Winning Ponies

The son of former jockey-turned-trainer Robert Leparoux, he grew up around racing in Chantilly, France, and rode competitive hunter/jumpers until his father allowed him to begin a racing career at 18. He said I knew I wanted to be a jockey from the time I was five. Mr. Leparoux came to Southern California in January of 2003 to work as an exercise rider for trainer Patrick Biancone. As Leparoux’s riding talents became evident, Biancone made Leparoux his first-call rider. His career was launched at Saratoga in 2005. Julien attempted a move to Southern California at the end of 2007, but wound up switching his tack to Louisiana in January of 2008, riding primarily in Kentucky and New York for the rest of the 2008 season. Dangerous Dan will also join our host to handicap this weekend's big stakes races around the country.

Ben Huffman, the Racing Secretary at Keeneland, will discuss this year's spring meeting which opens this Friday, April 8th. Previous to beginning his career in the racing office management, Mr. Huffman attended Western Kentucky University and the University of Louisville and was an assistant to his father for three years. Mr. Mcgee covers the Kentucky and Florida circuits for the Daily Racing Form. This week Mr. Mcgee will be talking about the opening of the spring Keeneland meeting, and the latest events leading to this year's Kentucky Derby.

Alex O. Solis (born March 25, 1964 in Panama City, Panama) is a jockey based in the United States. He currently lives in Glendora, California and rides predominantly in Southern California. He got his big break and his first gained national prominence when he won the 1986 Preakness Stakes with Snow Chief. In 2002, he was inducted in the Calder Race Course Hall of Fame. Solis won two Breeders' Cup races in 2003 with Johar (who finished in a dead heat) in the Breeders' Cup Turf and aboard Pleasantly Perfect in the Classic, both trained by Richard Mandella. Also finished second aboard Mandella-trained Minister Eric in the Juvenile that year at Santa Anita Park. He ended the year ranked fourth nationally in purse earnings with a career-best $16,304,252. Alex Solis finished second in the Kentucky Derby three out of four years with Captain Bodgit in 1997, Victory Gallop in 1998 and Aptitude in 2000. Twenty-three-year-old sensation Rosie Napravnik concluded the 139th Thoroughbred Racing Season at Fair Grounds Race

Robert N. Elliston has been president and CEO of Turfway Park since June 1999, shortly after the track was purchased by Keeneland Association, Harrah's Entertainment, and GTECH Corporation. An avid horse racing enthusiast his entire adult life, Elliston currently serves as executive chair of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Board of Directors and is treasurer of the Kentucky Equine Education Project(KEEP) Board. He also serves on the Thoroughbred Racing Association Elliston, his wife Sharon, a Northern Kentucky attorney, and their two daughters, Abby and Haley, live in Florence, Kentucky. He will dissect with our host the upcoming Vinery Racing Spiral at Turfway Park. Dangerous Dan will also join in to offer his selections on all the major week-end races leading on the road of the Kentucky Derby.

Born Aug. 21, 1981 in Cincinnati, Ohio, McKee now lives in Louisville with his wife and stepson. John's father, David, had been a jockey in the late 1970s and early '80s. When I saw his win pictures, McKee told Maryjean Wall of the Lexington Herald-Leader about his father, it was something that I always wanted to do after that. His father had known Eddie Campbell from his riding days and he suggested that his son approach Campbell to ask him to work with him. Campbell had been Steve Cauthen's first agent and was involved with the early development of veteran rider Earlie Fires. Campbell worked with McKee for almost a year before he thought McKee was ready to ride. He insisted that McKee get a lot of practice in the starting gate and be proficient at switching the whip from one hand to the other before he would give the youngster the green light. He lined up work in the mornings for McKee to exercise horses. By March, he decided McKee was ready. McKee got off to a fast start as a jockey. The now-28-year-old Oh

Patrick Alan Pat Day, born in Colorado, is a four-time winner of the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey and was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1991. Day also received the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award in 1985, given annually to a North American jockey who demonstrates the highest standards of professional and personal conduct. In 1995, he was voted the Mike Venezia Memorial Award for extraordinary sportsmanship and citizenship. He officially retired from the saddle at age 51. The Colorado native started his career as a rodeo cowboy, but because of his height of 4'11 and weight of 100 lbs. was persuaded to become a jockey. This proved to be the perfect choice for him, as he will retire with 8,803 career victories, fourth on the all-time win list, and $297,941,912 in earnings, the most of any jockey ever so far. He also holds the record for earnings in Breeders' Cup races of $22,913,360 with 12 wins, second most of any jockey. He also has nine wins in Triple Crown races:

Richard E. Mandella (born November 5, 1950 in Altadena, California) is a Thoroughbred horse trainer and a member of the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame. Mandella's father, a blacksmith, introduced him to horses at an early age and while still in high school, he began starting and training horses at a nearby ranch. He spent a year in New York as assistant to Lefty Nickerson and then took a job with Texas horseman Roger Braugh in 1974. Two years later, Richard Mandella returned to California and opened his own stable. His wins began almost immediately with Bad 'n Big and continued with Phone Trick, Dare and Go, and Pleasantly Perfect. Between 1996 and 1998 Mandella won six straight million dollar races in Southern California with Dare and Go, Siphon, Gentlemen and Malek. Mandella has seen six of his horses run in the Kentucky Derby. Mandella was inducted in the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame in 2001 and in 2003 he had four winners in the Breeders' Cup: Pleasantly Perfect, Johar, Halfbridled, and Action This Day. In 2006

Mr. Engelhardt is the President of the Turf Publicists of America, and also currently the Publicity Director at River Downs. Mr. McDulin writes for the Daily Racing Form. He also creates the charts for Equibase. He has called races, set the morning line at various tracks, held the role of Stakes Coordinator at two tracks, and worked on radio as a professional handicapper. This guy has practically done every job in racing. They will be talking about racing as with every spring, we begin to prepare for the Triple Crown races.

Joe Bravo (born September 10, 1971 in Long Branch, New Jersey) is the son and grandson of jockeys. He began his professional career in Thoroughbred flat racing at Calder Race Course in Miami Gardens, Florida during the latter part of 1988. According to his NTRA profile, Joe Bravo has dominated the New Jersey racing circuit since the early 1990s. He has won nine riding titles at Meadowlands Racetrack and thirteen at Monmouth Park. He got his big break in 1997 when he rode Formal Gold to his victories that year. Bravo has won the Jersey Shore Breeders' Cup Stakes five times including three straight from 2004 through 2006. July 5, 2007 Bravo reached the 4,000-wins milestone. Joe makes his home in Eatontown, New Jersey and Aventura, Florida.

Shane Jude Sellers (born September 24, 1966 in Erath, Louisiana) is an American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey. At age eleven, he began working around horses and in 1983 rode his first winner at Evangeline Downs. Sellers won several national riding championships and was a leading rider at Arlington Park. Over his career, he rode in the Kentucky Derby 14 consecutive times, with his best finish a third with Wild Gale in 1993. The two took third again that year in the Belmont Stakes. He rode 29 thoroughbreds in the Breeders Cup races, with two wins in 1997 and 1998, however one of his most exciting wins had to be his ride of Skip Away over the great Cigar in the Jockey Club Gold Cup in 1996. During his career Shane Sellers won more than 4,000 races and earned purses worth more than $122 million. Bill Troilo hails from Philadelphia, and has been a life long athlete. He has ridden professionally for many years, and has since hung up his tack. He now is the Assistant Racing Secretary at Indiana Downs, and also t

Joe Bravo (born September 10, 1971 in Long Branch, New Jersey) is the son and grandson of jockeys. He began his professional career in Thoroughbred flat racing at Calder Race Course in Miami Gardens, Florida during the latter part of 1988. According to his NTRA profile, Joe Bravo has dominated the New Jersey racing circuit since the early 1990s. He has won nine riding titles at Meadowlands Racetrack and thirteen at Monmouth Park. He got his big break in 1997 when he rode Formal Gold to his victories that year. Bravo has won the Jersey Shore Breeders' Cup Stakes five times including three straight from 2004 through 2006. July 5, 2007 Bravo reached the 4,000-wins milestone. Joe makes his home in Eatontown, New Jersey and Aventura, Florida.

Mike Maloney is one of the most respected professional gamblers in the country, and is on many panels to discuss and design programs for the betterment of racing. Mr. Maloney currently V.P. of the Horseplayers Association of North America (H.A.N.A), said the practice of past post betting is so persistent, he intentionally placed a small simulcast bet last spring at Keeneland for a race occurring in New Orleans. He immediately reported the snafu with the betting window and has since become a leading spokesman in the industry for ramping up betting security. Mr. McDulin who writes for the Daily Racing Form, and holds the role of Stakes Coordinator at two racetracks, will discuss with the host some urgent racing issues, and will handicap this week-end's big races. He will also give us an early insight into the 3-year-old picture heading into the Kentucky Derby.

Randy Paul Romero was born December 22, 1957 in Erath, Louisiana, into a family involved with horses. His father Lloyd J. Romero was a Louisiana state trooper who trained American Quarter Horses and later, after a drunk driver crashed into his police car and permanently disabled him, he began training Thoroughbreds for flat racing. The 1978 movie Casey's Shadow is based on Lloyd Romero and his family. Randy was elected into the Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame May 27, 2010. In 1975 Randy Romero began his professional riding career at Evangeline Downs in Lafayette, Louisiana. Nicknamed the Ragin' Cajun, in 1983 at Oaklawn Park racetrack in Arkansas Romero suffered a near career-ending injury when he received major burns to two-thirds of his body from a freak fire, that erupted while taking a sauna. He had rubbed himself down with alcohol and moved into the sauna in the jockey's room.

Randy Paul Romero was born December 22, 1957 in Erath, Louisiana, into a family involved with horses. His father Lloyd J. Romero was a Louisiana state trooper who trained American Quarter Horses and later, after a drunk driver crashed into his police car and permanently disabled him, he began training Thoroughbreds for flat racing. The 1978 movie Casey's Shadow is based on Lloyd Romero and his family. Randy was elected into the Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame May 27, 2010. In 1975 Randy Romero began his professional riding career at Evangeline Downs in Lafayette, Louisiana. Nicknamed the Ragin' Cajun, in 1983 at Oaklawn Park racetrack in Arkansas Romero suffered a near career-ending injury when he received major burns to two-thirds of his body from a freak fire, that erupted while taking a sauna. He had rubbed himself down with alcohol and moved into the sauna in the jockey's room. As he did he accidentally broke a live light bulb that immediately ignited his entire body. After seven months of rehabilitati

Mr. Brian Feldman, a driver from Mason, Ohio, who qualified online for the 2010 NHC, moved into eighth place on the tour with 8,073 points. He has qualified for the NHC twice before, finishing 14th in 2001 after winning the Turfway qualifier and competing again in 2007. Turfway is his home track. To qualify for the national championship and earn tour points, players enter contests at tracks around the country and online. Mr. Feldman will be talking to our host about the intricacies of playing on the NTRA tour. Soon after graduating from high school, Mr. Margolis worked at Belmont Park, where he rubbed horses for eventual Hall of Fame trainer John Veitch. He also worked for Pat Byrne and Howie Tesher before joining Stanley Hough's outfit in the 1990s. He then traveled to Kentucky in 1997 as Hough's assistant, and went out on his own in the fall of 2000. Mr. Margolis won his first race on Sept. 15, 2000, with Her Great Affair at Turfway Park. Hough's primary owners, Robert and Bea Roberts, began dispersing th

Chris Block grew up in the business with his parents, who have been involved in racing and breeding for about 40 years. My dad loved racing and ran a few down at Fairmount when I was a kid. I insisted he takes me every time he went. I loved the horses and the races. The more I went, I knew I'd get involved in racing. At one time Chris thought about being a jockey. He worked three summers as a groom for the Bill Mott stable in Illinois, Minnesota and Kentucky before taking out his trainer's license in 1989. He spent the following year training at the Kentucky Training Center, then brought six horses to Chicago and has trained there ever since. His stable size is about 40 horses and races at Chicago-area tracks Arlington Park and Hawthorne. His best horses to date: Ioya Two, winner of the 2001 Modesty Handicap at Arlington Park as well as four other stakes; multiple stakes winner and million-dollar-plus earner Mystery Giver and Vacare, who provided him with his first grade 1 victory when she won Keeneland's 200

Mr. Centeno started his career with horses at a very early age, his father being a jockey’s agent in Venezuela. Daniel began race riding in Venezuela in 1990, assembling a successful career that eventually took him to the United States in 2003, to Calder Race Course. Arriving at Tampa Bay Downs in 2004, by the second year, Centeno was second leading rider. The Gasparilla was Centeno's first American stakes win, whose major influences in the racing world are Eibar Coa and Ramon Dominguez, with whom he grew up in Venezuela. Both have gone on to become highly successful jockeys, and Centeno is quickly following in their hoof prints.

Wesley A. Ward (born March 3, 1968 in Selah, Washington) is a retired American Champion jockey and a current trainer in Thoroughbred horse racing. He grew up in the horse racing industry, being the son of trainer Dennis Ward. In 1984, Wesley Ward was voted the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey following a season in which he won riding championships at Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park, and the Meadowlands Racetrack and rode 335 winners. He went on to compete at racetracks in Italy, Malaysia and Singapore before his battles with weight gain led to retirement in 1989. Wesley Ward turned to training, first as an assistant to his father before going out on his own in 1993. He earned his first stakes win as a trainer in 1994 at Hollywood Park, winning the Cinema Handicap. Based in California, he also races at Gulfstream Park in Florida during the winter months.

Mr. Aiello previously the race caller at River Downs, has moved on to a bigger circuit and is now the voice of Hialeah Park and its Marketing and Publicity Director. He will talk to our host about his new job and will shed some insight into the upcoming Hialeah meeting which opens on December, 3rd. Mr. Larry Jones of Eight Belles' fame was born to a commercial farming family in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Growing corn, tobacco and soybeans was their primary cultivated products. Apart from cultivation, Larry’s family used to raise cattle and hogs on their ranch. Larry gained experience in making horses gradually, which actually helped him in his present profession of horse riding. Larry Jones took out his trainer’s license in 1982 and posted his first win with Captain Bold at Ellis Park in 1986. Larry is well known as ‘the trainer with the cowboy hat’ but his popularity is somewhere else. His Hard Spun created much uproar in the 2007 US Triple Crown. Jones knocked at the door of the winning title twice during the