Winning Ponies

‘At the Races with Steve Byk’ is thoroughbred racing’s only national daily news and talk show and features a roster of the leading voices in the game from virtually every perspective. Steve will tell us a little about his talk show and about his venture with trainer Chuck Simon Dee Tee Stables, his way in bringing racing fans into the game as owners at a minimal cost. br Dean Keppler is our guest handicapper. He will talk Eclipse Awards and about his next endeavor since leaving the PAULICK REPORT. He will analyze two races from the Fair Grounds that will serve as preps on the road to the Derby and Oaks with the $200,000 Grade 3 Twinspires.com Lecompte Stakes and $150,000 Silverbulletday Stakes. We will also look at the $250,000 Sunshine Millions Classic from Gulfstream Park and the $200,000 Grade 2 La Canada Stakes from Santa Anita.

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters announced Jan. 4 that Digital Kitchen's production of Ironman Perry Ouzts, directed by the Hennegan brothers, has won the Media Eclipse Award for Television-Feature. Brad Hennegan has teamed up with his brother John to capture their second Eclipse Award with this year's production of Perry Ouzts - Ironman. It sheds a light on the career of perhaps the greatest jockey the nation hasn't heard of. Brad Hennegan will talk about the idea behind this latest production. Three graded races at Gulfstream Park this weekend and Pete Aiello currently calls the Sunshine State home - so for now, he is our go-to-guy for the races in his home state, while he is about to make a career move that will take him to Oaklawn Park. We will talk about his new job and handicap the $150,000 G 3 Marshua's River S,, the $150,000 G 3 Hal's Hope S. and the $200,000 G 2 Fort Lauderdale S.

Jockey Chantal Sutherland plans to come out of retirement the day after Christmas. The most high-profile female rider in the world landing three Grade 1's on Game On Dude, announced her retirement back in October of 2012, only to return to the saddle in June of 2013. Her second stint in the saddle lasted a little more than a year and she retired again in July of 2014. Corey Johnsen is president of Kentucky Downs and founder of Jockeytalk 360. We'll discuss the first year of the new website and potential expansion of racing at Kentucky Downs. In the Holiday Spirit of giving he is making donations to the PDJF through a unique concept in creating a Digital Replay application that will compliment an on-line version of the new and popular book Ride To Win authored by Winningponies' guests Gary West and Bob Fortus. The always entertaining Belterra race caller Ed Meyer will look in the rear view mirror and examine the highlights of 2015 in a Year In Review segment.

Stu Kirshenbaum is a TV sports producer, editor, and writer and a five-time Sports Emmy winner. He became familiar to us through his role as coordinating producer of Thoroughbred World, a popular nationally-televised magazine show, hosted by Tom Durkin. Stu is a great ambassador of the sport and he will share his insights into what steps can be taken to keep racing a vibrant sport. Rick Mocklin is a well-known character on the southern racing scene. He called the races at Jefferson Downs from 1974-1993. Currently he has the book of Richard Eramia and bug Andre Ramgeet. Eramia won the riding title at Louisiana Downs for the 5th consecutive year this summer by 47 wins over the second leading rider. Rick has secured mounts for his talented reinsman on the 4 races he and John will handicap on the rich Louisiana Champions Day at the Fair Grounds – the $100,000 Turf Stakes; the $100,Juvenile Stakes; the $100,000 Sprint Stakes and the $150,000 Classic Stakes.

Joe Nevills of Daily Racing Form breeding is our first guest. Churchill now has a new futures bet where you pick the sire of the winner of the next Kentucky Derby. We will address that and other breeding trends. Since last on our show Joe is no longer with the Thoroughbred Times but with the Daily Racing Form as staff writer on breeding. He will also give us some insight on his new position at the DRF. Bob Railbird Roberts is our guest handicapper. Based in Ohio we will look at two $75,000 Stakes in his backyard at Mahoning Valley being the Joshua Radosovich and Bobbie Bricker Memorials. Gulfstream Park opens its gates with the Claiming Crown Series headed up by the $200,000 Claiming Crown Jewel. We will also take a look at the $125,000 Claiming Crown Tiara.

Mike Battaglia, one of horse racing’s great ambassadors, will be feted this Saturday by the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners with the organization’s prestigious Warner L. Jones Jr. Horseman of the Year Award. This award recognizes individuals for outstanding contributions to Kentucky racing and sharing the passion for the industry exemplified by Jones, founder of Oldham County’s renowned Hermitage Farm and who spent 50 years on the Churchill Downs board, including eight as chairman during the iconic track’s resurgence. Jones was the inaugural winner in 1988. Mike will tell us what this particular award means to him at this juncture in his illustrious career in Thoroughbred horse racing. In the second segment DRF correspondent and handicapper Mary Rampellini will tackle all the action from Delta Downs this Saturday notably the $1,000,000 Grade 3 Delta Downs Jackpot; the $250,000 Grade 3 Delta Downs Princess; the $250,000 Delta Mile and the $200,000 Delta Treasure Chest.

Scott Calder Sales & Marketing manager at Coolmore/Ashford Stud is coming on to talk about the acquisition and days ahead for American Pharoah from racetrack to stallion. He will also tell us a little bit about Coolmore and his responsibilities at the facility. brbr In the second segment Blood-Horse award winning writer Tom LaMarra will review the Breeders' Cup and then join John in ‘capping the $200,000 Grade 2 Mrs Revere Stakes at Churchill Downs; the $250,000 Grade 3 Red Smith Handicap at Aqueduct; the $100,000 Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes at Del Mar and the $350,000 DeFrancis Dash at Laurel Park.

Gary West will give us his insights into the Breeders' Cup as he was there and on the backstretch each morning. After getting his impressions on the races and their impact on divisional championships, we will talk about his recently released Ride to Win - An Inside Look at the Jockey's Craft. He co-authored the book with veteran writer Bob Fortus and it is a fascinating look into the careers and techniques of some of the best riders in North America. br Ed Meyer who had a good Breeders' Cup weekend at the windows, will give us his read on the Breeders' Cup and handicap the only Graded race on Saturday - the $200,000 Grade 2 Chilukki Stakes at Churchill Downs.

It's Heeeeeeere! One of the most historic Breeders' Cups ever. Hosted for the first time at the iconic Keeneland Race Course with its new dirt course, and for the first time ever a Triple Crown winner will compete as American Pharoah goes to post in the Classic. We have assembled racing experts from coast-to-coast to cover all the action. DRF's Dan Illman will give us his perspective from the East Coast while Rich Eng will analyze the Best of the West. Right in the middle is multiple Eclipse Award winning writer Jennie Rees, who is based in Lexington this week and will have the latest breaking news from Keeneland.

Closing in on racing's biggest day - we will visit with Wesley Ward, one of the country's top trainers who has five horses entered in Breeders' Cup races including two-time champion Judy the Beauty. Last week we broke the news with Marty McGee that multiple Eclipse Award winning writer Jennie Rees was leaving the Louisville Courier Journal. This week we will visit Dick Downey creator of the Downey Profile, who will be assisting Jennie through her grand exit on Breeders' Cup weekend covering all the latest stories. Ed Meyer has been having a very profitable meet at Keeneland and he will update us on track trends and handicap the $150,000 Grade 3 Valley View Stakes from Keeneland and the $200,000 Grade 2 Twilight Derby from Santa Anita.

At 76 years old Gary DesRoche hasn't slowed down a bit. From hot walker, groom and owner of thoroughbred race horses, he has been involved in the thoroughbred industry for over 56 years. Nowadays he is a genuine holistic equine therapist. He had developed the LEG SAVER in 1998 and has been developing it for all horse disciplines. He will give us a window into the exciting life Of Gary DesRoche in horse racing. Marty McGee will stop by to give us his read on the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland on October 30-31. We will pick our spots, and obviously go over the BC Classic, as main contenders may have been overlooked in the headlines. Also we will take a look at Keeneland's $250,000 Gr. 2 Raven Run Stakes; the $150,000 Gr. 3 Hawthorne Derby at Hawthorne and if time allows the $200,000 Gr. 2 Futurity at Belmont.

With the major Breeders' Cup preps in the rear view mirror, we'll visit with an up and coming jockey who will ride in her first Breeders' Cup race and handicap a state-bred version of the Breeders' Cup, Ohio-breds' divisional showdown in the Best of Ohio. Jockey Sophie Doyle upset champion Judy the Beauty with her well timed ride aboard Fioretti in the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America at Keeneland - a Win and You're In Filly & Mare Sprint Division race. Sophie hails from a racing family in England and is the sister of James Doyle who rides for Godolphin in Europe. Sophie was the leading female apprentice in England and has an interesting story to tell about growing up in a riding family and her transition to the American style of riding. Rich Ruda, the house handicapper at Thistledown that will host The Best of Ohio series on Saturday, will join John in 'capping this state-bred program which will feature 5 divisional championship races.

With the Breeders' Cup around the corner, this will be an all-handicapping show with first at bat NYRA lead handicapper Andy Serling who will dissect all the grade 1 races from Belmont Park on their 'Super Saturday' and then closing with Blood-Horse writer/handicapper Frank Angst who will look at Keeneland's Fallstars Allstars. From Belmont - the $500,000 Champagne Stakes, the $500,000 Flower Bowl Stakes, the $400,000 Frizette Stakes and the $1 mil. Jockey Club Gold Cup. From Keeneland - the $400,000 First Lady Stakes, the $500,000 Clairborne Breeders' Futurity and the $1 mil. Shadwell Turf Mile.

We are gearing up for the Breeders' Cup and we have the best races and handicappers from both coasts. It's an all-handicapping show. In the first segment east coast DRF handicapper Matt Bernier will help us dissect this weekend's 3 grade 1 stakes races at Belmont Park: the $400,000 Beldame Stakes; the $400,000 Vosburgh Invitational and the $600,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational. We pick up next with west coast DRF handicapper Jay Privman who will try to cover all the grade 1 stakes races at Santa Anita: the $300,000 Awesome Again Stakes; the $300,000 Chandelier Stakes; the $250,000 Zenyatta Stakes; the $300,000 Front Runner Stakes and the $300,000 Rodeo Drive Stakes.

Our first guest is G.D. Hieronymus the award winning Keeneland's Director of Video Production. We'll address their coverage of the September Sale and the upcoming Breeders' Cup at Lexington's iconic track. Handicapper Jude Feld who works with Horse Racing Radio Network, will update us on their Road to the Breeders' Cup coverage and look at the big races at Parx this Saturday - The $1 million Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes; the $1 million Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby and the $300,000 Grade 3 Gallant Bob Stakes. If time allows we may check in on the $300,000 Grade 3 Dogwood Stakes at Churchill Downs.

Engelhardt got to spend some time with Michael Blowen the founder of Old Friends Retirement Facility this weekend. The DRF have just published a special edition celebrating the farm and highlighting its Stable of Stars. That elite group will be getting a new member when Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner War Emblem will soon be calling Old Friends. Michael will also be hosting a post-Breeders Cup event at the farm and several high profile horsemen will be in attendance. Michael will get us up to speed at what has been happening and talk about the post-Breeders Cup event that will take place at his farm. Churchill Downs opens its gates this week and who better to preview the meet than the popular DRF Handicapper Byron King who calls Louisville home. They will be running the Gr. 2 Pocahontas and the Gr. 3 Iroquois Stakes on Saturday. We'll also look at the Gr. 3 Kentucky Turf Cup at Kentucky Downs an head west to Louisiana Downs for the Gr. 2 Super Derby.

Julie Kagno is a former jockey who turned outrider at numerous tracks through the U.S. Over the past several years she became a world traveler helping to develop tracks in Dubai and China. She also served as a consultant at several foreign jockey schools and racing official at several tracks overseas. She will talk about her life since she hung up her tack and became a consultant to major overseas racetracks.. With the world's eyes on Saratoga we'll be tapping into the editor of the Saratoga Special Tom Law for his feel on the weekend's events an emotions pre and post Travers. Tom will also give us his insight to the 4 graded stakes at Saratoga this Saturday - the $600,000 Wooward Stakes (G.1), the $350,000 Spinaway Stakes (G.1), the $300,000 Saranac Stakes (G.3) and the $200,000 Glens Falls Handicap (G.3).

In the first segment broadcaster Mike Penna, founder of Horse Racing Radio Net, will tell us about the growth of the HRRN network and how our listeners can tune in to all of the Travers week coverage on Sirius 93, XM 93 and horseracingradio.net. On Travers Day coverage starts at 3:00 p.m. ET with Mike being joined by Jude Feld and Anthony Stabile. Then we will be following the Pharoah Show as he goes on the road to the Travers Stakes at Saratoga! What a day of racing - Six Grade 1 races! John will be joined by DRF's Dan Illman, and with the $1.6 mil Travers Stakes as the headliner they will try to reel through the top picks in the $500,000 King's Bishop Stakes, the $500,000 Personal Ensign Stakes, the $1 mil Sword Dancer Invitational, the $700,000 Forego Stakes and the $500,000 Ballerina Stakes as time allows. Dan Illman is based in New York and has had the chance to see most of the competitors perform.

Successful trainer Kenny McPeek continues to bring new owners into the sport through his partnerships and he encourages all owners to join the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to broaden their knowledge of racing and breeding. We'll discuss these points and Kenny's approach to sales purchases and training. Gary Johnson is one of the top handicappers in the country at the present and has already qualified for the NHC Championship. We'll look at the top races at Del Mar the $1 Million Pacific Classic(G1); the $250,000 Pat O'Brien Handicap (G2) and the $250,000 Del Mar Handicap (G2) and then head east to Saratoga for the $600,000 Alabama Stakes (G1).

Justin Zayat at age 23 is already helping, as racing and stallion manager, to run his father Ahmed Zayat’s racing operation which owns the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years. Justin has just graduated with a degree in economics from New York University. With 'American Pharoah' dominating his field in the $1-million William Hill Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1), Justin may be able to give us insight into his next start and his path to the Breeders’ Cup Classic. What does the future hold for such a young up-and-coming individual in the sport of racing? In the second segment, Belterra's race caller, odds line maker, blogger and may we mention previous host of this show, Ed Meyer together with John will set their sights on the Windy City where the Arlington Million (G1); the $750,000 Beverly D Stakes (G1); the $400,000 Secretariat Stakes (G1) and the $400,000 American St. Leger Stakes (G3) are run this Saturday.