Winning Ponies

Tom Hamm General Manager at Taylor Made Sales Agency will be joining us. It is the time of the season for the major sales and Taylor Made leads the nation in success stories. Tom will touch on all aspects of the sales, from prepping at the farm to the nuances showing and going to the sales ring. Billy Johnson is one of the best handicappers and agents in the country. For 15 years he and his rider DeShawn Parker have dominated the standings in West Virginia and twice led the country in number of wins. This week he rode a rare longshot, former $5,000 claimer to win a stakes race at Mountaineer Park prior to his 3rd-place finish in the West Virginia Derby.

The Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF) is holding a special day at tracks across America this Saturday August 1. All the tracks have been asked to help build awareness about the permanently disabled jockeys on this day and special promotions are being put in place at different tracks across the country, from banners, wristbands, and commemorative magazines to talking points encouraging racing fans to donate to the fund. Nancy LaSala who is the president of the PDJF will be our guest to talk about this special event. Brian Zipse who is managing editor of Horse Racing Nation will handicap all the action from across the country: - from Saratoga - the $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Hcp. (G1) and the $600,000 Jim Dandy S. (G2); - from Mountaineer the $600,000 Virginia Derby (G2) - from Del Mar the $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch S. (G1). Of course we will discuss the Haskell, but the shared belief American Pharoah's opposition is running for second money.

Steve Bourmas, or “LaserMan” as he is known from coast to coast in the industry, is considered the leading expert on Equine Photobiostimulation Sports therapy in American Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing. As a therapist, Steve has worked both on human and equine clients, preparing horses for Graded Stakes races and football players for the NFL playoffs. He will enlighten us as to what he does, and how that which he does helps the equine population. In the second segment Tom Law, managing editor of ST Publishing, Inc., the award-winning publishing company that produces The Saratoga Special and Steeplechase Times, will take a look at stakes on Friday and Saturday at the Spa - the $200,000 Lake George S. (G2), the $150,000 Schuylerville S. (G3), the $500,000 Diana Hcp. (G1) and the $150,000 Sanford S. (G3).

Barry Berkelhammer is an accomplished Bloodstock agent. With the sales season kicking in, it will be a timely interview with the man who recommended the purchase of two-time Eclipse Champion Ashado (earnings $3,911,440) and Canadian 2-Year-Old Filly Champion Fantasy Lake. Berkelhammer's keen eye also found clients the likes of Grade 1 winners Harlan's Holiday, Octave, Purge, Nothing To Lose and Monba to name a few. He has the unique advantage of continuing his relationship with his buyers through breaking their purchases at his Ocala-based Abracadabra Farms. He also recommends trainer relationships that would benefit the owners needs. Blood-Horse editor and handicapper Tom LaMarra is on site for the $750,000 Grade 1 Delaware Handicap , and we will also look at the $300,000 Grade 1 Eddie Reed Stakes on opening weekend at Del Mar; in addition to two Grade 2 races the $500,000 Indiana Derby and the $200,000 Indiana Oaks both at Indiana Grand.

Eric Reed, a lifetime horseman from a family of horsemen with his wife Kay also from a family steep in the horse racing industry, run the Mercury Equine Center in Lexington, Ky. Eric's father Herbert trained for over 40 years apprenticing under the guidance of Mack Miller. Eric has trained since 1983. Kay Reed’s mother and father were horse trainers as was her great uncle, Charlie Kurtsinger. She was working as an exercise rider before meeting Eric. Eric will give us a feel for what the Mercury Equine Center offers to breaking yearlings and to horses recuperating from injury. With the action moving to Arlington Park, self-proclaimed horse racing ambassador Joe Kristufek will re-cap the Churchill Downs highlights and set the table for Chicago racing at Arlington Park. He will join John in 'capping the main stakes races for this Saturday: - the $100,000 G3 American Derby, the $100,000 G3 Arlington Handicap, the $100,000 G3 Modesty Handicap and the G3 Stars & Stripes.

A native of Australia, Byron Rogers has spent many years in the thoroughbred breeding industry. Eight years at Arrowfield Stud and another three years at Taylor Made Farm. He will tell us about this important field of genetics which determines matings that breed equine athletes that fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars at the sales and produce superstars such as American Pharoeh. Since all the top action on Saturday is at Belmont Park, NYRA TV host and handicapper Andy Serling will share his observations of the Triple Crown, and reactions to the Belmont Stakes. He will join John in the analysis of the $1,250,000 Belmont Derby Invitational, the $1,000,000 Belmont Oaks Invitational and the $500,000 Suburban Handicap.

Mary Rampellini is a correspondent and handicapper for the Daily Racing Form. She is a native of Hartford, Connecticut, and grew up in a racing family. Her father, Ralph Rampellini, was the racing manager for Nelson Bunker Hunt in the 1980s'. With a big Day at Prairie Meadows on Saturday she will cover for us the trio of Grade 3 races - the $250,000 Iowa Derby; the $200,000 Oaks and the $300,000 Cornhusker Hcp. In the second segment Brad Free who is based in Southern California covering Santa Anita, Del Mar, and Fairplex for the Daily Racing Form and the author of Handicapping 101: Finding the Right Horses and Making the Right Bets, will talk about the return of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah to California and look at the main races at Santa Anita for this Saturday - Grade 1 $500,000 Gold Cup and $300,000 Triple Bend S. and Grade 2 $200,000 Royal Heroine S.

Multiple Eclipse Award winner Jennie Rees will be our first guest. She witnessed at Churchill Downs this past Saturday the American Pharoah's parade and the presentation of the Triple Crown trophies to jockey Victor Espinoza, trainer Bob Baffert and owner/breeder Ahmed Zayat. John Engelhardt was there too. In the second segment Las Vegas Review and DRF writer Richard Eng will give us his thoughts on the Triple Crown and American Pharoah's future and will join John in 'capping the 3 graded stakes on Saturday: - the $200,000 Gr. 2 Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita; the $150,000 Gr. 3 Bed O' Roses at Belmont Park and the $100,000 Gr. 3 Obeah Stakes at Delaware Park.

With all eyes on Louisville Saturday, with Triple Crown hero 'American Pharoah' set to parade at Churchill Downs before the fans, senior director of communications & media services Darren Rogers will tell us about this media event to happen in the paddock at Downs After Dark with trophies presentations to 'American Pharoah's winning jockey Victor Espinoza, Hall of fame trainer Bob Baffert and owner and breeder Ahmed Zayat. He will also elaborate on the increase in purse structure at Churchill which is having its best meeting since the Kentucky Derby with record attendances and handles. Byron King DRF Kentucky handicapper and columnist will give his take on the Triple Crown and will look ahead to this Saturday's major stakes at Churchill. The $100,000 Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes, the $200,000 Grade 1 Fleur de Lis Handicap, the $500,000 Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap and the $100,000 Grade 3 Regret Stakes.

Mike Battaglia is a member of the NBC Sports broadcast team for the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes since the network gained broadcast rights in 2001. He also worked the Belmont Stakes for NBC from 2001 through 2005, the Breeders' Cup from 1993 through 2005, and various other races televised by NBC from 1993 onward. He will give us his valued opinion on this year's Belmont Stakes and assess 'American Pharoah's chances of becoming the long awaited Triple Crown winner. Also on the show Eric Wing who has left the NYRA from his position as director of communications and media relations.to join the Daily Racing Form, will contribute his analysis of some of the major stakes races on the undercard, and give his opinion on the Belmont Stakes.

Kentucky-based jockey Jon Court was announced as the 2015 recipient of the Mike Venezia Memorial Award, Jon Kenton Court was born November 23, 1960, in Gainesville, Florida. Having grown up in Florida, Jon began riding in Colorado at the now closed Centennial Park in 1980. He rode in Louisiana for 12 years before moving to Kentucky and Indiana in 1995, where he was a top rider at Hoosier Park from 1996 to 1998. In 1999, he gained his 2,000th win at Kentucky Downs. Court received the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award in 2007. He will give us an insight into the life of a jockey. Jeremy Balan, assistant editor for the Blood-Horse covering racing on the West Coast, is a third generation horseplayer, in Baltimore, Md. He will join John in 'capping - the $400,000 Gr.1 American Oaks and the $200,00 Gr. 2 Californian Stakes both at Santa Anita. The $500,000 Gr. 3 Penn Mile at Penn National features 2 west coast invaders Ocho Ocho Ocho and Papacoolpapacool.

With two legs of the Triple Crown in the bag Victor Espinoza's agent Brian Beach will be on the show to tell us a little about his journey into horse racing from a job in publicity and broadcasting at Bay Meadows and Golden Gate Fields to becoming the agent of a jockey who will be the next Triple Crown winner on 'American Pharoah' with a win in the Belmont Stakes. Writer/Handicapper Bob Roberts will be our guest handicapper. We'll be talking Triple Crown, handicap the Grade 3 Louisville Handicap. and selected races from Santa Anita's California Gold Rush Day.

Mike Manganello, who is celebrating the 45th Anniversary of his Kentucky Derby win on Dust Commander will be our 1st guest. He is currently working as a Steward at Belterra Park in Cincinnati, Ohio. Mike will reflect on his Derby win and successful career in the saddle and transition to racing official. In the second segment Dean Kepler will give us his Derby analysis and will look at the $150,000 Grade 3 Black-Eyed Susan, the $100,000 Grade 3 Pimlico Special and the $1,500,000 Grade 1 Preakness Stakes.

Racetrack Warriors, by EQUUS INTERACTIVE, have signed an agreement with the Jockeys’ Guild and the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF) that will bring a new fantasy draft game to market called “Jockey Draft.” The game is set to launch May 8, 2015. It is a daily fantasy league style game in which players select a lineup of jockeys, in a “salary cap” style draft, riding at various race tracks from around the country. Each game is assigned a salary cap in which players must stay at or below when picking their eight (8) jockeys, who are assigned an individual salary. Each jockey receives a score for their mount’s finishing position, and the collective score of each lineup in the game determines the winner. Jen Viens founder of Equus is our first guest and will shed some light on this new fantasy game with horse racing. DRF Handicapper Matt Bernier will join in 'capping the stakes races this Saturday at his home track Belmont Park - the Man O'war, Peter Pan and Ruffian Stakes.

John Asher, Vice President of Communications at Churchill Downs will be our first guest and will lay out for us all the festivities in store for the highlight weekend of the meeting this Friday's running of the Kentucky Oaks and Saturday's Kentucky Derby. Later on the show DRF.com handicapping editor and host of the DRF news desk Dan Illman will join John in discussing the two biggest races in horseracing, the Oaks and the Derby. They will also delve into some of the other Stakes races on both cards. They will also look into some betting strategies as guaranteed minimum pools for multiple lucrative P-4's will be in place on both days.

Jeff Platt is the President of Horseplayers Association of North America H.A.N.A. which is a grass roots Non Profit organization made up of horseplayers just like you. Simply put, they are not happy with track management and horsemen's groups and what they are doing to the sport instead of promoting its awareness and growing handle, they have become bogged down with industry infighting and have completely forgotten something: The importance of the customer. Jeff will tell us more about what his organization is all about, his background and what his role and duties are. We are then going coast to coast with one of the country's top handicappers Michael Beychok 2012 DRF/NTRA handicapper of the year. We will take a close look at the top Kentucky Derby candidates and handicap a trio of Grade 3 stakes races - the $200,000 Excelsior Stakes from Aqueduct; the $100,000 Miami Mile Handicap at Gulfstream and the $100,000 Santa Anita's Last Tycoon Stakes.

With 2 weeks until the 2015 Kentucky Derby, Dick Downey will be looking at Derby prospects and trends he has discovered in handicapping the race over the years. We will also handicap the Illinois Derby at Hawthorne - a race that could produce some new players in the Preakness Stakes. Dick Downey, a native Kentuckian, is an attorney and retired Circuit Judge. In 2003, he founded The Downey Profile a seasonal website dedicated to coverage of the Kentucky Derby, the Triple Crown Trail and other events. Who better to have on Keeneland's closing weekend than a man nicknamed Keeneland Dan? Back with us is outstanding handicapper Dan Cronin. Dan and John will be breaking down the $250,000 Grade 2 Elkhorn Stakes from Keeneland, the $150,000 Grade 3 Santa Barbara Handicap at Santa Anita, and the $1,500,000 Grade 2 Charles Town Classic where a talented group of older horses are lining up for a chance to beat the Champ - Shared Belief on his first foray away from California.

Mirror, mirror on the wall - who is the best 3-year-old of all?  We'll get a full analysis from one of the top turf writers and handicappers in the country - the Daily Racing Form's Jay Privman. Is it East vs. West or is the best in Kentucky?  Jay will provide us with his insights on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Our guest handicapper will be DRF's Byron King.   We have a rare racing schedule where four Grade 1 races will be run on a Friday and Saturday at two different tracks.  At Oaklawn they have the $600,000 Apple Blossom Handicap on Friday and the $1,000,000 Arkansas Derby on Saturday.  At Keeneland, the Friday feature is the $300,000 Maker's Mark Mile Stakes, while the Saturday headliner is the $300,000 Jenny Wiley Stakes.

Our first guest Amy Owens, a Communication Associate at Keeneland will preview for us all the new changes at the track with the opening this weekend of it's spring meet with some great racing showcasing the Grade 1 Toyota Bluegrass Stakes and lots of innovative customer services at this historic track which opens on Friday. The track is revving up to it's holding the Breeder's Cup this fall. brbr Our second guest is Eclipse Award-winning writer and handicapper Marty McGee from the Daily Racing Form. We will look at the 3-year-old male and female divisions heading towards the Kentucky Derby and Oaks. We will analyze some of this weeks traditional paths to Churchill Downs such as the $1,000,000 Grade 1 Toyota Bluegrass Stakes from Keeneland ; the $1,000,000 Grade 1 Wood Memorial from Aqueduct and the $1,000,000 Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby.

Mindy Coleman will be our first guest covering legal issues and efforts surrounding the Jockeys Guild. The Guild was founded in May 1940 and has approximately 1,270 members, including active, retired and permanently disabled riders. The purpose of the organization is to represent jockeys throughout the country and to monitor developments in local, state and federal laws affecting the racing industry, and in particular, the jockeys. In the second segment veteran writer Gary West who is very familiar with racing in New Orleans, will join us to cover Derby and Oaks BIG points races as we enter the period where the top four finishers collect points now based on totals of 100-40-20-10. We will examine the top contenders in the $600,000 Grade 2 Louisiana Derby and the $300,000 Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks at Fair Grounds and the $1,000,000 Grade 1 Florida Derby and the $300,000 Grade 2 Gulfstream Oaks both from Gulfstream Park.