for the major contenders at Saratoga in the important Jim Dandy Stakes, a Gr. 2 worth $600,000; the Gr. 1 $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap and the $100,000 Curlin Stakes, a prep for the Travers Stakes. If time allows, they may take a look at Del Mar's Gr. 1 $300,000 Bing Crosby Stakes a Breeders Cup 'Win-and-you're-in' race.

Three Chimneys Farm announced Friday that seasoned veteran horseman Tom Hamm will assume the role of Director of Stallion Nominations to handle season sales and bloodstock activity at the farm. Tom will tell us what his move to Three Chimneys Farm means to him and reflect on his lifetime experience in the breeding industry. His stint at Taylor Made Farm while California Chrome was breeding there, his short stays at Woodford Thoroughbreds where he served as general manager of breeding operations, and at Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm in Florida where he worked as farm manager. Our guest handicapper is DRF columnist Marcus Hersh who is covering the extensive stakes program on the major evening at Indiana Downs on Saturday. He will join John to handicap the deep fields in the Grade 3 $500,000 Indiana Derby and Grade 3 $200,000 Indiana Oaks. The $100,000 Warrior’s Veterans on the turf with a full field kicks off the Pick-3.

Brian Hernandez Jr., winner of the 2012 Ellis Park riding crown was at Ellis the day after wrapping up his first riding title at Churchill Downs in his adopted hometown of Louisville, 43 wins to 38 for runner-up Florent Geroux. But the sheer joy that the accomplishment should have brought was countered by the anguish when the tight title tilt with his close friend and 15-time Churchill riding champ Corey Lanerie ended with the sudden death of Lanerie’s wife Shantel, who was undergoing treatment for Stage 1 breast cancer, and had emergency surgery after an infected colon led to sepsis and cardiac arrest. She died the next day. Eric Wing joins John in 'capping Belmont Park Saturday slew of graded stakes races including the $1.2 million Belmont Derby Invitational (G1); the $1 million Belmont Oaks (G1); the $700,000 Suburban (G2) and the $350,000 Belmont Sprint Championship (G2). Eric will give updates on any upcoming horse tourneys action and spot key contenders on Saturday at Belmont.

Retired Hall of Fame Jockey Sandy Hawley will talk about his job at Woodbine Entertainment Group as Public Relations Ambassador and give us a glimpse of his career as a jockey which spanned 31 years until his retirement on July 1, 1998. He will also give us a taste of what the 159th Queen's Plate means to our friends north of the border and talk about the undertaking that Woodbine Entertainment Group is making in both facilities Woodbine Racetrack and the Standard Bred facility at Mohawk Park. Our second guest from Canada is Robert Reid Jr., a handicapper, a fan and part of the Woodbine team. He will join John in handicapping the $1,000,000 Queen’s Plate Stakes(G1), and if time allows any of the $250,000 Highlander Stakes (G1) (a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series “Win & You’re In” race), the $175,000 Dance Smartly Stakes (G2) and the $175,000 King Edward Stakes (G2).

This is the week for script Ohio, but we won’t be dotting the “I” at midfield. Instead we will be talking with two bandleaders in Ohio – former rider Mike Manganello and Thistledown’s on-air handicapper Rich Ruda. Most remember Manganello for his 1970 victory in the Kentucky Derby, but he will be celebrated at the track as it is the 50th anniversary of his win in the Ohio Derby aboard Te Vega. He also won over 1,000 races in the Cleveland area during his storied career. Handicapper Rich Ruda is a lifelong horseplayer, who has been the on-air handicapper for Thistledown for 10 years . He will join John on Ohio’s biggest day of racing with the centerpiece being the Graded $500,000 Ohio Derby. It is racing’s second season and the likes of Flameaway, Lone Sailor and Core Beliefs are gearing up for the big summer graded 3-year-old races and the $500,000 Grade 3 Ohio Derby fits perfectly as a launching pad.

Justify stamped himself as one of the all-time greats by becoming racing's 13th Triple Crown winner with his Belmont Stakes victory. The race was an impressive one, but not without controversy. Did Mike Smith have a wingman in Florent Geroux? Tom Pedulla penned the story for the New York Post and will join John to discuss all sides of the Test of Champions. Tom Pedulla has been the lead writer for America's Best Racing since its inception. He has covered every Triple Crown and Breeders' Cup race since 1997. Daily Racing Form Rich Eng will weigh in with his perspective of the Belmont Stakes. If you are travelling to Churchill Downs for Justify's victory lap, tune in as Rich and John will handicap the stakes-laden card this Saturday headed by the Gr. 1 $500,000 Stephen Foster H. and including the Gr. 2 $200,000 Fleur de Lis H. and the Gr. 2 $200,000 Wise Dan S. The Stephen Foster and Fleur de Lis are Breeders' Cup Win and You're In races.

The racing world will be riveted on Saturday to see if Justify can race himself into the history books as the thirteenth winner of the Triple Crown. We are bringing in two top handicappers from different eras with great insight to the top races. Bob Railbird Roberts will be covering the Belmont Stakes for the Cleveland Plain Dealer and Matt Bernier will be bringing his insights via DRF.com. While the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes and it's Triple Crown allure will be the centerpiece, there is an amazing undercard that will draw the top horses in training. Also featured the $700,000 Acorn Stakes (G1); the $1.2 million Metropolitan Mile (G1) and the $1 million Manhattan Stakes (G1). Join us for a great show of handicapping the best races in the country! A Free Belmont Handicapping Contest will be available on the WinningPonies Website with Cash and Prizes!

Despite winning two Kentucky Derbies, Preakness and Belmont Stakes, Chris McCarron is yet venturing into a new phase of his ever-changing career and has joined Team Valor in an effort to grow ownership in the sport. We'll discuss his impressions of Justify and chances for a Triple Crown and his new career. After retiring from a record-breaking career as a jockey, McCarron served as general manager at Santa Anita. He regularly serves as an on-air personality at corporate events throughout the country. McCarron will continue to be based in Lexington, and will be recruiting new owners through Team Valor as spokesman and promoter traveling to races and various promotional events. Brian Zipze will join John to discuss the Ky Derby and Preakness and Justify's chances at a Triple Crown. Penn National has the $500,000 G2 Penn Mile and the $200,000 Penn Oaks. Santa Anita has the G1 $400,000 Beholder and our friends at Woodbine will feature the $175,000 G2 Connaught Cup.

Hall of Fame Jockey Pat Day will be our first guest. He rode five winners of the Preakness Stakes - Tank's Prospect (85); Summer Squall (90); Tabasco Cat (94); Timber Country (95) and Louis Quartorze (96). He captured the Belmont Stakes three times - Easy Goer (89); Tabasco Cat (94) and Commendable in 2000. Pat will discuss the nuances of race riding in these two unique Triple Crown races. He will also catch us up on current projects he is involved with. Keith McCalmont is the Communications Manager for Woodbine Entertainment. An award-winning writer covering both Thoroughbred and Standard-bred racing, Keith has traveled the world to cover the sport including three trips to the Hong Kong International Races and a recent stint at Meydan for the Dubai World Cup. Keith creates content, promotes horse racing and oversees all matter of press releases. Keith and John will handicap from Woodbine the $175,000 Eclipse S. (G2) and the $175,000 Nassau S. (G2).