Winning Ponies

Mike Manganello was a long-time veteran rider, and winner of the 1970 Kentucky Derby. That year, his mount Dust Commander won the Bluegrass at Keeneland, and then went on to win the Derby. Upon hanging up his tack, Mike is currently a steward on multiple race circuits.

Mike Manganello was a long-time veteran rider, and winner of the 1970 Kentucky Derby. That year, his mount Dust Commander won the Bluegrass at Keeneland, and then went on to win the Derby. Upon hanging up his tack, Mike is currently a steward on multiple race circuits.

To prepare for this weekend's Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby, host Ed Meyer will be discussing the ENTIRE cards at Churchill Downs for BOTH Friday and Saturday. He will be using the actual WinningPonies.com selection sheets; the same sheets that hit the Derby Trifecta 2 years in a row.

Wife Tina, children Fallon, Marcus and Mecus. Racing Career: Retired on Nov. 10, 2007 at Churchill Downs. In his 32-year career, he won 5,043 races from 31,321 mounts; 330 of those wins were at Churchill. He had accumulated earnings of $100,857,648. Cajun-born rider, he began riding at the bush tracks in his home state at age 9. At 16, he began his pari-mutuel career, riding his first winner, Tempermental Tom, at Delta Downs. Rode in Louisiana until 1986 when he moved his tack to Fairmount Park in Illinois and then on to the Chicago tracks. Known as King of Chicago, he had dominated the riders' standings at Arlington Park (two leading rider titles), Hawthorne (seven titles), Sportsman's Park (nine titles). Inducted into the Hawthorne Hall of Fame in 1997. Received George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award in 2006. Mark Guidry plans to attend the Racing Officials Accreditation Program at the University of Louisville and become a steward.

A two-time Sovereign Award winner as Canada's leading apprentice, Sutherland has demonstrated the ability to compete with the best journeymen riders in this country. She has caught the eye of many top trainers, including Hall of Famer Bobby Frankel, who said She sits still, She's quiet on a horse. Sutherland, who began riding in the United States this winter at Gulfstream, then Saratoga where she laid the groundwork for the Belmont fall meet. Currently she is featured on the Discovery Channel show Jockeys.

Steve Cauthen (born May 1, 1960 in Covington, Kentucky) is an American jockey. The son of a trainer and a farrier, he grew up in Walton, Kentucky around horses, which (along with his small size) made race-riding a logical career choice. He rode his first race on May 12, 1976 at Churchill Downs; he finished last, riding King of Swat. He rode his first winner (Red Pipe) less than a week later.

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.

Introduced to racing by his older brother, Gregg, a longtime Maryland rider who retired in April of 1993, Chris McCarron finished as leading rider at Pimlico, Delaware Park, Bowie, and Laurel, winning 546 races - a record that stood 15 years until Kent Desormeaux won 598 in 1989. Moved to Southern California circuit permanently in 1978 where he competed for the next 24 years. Won Eclipse Awards in 1974 (as apprentice jockey) and 1980, was inducted into the National Racing Hall of fame in 1989, his first year of eligibility. Established the North American Racing Academy in Lexington, Ky. in October of 2006. The goal of NARA is to promote interest and involvement in the Thoroughbred industry through a world-class jockey and racing school.

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 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.

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.

Veteran rider who just picked up his 2,500 win. Born in Philadelphia, Troilo started his career at the suggestion of a friend who introduced him to George Rusty Arnold II, then a young trainer based in the Midwest. He started working for Arnold in 1979, took out his jockey's license in 1982, and earned his first career win that year at River Downs. Throughout his career he has consistently finished among leading riders in Ohio and Kentucky, with 10 River Downs titles since his first there in 1991.

President and General Manager at River Downs. He has been at the helm since 1975, and is a major player in Ohio racing. He will break down racing issues; talk about problems facing racing; and what is needed for survival. Mr Hannesian comes to Southern Ohio from California where he was an attorney for the purchasing group of River Downs.

Mark Klein is a comedian who has turned his craft towards horse racing. He is an excellent speaker, and his love of racing has prompted him to want to break down the barriers and attract a new fan base as well as entertain the existing. Mark has been the special guest at symposiums, conferences, and handicapping seminars.

Tom LaMarra, a native of New Jersey, has been a racing fan since the mid-1970s. He graduated from Rutgers University, got a job as a newspaper reporter, and eventually landed at Daily Racing Form. He and his wife, Karen, moved to Lexington, Ky. in 1994, and have been there since. LaMarra has been news editor of The Blood-Horse magazine for more than 10 years. He frequents local racetracks, particularly River Downs and Turfway Park in the Cincinnati area.

President and General Manager at River Downs. He has been at the helm since 1975, and is a major player in Ohio racing. He will break down racing issues; talk about problems facing racing; and what is needed for survival. Mr Hannesian comes to Southern Ohio from California where he was an attorney for the purchasing group of River Downs.

He is the Simulcast Coordinator at River Downs and has worked at over four tracks in his tenure. He knows the in-and-outs of the stakes game for horses, and how everything comes together for simulcasting. River Downs is one of the biggest simulcast receiving locations in the nation. We will learn about the behind the scene negotiations, and what the ADW holdup was all about. Vince is very respected in the industry, and is an avid handicapper as well.

He 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.

He is announcer and Director of Marketing @ Portland Meadows, the one of the few tracks in the nation to add dates, and are doing strong financially, Mr Beem also does a weekly show in the Seattle area.

The guest for 1/1 will be DRF columnist Marty McGee. He covers the Kentucky and Gulfstream circuits. He will be a very interesting guest. He will give some insight into the two-year-old scene.