Scott Hanson & Grant Forster Join the Show - Episode #132

Saturday is Ladies Day at Emerald Downs! Free admission for all gals with beverage specials and prize drawings, too. Sunday is Wiener Dog day, the canines that began the trend of entertainment between Thoroughbred races. Speaking of Thoroughbreds, take a look at the racing at Emerald Downs scheduled for this weekend, much great action headed by the first two Washington Cup events on Sunday. More Mile talk! The 2024 Longacres Mile will go down in history as one of the most memorable, dramatic and exciting in the many decades of the race. Scott Hanson of the Seattle Times and winning trainer Grant Forster (Five Star General) join Joe and Vince to speak to the event with smiles on their faces (we’re sure).

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Come in macOS.

Speaker 2 (00:04):
It doesn't matter if you love craps, blackjack machines or
dining on the finest Asian, American and Salish cuisines. It
doesn't matter what you do or where you're coming from
mucous What you do is all at Muckleshoe, an easy
drive from wherever you are, All roads lead to Muckleshoe.

Speaker 3 (00:28):
Mucosuit Horse Racing north West. Thanks for joining us as

(00:53):
we head into another weekend of activity at Emerald Downs
and some really great racing to look for to this Friday,
Saturday and Sunday. Friday at seven pm Saturday and Sunday
one thirty Emerald Downs Racing Joe with the in Vince
Bruin Here Scott Hanson of the Seattle Times is going

(01:14):
to join us and grant Forrester, the winning trainer of
the recent Long Acres mile two straight, for his charge
five Star General and that memorable stretch run at Emerald
Downs on Sunday, August eleventh. Scott Hansen just to preview
him a little bit, Vince, he really loves thoroughbred racing,

(01:39):
even before you know he started writing covering it for
the Times, and you can tell in his writing.

Speaker 4 (01:45):
Yeah, him and his father used to go to Long
Acres a lot when they were youngsters. He was a youngster,
and yeah, he's got a lot of passion for it
and it's appreciated because, you know, let's face it, a
lot of times now in the media horse race he
kind of gets left behind a little bit. And Scott
has really helped keep you know, the fire lit downtown
with the Seattle Times and Paul Barrett, the sports there

(02:07):
there has been really good to us. And yeah, Scott's
a big fan. And he did a good job with
the mile this year, writing about it and also a
handicapping it.

Speaker 3 (02:16):
You know, I texted him a couple after the race.
He's picked a lot of mile winners, at least five
out of six. The last six. He's not sure on one.
He'd have to go back and look at the paper.
But uh, he's on a roll picking the race.

Speaker 4 (02:36):
And he's done a good job of with his advances.
A couple of years ago he had a big feature
story about Kevin Radkey and Papa's Golden Boy going into
the mile. The horse ran second at ten to one,
a real nice race. Last year he was you know,
all over five star general before the race before the
first of two wins and looked like a genius after
that horse won the first of two, and of course

(02:58):
was writing about five Star General quite a bit again
again this year too.

Speaker 3 (03:03):
Yeah, we'll give him credit for that. I know he
had just loosed his wis on top in twenty twenty
two and background in twenty one. Yeah, he probably had
another twist of fade on top. He's got the pulse
of the mile. Yeah, okay, yeah, Scott and Grant will
join us. So we have Ladies' Day on Saturday. All
gals get in free this Saturday at Emerald Downs first

(03:25):
race one thirty and there's some drink specials as well.
Actually some prize drawings for the gals also, So pass
that around. Ladies' Day on Saturday. Sunday the Wiener Dogs
who started it all and the Wiener wannabees. Sunday we'll
have several races and some more excitement on the track.

(03:47):
I'm just getting a little bit of a weather update.
It might do a little raining late Saturday night and
into the early morning hours of Sunday, but Sunday's weather's
supposed to be pretty good, Vince, and that's good to.

Speaker 4 (03:59):
Hear looks like seventy two degrees and partly cloudy on Sunday,
which is perfect racing weather and also perfect for all
other activities. And last week we had the t Rexes
and I haven't seen a lot of it. I've kind
of checked out of the social media the last couple
of days, but apparently it was a big hit again.

Speaker 3 (04:19):
It was I know, just about everybody that sees it,
it's got to chuckle a little bit, kind of like
the Grandparents Race from last year. You just brings a
smile to your face. It's a different event, a unique event,
and we continue to do that and have a lot
of people putting those t rex costumes on a lot

(04:39):
of different divisions, kids divisions, the Dinosaur division, the old
over fifty division, and of course men's and women. So yeah,
just a fun day at the track last Saturday for
the Wiener dogs.

Speaker 4 (04:54):
You know, you know all you know and all these
Grandfathers and the t Rexes. And I think people relate
to a race. A race is simple, right you watch
it and you people are trying to win and go fast,
and it's just instantly identifiable when they see something. You know,
like you said, you get a good little chuckle out
of it or whatever. And I kind of wish we

(05:14):
could translate to that to the horse races, which we
do around here. We get good crowds and all that,
but it just seems with the horses it's a little
more complicated for people because there's all these other nuances
and factors involved.

Speaker 3 (05:26):
Well, that's that's a good way to put it. You know,
the race on its basic level, everybody knows about that. Hey,
when you're six years old, right, race a neighbor or something,
or a relative or a brother or something, and so
that that's a basic But boy, yeah, in horse racing,
you know, there's all these levels of expertise, and you know,
if you just have your ears open a little bit,

(05:49):
you're hearing somebody say something like, well the buyer figure
at that distance is no good, I mean, you know,
and then the pace, so different class levels and distances,
and there's a few things you got to embrace. But boy,
once you learn how to read the forum, you know
how to read it the rest of your life. And
you know the basics of handicapping. You can go to
any track at any time and have an opinion on

(06:10):
a race. So that's what. That's our continual quest is
to introduce the sport. And attendance is up over ten
percent at Emerald Downs this year. That is fantastic for
a thoroughbred track to be able to say that.

Speaker 4 (06:26):
It's unbelievable and I feel it looking down, you know,
from the sixth floor. I'll say to it, I go
look at that. There's another even on a Friday, ND said,
look at that. There's a lot of people here enjoying
the races. And you can't tell me if you're not
a jockey or a trainer and an owner and you
hear that roar going up when your horse is in contention,
that that isn't a factor. You know it is and

(06:47):
everyone feeds off that energy.

Speaker 3 (06:50):
Yeah, it's it's fantastic to be up over ten percent
in attendance and the handle is down a little bit
this year. That's our challenge to introduce the sport when
we try as hard as anybody, you know, with casinos
around and sports betting legal, those two things take a
lot of the residual gambling entertainment dollar. But we're hanging

(07:16):
in there. And the Wtboa sale it happened on Tuesday
and you can go to the WTBOA website and see
all the results. The sales topper went to the Maryanskis,
who have the best two year old this year, and
see that tiger. They bought a colt by Take Charge

(07:36):
Indy out of Bellameia, who they owned, yes, who they
campaigned to state championships with Blaine Wright, Bella Mia and
Bellamya's already produced ship Cadet by Midshipman who won the
Skidmore Stakes at Saratoga. So off to a great start
as Bellamea, who was by Harvard the Golden You know, I.

Speaker 4 (07:58):
Was over there for most of it. And you go
through the catalog and a lot of these brood mirrors
become really familiar to you. And I see one out
of Ross's girl of course is sluiced to his whiz.
And now see that tiger, our most exciting two year
old we've seen here, at least for the colts and geldings.
And the horse goes for fifty five hundred. I think, geez,

(08:18):
that's kind of low. And I talked to Tom Weinsill.
He got it, and he said, yeah, you know, the
horses you could see it's really small, you know, And
these owners and a lot of them. They want, you know,
a big colt with a big sire and all that,
and I said, geez, I'm big on this damn side.
Maybe I overemphasized that or whatever, And even if the
horse is small, it just seemed like a pretty good

(08:39):
bargain at fifty five hundred by.

Speaker 3 (08:41):
Sir Prance a lot right, Ross's Girl a Philly and
the Barclays sold really.

Speaker 4 (08:47):
Well, really well.

Speaker 3 (08:47):
Yeah, we've had a few out of state buyers, but
all the normal players were there, so those will be
the two year olds of next year for the most part.
At Emerald Downs.

Speaker 4 (09:00):
I thought it was pretty good.

Speaker 3 (09:01):
I thought it was better than expected.

Speaker 4 (09:04):
Me too, Yeah, No, I saw a lot of horses
in the twenty thousand dollar range, which is encouraging. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (09:10):
Did I mention the price on that sales stopper was
sixty Yeah, yeah, sixty thousand for the take charge Indie
Bella Mia.

Speaker 4 (09:16):
Well, for example, Northern California had a sale couple weeks.
I think their salestopper was forty one. You know, relative
to that, we're doing pretty good.

Speaker 3 (09:24):
Okay, some other items. Paul Hildebrand won our Survivor style
handicapping contest last Sunday Paul's a regular. Came down to
the last race. There were three entrants remaining and all
picked a different horse.

Speaker 4 (09:39):
Paul won it.

Speaker 3 (09:40):
Congratulations there one thousand dollars Victor Bonna, who has been
a consistent horse owner for gosh, it's got to be well.
It's over fifteen years at Emerald Downs. Because Rooster City
would have been born in two thousand and six was
one of those top three year olds of nine. Victor
owned that horse horse as he competed that year against

(10:02):
Noose Beach winning machine Peaceful Rain. Really a gallant son
was actually gallant son wasn't here as a three year old.
He was Domina.

Speaker 4 (10:10):
He's got one right now called Princess Akawi. Yeah that
one two here one at Santa Roza today Sunday. So
that thing's on a little little role for Victor.

Speaker 3 (10:18):
That's right. Victor has written Heliacal Star horse racing thriller.
It's fiction and he's going to be out to sell
that a week from Sunday, August twenty fifth. Victor bona
horse owner, and we did where are they now with
him and rooster City last year. It was a good
one because rooster City is real important in his life

(10:43):
was a good horse. He claimed him back and he
won down in California. Didn't win a stake that year
at Emerald Downs, but was right there. I think he
was a close second in the Derby to winning Machine.

Speaker 4 (10:54):
Yeah, that was a good crop of sophomores at.

Speaker 3 (10:57):
You oh boys best ever. I'm going to say that.
So Victor will be selling helliakle Star Wenesome Boy. He
is the Washington top earner, Washington Bred top earning horse
for twenty twenty four. He had that great winter, winning
at Aqueduct, winning a steak at Parks, ran fourth, and
the Wood Memorial was in it all the way until

(11:19):
the end in that big field. He's in at Parks
on Saturday in a six furlong sprint, so he's back.
And of course we've got the Pennsylvania Derby coming down
the road here September. Yeah, I'm sure John Parker is
in Connections are looking at that. But Lonesome Boy in
Saturday in a sprint steak at Parks. Speaking of Saturday,

(11:43):
the travers is Saturday and Torpedo Anna that real sensational
to say the least. Philly is going to go against
dor Knock fierceness Sierra Leone in the travers. We're going
to have that on our big screen at three ten
three ten in the afternoon, so that will be available
to watch as.

Speaker 4 (12:04):
Yeah, Philly's got some intrigue with the Phillis and you
bet that Doorknock is owned by Jason Wirth, who was
a big league ballplayer and the hair that's the guy. Yeah,
but I'm really convinced, Joe that these former athletes, they're
competitors and they get involved and they've got some disposable income.
They seem to love it because they respect the jockeys

(12:25):
and the horses and anything athletic they're into, and it's
fun to see that.

Speaker 3 (12:29):
Yeah. It just kind of elevates some promotional publicity things
for the sport too if they're doing well, especially and
sounds like so he's part of Dorknock. Huh Yeah, Okay.
Hollywood Harbor Sprint series concludes on Saturday with a good race. Vince,
there's eight in there.

Speaker 4 (12:47):
Yeah. I think the two favorites are Party Foul coming
off that nice win in the second leg at a
pretty good price and playing right Leon who's been right there.
It looks like a timely claim, but it goes deep,
it does that field and again thanks to Jody Pets,
this thing has been a real good success. It has.

(13:09):
They've all been great betting races.

Speaker 3 (13:10):
Thirty thousand dollars pers for these horses that started at
was it eight thousand the first leg might have been
the first leg might have been one thousand correct claiming.
So this is a thirty thousand dollars pot on Saturday,
going six furlongs for the finale of the Hollywood Harbor
Sprint Series. Okay, Vince, you've got some updates from last week,

(13:34):
and the Racing Club is in action this week. We
got two and yeah, it's been doing Okay, it's not okay,
we got a couple wins.

Speaker 4 (13:40):
Yeah, we had one horse we had to retire, and
so we reclaimed Warren's Memorable. She's in race four on
Friday night, and then Warren's Candy Man is in race
nine on Sunday, the final race on Sunday right after
the two stakes. So they both are should be competitive
in those spots, I think, so we shall see, okay.

Speaker 3 (14:00):
And as the Racing Club had the usual things for
the members like the group lunch to kick off the season,
and that is the Barn and yeah, we were out
at Blue Ribbon of Blue Ribbons and we went to
Griffin Place and saw, you know, a couple of those
horses that got the big fetch the big prices, and yeah,
it's it's been a lot of fun this year and

(14:22):
again when it's really these owners learned the ups and
downs of.

Speaker 4 (14:25):
Our sport with the fortunes of horses. So but yeah,
so we shall see. We'd like to close out strong.
So and you know, I thought all the we only
have seven on Friday and Saturday and nine on Sunday.
But boy, there's some competitive process this weekend and you know,
we'll talk more about that on the show.

Speaker 3 (14:44):
I'm I'm with you. There some good racing at Emerald
Downs Friday night, Saturday Sunday afternoon. Okay, let's take a
look at last week.

Speaker 4 (14:52):
Yeah, the val Pack jockey the week, Carl Lopez. He's
been real steady. He had a little mid season slump,
but he's come out of it and he second of
the standings, three winners last week, coming off that twenty
twenty four rining championship at Turf Paradise. So congratulations Carlo.
Scott Tubbs, speaking of the Emerald Racing Club. He's been
our trainer. Scott won three races last week. Cappo Soirella

(15:14):
got her second, then back to back on Sunday with
Hot Lava Cake and Wednesday at Shady and I blew
the morning line on both. I made Hot Lava Cake
five to one, she goes off even money and parks.
Wednesday at Shady, I make five to two. In the
very next race, she goes off at five to one
and romp. So try to make any sense out of that, right,
But Scott had a great week, so gratulations to him.

(15:36):
Lusk Racing that's Gary and Debral Lust, Jeff l Peyton, Lusk,
Kevin and Kevin and they won the co owner the
Friday night feature Lady Cruiser. And then how about Gunning
for Gold on Saturday with a huge win, in fact,
Gunning for Gold or wobread of the week six furlongs

(15:56):
in one oh eight thirty four. Those are you who
follow buyers? He got an eighty five, which was the
highest of many horse last week. And the less of
course have Papa's Golden Boy in an interesting race this weekend.
But boy, they've come up with another fast one here
Gunning for gold and then the groom of the week
Hirado Rodriguez. He works for Alexa Silva Martinez. Two wins

(16:19):
last Friday Validate and we mentioned Lady Cruiser excellent.

Speaker 3 (16:23):
Okay, there are last week's honors, so we are moving
right along here on our horse Racing Northwest edition. This
is our weekend of the twenty third through the twenty
fifth of August racing at Emerald Downs and three more
weekends remaining. The Washington Cup starts this week as well,

(16:46):
with a couple of two year old steaks. We'll get
into that in our selections. The Colt race looks a
lot more competitive than the Philly. Precise timing is in
the Philly race and she's two for two both steaks
win for the Ka Cooper runner. Beauty Bark is in
there in the Philly race and she was the first

(17:06):
Barkley winner, first crop of Barkley, and she could become
the first Barkley Steaks winner. There's a colt in the
Barkley Colt in the Yeah, in that juvenile Philly that's
RaSE seven on Sunday. Precise timing is six to five
and Beauty Bark is eight to five. Ye and Kay
Cooper has a strong hand with those two for Blue

(17:28):
Ribbon Racing and then Parrohead Racing. Interesting horse in there,
I thought though, was dynamic Dedie. She's out of something
about Iris that was running on pretty well in the
debut and certainly should like six and a half now
it's going to be a big step up in class.
But she looked a little bit interesting, I thought in
the Juvenile Philly and mentioned the Colt Steak is a
lot deeper, vivacious tribute. He's already a steakes winner at

(17:51):
the meet. He ran into a stable mate see that
Tiger last time. Well he's not in this week, so
he's looking pretty tough and impassable. You mentioned the Barkley
He ran second to see that, so he looks good.
Big Bowie's a stakes winner in that race. He's not
talking Verdy coming off good efforts. It's a very very
good race. The smoke has been tough all year, so
it goes deep. Would you make Verdy on the morning line?

(18:13):
Verty is eight and yeah, so go quite a second
time starter events.

Speaker 4 (18:18):
Yeah, out of Champagne and Caviar. Who was you know
campaigned for furtle Leaf stable good runner on the track,
and a good producer off the track, so if you
like Verdi, you'll get a price. He's not talking, did
everything but win. Yeah, in the second career start. That's
another one out of a good Mayor no talking back.

Speaker 3 (18:34):
Yeah, great run By he's not talking for Bonnie Jenny. Yeah,
I was on him that day and Candy Cabayo got
him right on the line, and Candy Cabayo was the
best horse in the race because he he got a
slow start and was had a little traffic man, but
he still got up over. He's not talking. That race
was August eleventh, so yeah, Verdy, I might play Verdy

(18:58):
by Midnight Storm out of Champagne and caviare Steaks winner
here at Emerald Downs producing Mayor. That horse ran on
pretty good after a slow start behind see that Tiger,
impassable and Big Bowie in August fourth Maiden race. Yeah
or no, that was the lads. Yeah.

Speaker 4 (19:15):
Six and a half is a tough distances seen for
two year olds, so if you want to be finishing,
that gave you a pretty good chance. Vivacious Tribute wasn't
quite sure what to do with him, but I think
he is a deserving favorite with a big Maiden win
and a big Steaks win. He did get beat pretty
you know by his stablemate pretty badly last time, but
I looked for a bounce back here and he's drawn

(19:36):
nicely outside. He's got a great trainer in his corner,
Carlo Lopez. We just mentioned, he's got a lot going
for him. Yeah, i'd like to.

Speaker 3 (19:44):
I'm happy to see him back in because Blaine was
a little bit puzzled after that Lads as Vivacious Tribute
came in two for two with a Steak win, big speed.
He did show speed in the Lads but faded to
last place, and Blaine was a little puzzled after that.
So to see him in as a good sign for sure.

(20:06):
Definitely okay. Steaks leaders among the jockeys, Carlos Montalvo and
Jose Zanino led last year and Carlos is on top again, Vince,
and now he does ride for Tom Wenzel, who is
our leading stakes trainer. But Carlos also let's see, he
won a Steak for somebody else as well, not just Weinzel.

(20:28):
But he's four for eleven and I think you pointed
out last week he's something like eight for twenty in two.

Speaker 4 (20:32):
Years he was eight for twenty going into last week. Yeah, commendous.
So he is. He's just a good rider.

Speaker 3 (20:38):
He is very good writer.

Speaker 4 (20:40):
He's really good at judge and pace. You know, you
saw the way he was able to get a little
hob breeze to keep going over that. She she's a
great talent. But you know, horses like Fantastic Day or whatever.
He just really can finish, you know. And he's got
the good hands and the good head, and you know
he's he's found a good thing here. He's been a
great fit. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (21:00):
Sylvio Amador has three steaks wins, Kevin Rosco and Carlo
Lopez two each among the jockeys, and Joe Bravo has
a steakes win as well. Again this year. As we know,
Tom Weinzel five for seventeen, uh and he's ten out
of seventeen in the top three twenty nine percent. Wenzel

(21:21):
was by far our leading stakes trainer last year with
seven wins and again five with several stakes to go.
Blaine Right is right in there. Those two boy, those
two Washington breds. Weinzel and Wright are battling it out
for well second place all time behind Doris Harwood. Right now,
Wenzel's got I think a two win lead as you reported.

Speaker 4 (21:43):
Sixty one fifty nine. Hey, Doris was sixty seven.

Speaker 3 (21:46):
Yeah, and Blaine is just the last eight years has
been on a complete tear. Well, weinsl the last two
years especially, so Weinsle with five, Blaine Wright with four.
Blaine is thirty three percent four for twelve. Kay Cooper
has two steaks win from precise timing to for four.
Justin Evans has a couple of steaks wins his first
two at Emerald Downs from a couple of older horses,

(22:07):
Neeman and Arma.

Speaker 4 (22:08):
Neiman rack in this weekend.

Speaker 3 (22:10):
Yeah, what a good race that is. Bonnie Jenny Grant Forrester,
Charles Essex, David Martinez all with one steak win. Okay,
well there's some data and some preview, so let's take
a short break and we'll come back with Scott Hansen
of the Seattle Times. Here on horse racing Northwest.

Speaker 2 (22:36):
It doesn't matter if you love craps, blackjack machines or
dining on the finest Asian, American and Salish cuisines. It
doesn't matter what you do or where you're coming from.
What you do is all at Muckleshoe an easy drive
from wherever you are. All roads lead to Muckleshoe.

Speaker 5 (23:00):
Much us soon.

Speaker 3 (23:05):
Horse Racing Northwest, thanks for joining us once again, seven
o'clock Friday night, one thirty Saturday and Sunday. Lots of
good horse races. We've got the Wiener Dogs on Sunday,
Ladies Day on Saturday. But for right now, we want
to talk to a good friend in horse racing and
a great fan and a promoter of the sport. Because

(23:25):
Seattle's only daily newspaper, the Seattle Times, has Emerald Downs
in a very nice prominent position and a lot due
to one Scott Hansen. Scott, thanks for joining us on
the show. Happy to be here, very good to have you,
and we're just you know, less than two weeks from
the eighty ninth Long Acres Mile. You were out for

(23:48):
that and Vince and I were talking in our first segment,
just starting right off. You've handicapped a mile pretty well
the last few years.

Speaker 1 (23:57):
No, I was in a really bad something that race,
and then I think I've had it every year ever since.
In twenty nineteen, I think I had it right every year.
And it wasn't like it was a hard and predict
but I was went to three this year, So I
figure all those years I gave off bad information. Maybe
I'm finally catching up a little bit.

Speaker 3 (24:17):
One two, three is good. Yeah, five star general over
Clovis connection in a photo. Slew's his whiz roaring up
the inside.

Speaker 4 (24:27):
Yeah, Scott, we've talked before. You share with the listeners
a little bit about your background in racing. You and
your father would attend the races when you were a youngster.

Speaker 1 (24:39):
Yeah, that was all My cousins would get to go,
the older me with a family outings. By the way,
U till I was ten, So that was the that
was the age you had to be get belongers back
in the day. So when I was ten years old,
I think it was on my birthday, my dad took
me out for the first time and just kind of
fell in love with it, you know, and starting to
carry about the Launchers mile and how cool that was.

(25:00):
And I think I've been to probably, you know, forty
five or forty six of them since I was ten,
having missed very many. Yeah, somethings that my dad and
I did together and we still do together. He's still
likes he still likes going out, So.

Speaker 3 (25:15):
Yeah, that is great. Yeah, so you embraced at a
young age, and when you first got in with the Times,
did you hey, I'll cover that race, or I'll cover
that event at the track, or hey, there's a good
story at the race track. Did you know?

Speaker 1 (25:29):
I kind of did. And I came into an editor,
but you know, I told him that, you know that
I liked force racing, and I started volume sure to
do stories and I did a race here and there,
and I think I covered my first mile probably in
two thousand and three or four. But then I started
just finding stories that I thought interesting.

Speaker 4 (25:46):
You know.

Speaker 1 (25:46):
I did stories, a big story on jockeys, did stories
on trainers, you know what it was like to be
a trainer, and I followed the groom around for a day.
I just came up with different ideas that I liked,
stories that interested me. And you know, there's so many
stories in horse racing and I've just tried to kind
of share as many of them as I possibly possibly

(26:07):
able to. But yeah, just I find it fascinating every
time I go back to the batch that's you know,
and you can see those people how hard to work
and how much they care about the horses and how
it's their life. Yeah, it's it's the stories you want
to tell.

Speaker 4 (26:21):
You've mentioned Scott like you know, you've you've covered just
about everything in town. I know you just mentioned you're
doing a lot of Washington State Cougar football this fall.
But sometimes with the you know, like the NFL or
the NBA or the Major League Baseball, they can be
pretty inaccessible or difficult to get one on ones. You've mentioned,
it's kind of refreshing dealing with horsemen who enjoy being interviewed.

Speaker 1 (26:45):
I think the one thing that's that's nice about you know,
horsemen is that they they don't get interviewed that often,
so they're not gen and they give you honest answers.
I mean sometimes maybe too honest, but that that's great
as a reporter, so you don't have you know, you know,
they're giving their talk with their heart and you don't
have to you don't have to really work too hard

(27:06):
to get them to say something. So now I've always
found that to be one of the things that I
like about covering horse racing is just how you know,
refreshing you this to talk to people in the sport
and that they aren't you know, really really happy to
talk with you.

Speaker 3 (27:22):
Yeah, including one owner by the name of Ken l
Hatdaff who you did a great feature on last year
for the eighty eighth Long Acres mile as five Star
General was running in the race for the fourth consecutive
year and first with Kennel head of Silks. Well, actually no,
he did run for Doris Hardwood. Doris, Yeah, that's right

(27:46):
in twenty twenty two. But nonetheless you did a story
on Ken and bringing the horse back, and the silks
were the ones that his grandfather used to win the
race a couple of times. This year's Scott was just
I mean, I was pretty dang happy. Just hey, you
got an eight year old horse, seven year old that

(28:08):
won the race in twenty twenty three, and right away
that night they said, oh boy, you know, we'd we'd
love to come back next year and defend. But you know,
from seven to eight a veteran horse, you know, twelve
months in the life of the horse, uh, can can
have a lot of changes. But they made it. They
brought Joe Bravo in fifth consecutive time in the mile,

(28:31):
and then as the race unfolded, it just didn't seem
so likely and at all that stretch was pretty damn
memorable for a long acres mile, even Scott.

Speaker 1 (28:41):
Yeah, you know, I think for me it was the
most memorable race I've seen in the mile I've been
you know, Flamethrowing Texan held off Toppy like you probably
know what you That was two thousand and eight.

Speaker 3 (28:53):
From two thousand and six, so it's been eighteen years.

Speaker 1 (28:57):
Yeah, but I had the same feeling as that flame
throwing Texan just was not gonna let Pappy Chilla get
by that day. I mean, Papachild was obviously a really
really good horse and probably more talent than flame throwing
Texans over his career, but he was not going to
get beat. And I had that same feeling, you know,
watching flame throwing Texan. I mean he was not going

(29:18):
to get beat. I mean he had every reason to
be beaten. I mean he got the bad, bad break
on the first turn, his five wide, and I'm watching
Joe Broblely, I mean he's asking that horse on the
backside and nearly wasn't moving, and I remember thinking he's
not going to finish the money. And then, you know,
even even when he moved up in the third on

(29:39):
top of the you know, threwing into the stretch and
I just definitely and now he's not going to get there.
You know, I thought he was in a second or third,
that'll be nice. But then he just I mean, the
horse just put his head down and it was it
was really one of them. I mean, I mean Tom Salmon.
I was there when Tum Salmon wanted it was nineteen
eighty five. The incredible comeback reminded me of that. It

(30:01):
was just it was just It's one of my favorite
miles I've ever watched, just because just the sheer determination
of that horse make sure he got there first.

Speaker 3 (30:11):
Yeah, he know. That horse knows what the game is
all about. He's run what in the thirties, just under
forty times or so, I think it is five star general. Well,
you could just see at the three sixteenth pole top
of the stretch, that horse knew what had to be done,
He knew what was going on, he knew where the
race ended because of all the races he's had, all

(30:33):
the training he's had, and many horses do, but that
horse's will and of course Joe Bravo riding him as
the twenty third leading North American jockey of all time,
knew what was going on as well, fully involved in
lots of drama for a horse to win two straight
long Acres miles.

Speaker 1 (30:53):
And although it was funny because Joe afterwards said, I
didn't think. I didn't know I was going to get there,
but he said the horse did. I mean, I think
he was like the rest of us like maybe this
is too much. But I think because close Connection got
easy leave. I mean, the fractions weren't blistering hot, so
it wasn't like he was closing. You know, it was
like he was rallying the horse that was no good.
I mean, Close Connection is a really good horse, got

(31:15):
the race that he wanted and it's still.

Speaker 3 (31:18):
Couldn't general indeed, yeah, it was. It was heavy drama.
You know, five straight years in the long Acres mile. Uh,
Kent Green ran six straight years and other We've had
a couple of horses run five times here at Emerald Down,
so I know Wasserman and Assessment both of them, but

(31:39):
nobody had been in the money for the first four times.
And uh, you know, just to do what he did
was it.

Speaker 4 (31:46):
Was member and then you know, just seemingly get better
with age is a little bit you know, unusual like that,
and I think Joe Bravo is a little bit modest too.
They were a great team. It took a veteran jockey
not to panic and have faith in his horse and
coax him together. They were a great team down the lane. Yeah,
certainly five star general all the credit in the world.

(32:08):
But Joe Brabo just a great fit on that horse.

Speaker 1 (32:10):
Yeah, yeah, No, I mean, no doubt he want the
best shocking in the country. I mean, matter where he runs,
and he have to. You don't worry about Joe when
he's on a horse. I also think, I mean, what
an amazing frame accomplishment by Grant Horster. I mean to
get that horse, I mean performance so many different tracks,
you know, and then and to give you better at
eight to seven and eight than he was you know,

(32:32):
five and six and four. This isn't just don't see
that happening.

Speaker 3 (32:35):
No, you're right, Yeah, you're exactly right. That horse. I
don't remember exactly where he was in the BC Derby.
He won his first couple of races out west here
from New York. I think he was stalking that day.
But uh, they've just got him into the races and
it's really worked out because that season in twenty twenty two,

(32:56):
he was in a stalking mode. He was always off
the pace a little bit, and he handled it well.
He ran quite well. But boy, the last two years
with under Grant, You're right, Scott, that that horse just
has never been better. In tremendous story too, Scott. What
do we do for an encore next year?

Speaker 1 (33:17):
Well, that's tough. Yeah, I mean, I know Kenny talking
about retiring the horse, but you know, you know, if
we'll shoot happens.

Speaker 3 (33:29):
Oh yeah, yeah, justin Evans will you know he'll he'll
have a couple and his whiz is still around. Yeah,
his whiz is he hasn't slowed down a step. Man
that that horse is good, Blaine, right, you know he's
got two good four year old Prince Abu Dhabi ran
very well. Sure did that wide trip so not mean.

Speaker 1 (33:50):
Yeah, could we ran back to some many of the
top finishers in the you know the twenty twenty three
mile came back and even a five star generals will
come back. We got you know, four or five of
the top perses from this year come back. It would
be the a heck of a race.

Speaker 4 (34:05):
Hey, Ken, Scott, I know we got a few Wazoo
fans out there. That's gonna be kind of your beat
right now. The Cougars, how are they looking in the
new realigned college football in twenty twenty four?

Speaker 1 (34:17):
You know what I mean? In practice? Everybody, you know,
the office looks good, the defense looks bad, and vice versus.
So you know, you're you're kind of guessing. But I
think they're pretty talented. You know, they got a lot
of drop this line back. I do think the quarterback
is going to be just find I think they're gonna
I think you're gonna surprise people. I think they're gonna
be be pretty good. You know. And the fact that

(34:37):
they have you know, they have the head coach back,
both their coordinators back, I think is a big deal.
I think nine of their twelve opponents have new head
coaches this year, So I think that's a pretty big advantage.
You know, to have that continuity when all these other
programs are playing, you know, don't don't have that continuity.
So I kind of think for that reason, the Cougars

(34:59):
are in a pretty good spot. Yeah, we'll see, it
will be uh, it'll be interesting. I mean, you know,
playing these Mountain West teams and I'll be really curious
to see what happens when they when they played the
Huskies early on in about a month, yeah, about a month.

Speaker 3 (35:13):
So yeah, us, uh, long time followers of West Coast football,
the Big Five, the Packed Eight, the Pack ten, Yeah,
the Pac twelve. You know, we're kind of you know,
it's a new frontier rooting for Washington State and Oregon State.
Who you know didn't jump.

Speaker 1 (35:32):
Yeah, I'd like to see those teams. Those teams have
good to have good years just to you know, they
didn't know, they didn't get a very good deal. I
don't think you know, with's what happened. So to see
them do a lot of be kind of fun.

Speaker 3 (35:43):
Yeah, I'm with you on that. Well, Scott uh More Racing, Becument,
Emerald Downs, Who've got you know, some divisional honors to
think about. The Washington Cup starts this weekend with the Juveniles,
and of course the Gottstein Futurity looks pretty wide open
at this point, although see that Tiger would be the
Vegas favorite right now for sure. But uh, we'll run

(36:05):
the races and uh you'll be watching and covering. So
uh again.

Speaker 1 (36:12):
I realized, you know, you know, the miles of a
big day. Still a lot of good races you know,
come to come, so I'll definitely at yep.

Speaker 3 (36:21):
Thank you for your attention in the Seattle Times as
well for putting the entries and charts in also that
that is huge for us. That yeah, you bet. Thanks
Scott Soot, talk to you soon. Scott Hanson of the
Seattle Times joining us on horse racing Northwest. Yeah, just

(36:42):
a really good guy to have involved in our sport
here locally.

Speaker 4 (36:47):
I've never seen I've never seen Scott in a bad mood,
have you, Joe, No, I haven't. That's a good thing
to say about someone I don't.

Speaker 3 (36:54):
Think I've golfed with. I haven't golfed with him, so
maybe you know that might bring it out. And we
do have one passing to relate. Tony Schiro passed away
just actually a few weeks ago, and Tony was a
pretty constant face around here, especially in the stable area,
and Tony got to know Bryson Cooper at a young age.

(37:17):
For both of them, Bryson was an apprentice jockey and
met Tony Backer about nineteen seventy. Tony was born in
la and trained a small stable at Santa Anita for
a while. He was just an outstanding gallop boy, and
Bryson and him reunited at Long Acres in the early

(37:39):
seventies as well, and hearing from Bryson, Cooper boy, Tony
was an outstanding expert on breeding and bloodlines. He knew
that all the lines going back to the nineteen thirties
and forties. And speaking of that, Scott Hansen brought up
chum salmon. Tony recommended the purchase chum salmon to the

(38:01):
Schneiders and that did happen at a two year old
in training se.

Speaker 4 (38:05):
Gaelic answer, Yeah, you know, I saw in the program
the other day the Tony Shary memorial purse, like what
I had just seen Tony in that corner shoe. I know,
you know, a few weeks ago.

Speaker 3 (38:15):
He passed away from heart issues. But he did work
for the Schneiders, did Tony at their farm out there
in Auburn? And yeah, chum salmon was recommended, and that
turned out to be a Long Acres mile winter and
a Washington Hall of Fame horse. I loved fishing as well,

(38:37):
and he was kind of a self made clairvoyant and
a horse masseuse. And Bryce and Cooper has some things
to say on both of those topics.

Speaker 5 (38:49):
He was kind of a clairvoyant South top clairvoyant. And
here he worked on horses and he worked on people too.
He'd hit pressure points on the horse of the Mountain.
It's pretty amazing to watch because he'd he'd go into

(39:10):
the star with the horse and he'd get stare at
him for a minute or two, and he'd and to
get it because the owyancy had gone. He'd start rubbing
his fingers, his thumb and his two fingers, and then
all of a sudden he say, well, this horse has
this problem matten. So he'd hit these pressure points and

(39:32):
sometimes the horse would they'd kick up at him or
bite at him the map and he'd just keep hitting
the pressure points, and then all of a sudden the
horse would start lipping his lips and he said, there,
that's the spot right there, and the horse would settle
right down and everything. And I'm sure enough he would

(39:56):
notice a difference from the way they traveled or by
the way they'd be and that. But then he worked
on people too. There are many times that he'd come
down to our barn and he'd start walking from the kitchen.
He said, all right, I'll be down to the barn
well half an hour forty five minutes later he'd show up.
Because on the way he would stop and people he'd play,

(40:19):
there's something wrong with him, and he'd go up and
start hitting their pressure points and that, even people he
didn't even know. We'd be walking down the street and
that and he'd start talking to people and he said,
he said, you got a bad knee, don't you. Somebody
would say yeah, and he said, here, let me help you,
and he'd hit those pressure points to that.

Speaker 3 (40:41):
Thanks to Bryce and for that information on Tony Shiro
and Tony of course passed away recently and a big
part of racing on the West Coast. We'll take a break,
we'll come back with trainer Grant Forrester here on horse
racing Northwest.

Speaker 2 (41:02):
Muchos. It doesn't matter if you love craps, blackjack machines
or dining on the finest Asian, American and Salish cuisines.
It doesn't matter what you do or where you're coming
from Mukoson. What you do is all at Muckleshoe, an
easy drive from wherever you are, all roads lead to Muckleshoe,

(41:28):
much Us.

Speaker 6 (41:28):
Soon they just over a quarter mile ago in the mile,
and clobe Is Connection trying to take them all the way.
Armadeo is chasing, and five Star General from the outside
Prince Anna Dabi as well center of the race course.
Clovie's Connection is bending away with a furlong ago and

(41:51):
it's Clovis Connection. Here comes five Star General in one
final surge feast two to the line. Clovis Connection, five
Star General hit the line together. It's a photo finish
in the mile.

Speaker 3 (42:07):
The twenty twenty four Long Acres Mile memorable. Using that
word a lot, but it certainly applies to August eleventh,
twenty twenty four at Emerald Downs and the Long Acres
Mile eighty ninth running as five Star General got up
over Clovis Connection. We just talked about the race with

(42:30):
Scott Hansen of the Seattle Times and that horse's intelligence
and ability and internal fire. Grant Forster is joining us,
the trainer of five Star General and Grant good memories
just a few days ago at Emerald Downs Man, good

(42:52):
to have you on.

Speaker 7 (42:53):
Oh thanks so much, guys. Yeah, it's great to be
with you. And yeah we're still still riding a high
as you do. After Long Acres Mile win and yeah,
it was what an amazing day and we're going to
talk about it. But yeah, it was just nothing but
good feelings for sure, and.

Speaker 3 (43:10):
Grant, you know, you got a horse who can get
it done, for sure, four straight in the money runs
in the mile, including the win last year. But I
was going back and forth in the final three sixteenth
quarter mile. May he he's gonna win? Oh no, there's
not enough time, he can't get there. Wait, I mean,

(43:31):
I don't know what were your emotions, especially the last
quarter mile.

Speaker 7 (43:36):
Yeah, the whole race was like that for me, Like
the first turn was a nightmare. You know, every trainer's nightmare.
I mean, not many horses win the mile from where
he was on the first turn or any racead that matter.
Going two turns and then you know, it looked like
then Joe was, you know, and then he had a
horse come up on his outside as he entered the
back stretch, which is never great when you have a

(43:56):
horse pass you during a part of the race. You know,
but Joe, you know, being the complete pro that he is,
just sat there and but then you know he made
that nice move, you know, kind of going into the
far turn and the second turn and he's a you know,
and Joe that I had talked about and I don't
know if I've talked about this with you or not,
but he's a horse that really runs the turns well.

(44:17):
For a big, strong horse, he really runs the turns well.
You know. Obviously spend years at Hastings Park on the
bull ring, and we train him here a lot of
times when we're stable that trackside and it's a six
fur long track, and he's a he's just a very
agile horse for as big and strong as he is.
And you could see him making that move. And obviously
I was watching him during the race more than Clovis Connection,

(44:39):
but going back and watching the replay a couple of
times now that I have as you do, Clovis Connection
was cruising along pretty good up there, and and when
he turned for home, I wasn't you know, it looked
like he had a shot, but it it And then
at the eighth pole, I was like, now he's not
going to get there, like Clovis Connection has just got
too much left, and and then you could just kind

(44:59):
of see Serge and we had a shot and uh
and just I was standing down past the wire in
my lucky spot. Uh and uh he you know, it
looked like he got up where we were standing and
everyone around me was just going crazy, and I was like, no,
we're not walking the wish circle until I see the

(45:21):
number up because they were showing this, you guys were
showing the slow motion and everything. And but yeah, it
was a real roller coaster of a race, to be sure.

Speaker 3 (45:29):
Oh boy, and it sure ended well for ken Al
had Aff, Grant, Forster, Joe Bravo and five star General
winning his second consecutive mile. Just some real, real heavy
drama at Emerald Downs. That stretch run was memorable and
his grant just went through Vince that the trip wasn't

(45:49):
anything like last year, as he had a good first
turn last year, and he made that move just actually
past the half mile poll to just say, okay, I'm
to be a big part of this race, which he was.

Speaker 4 (46:02):
Yeah, and it's just white on the first turn, like
Grant said, and then in sixth place on the backstretch,
which is uncharacteristic. White on the second turn, closed connection,
a good horse, nine for fourteen, loose on the lead,
with reasonable fractions in the mile. He had every reason
not to win, you know, and if you're close a connection.
What do you want to do different? Nothing? And somehow nothing. Yeah,

(46:24):
And Grant said it, Grant, the horse just surge late
and smell the wire there.

Speaker 3 (46:29):
And Grant, you know, the horses are trained to that
finished line in the morning, a whole bunch many many mornings.
They're trained to that line. And five Star Generals had
a lot of races as well. They can feel the
jockeys movements. They know that the race is still going
on through the jockeys urgings. But that horse at the

(46:49):
three sixteenths pole, he kinda he kind of sized up
the situation himself. And did he put a little extra
in to win that race?

Speaker 7 (46:59):
Oh, you'd have to think so. Yeah. He was really
tired after the race, more so than He's such a strong, tough,
durable horse, and he was tired. I mean he really
he really laid it on the line and gave every
last inch of of what he's got and and and
I think, you know, you guys are really seasoned race
watchers from watching so many races over the years. And

(47:21):
I had some really unreal text messages and phone calls
after the race. And just one example is Travis Stone,
who most people know is the announcer now at Churchill
Downs and has called several derbies now and you know,
obviously watched a lot of races growing up and now
that he's been a race caller, and he texted me
congratulations after the race and said that was one of

(47:43):
the most the three most races and his in all
of his race watching over the years, that a horse,
and he put in quotations dug in to win. And
you know, I mean there's somebody that has grew up
in Saratoga and has watched a million amazing hor horses
and has called the derby for years to for for
someone like that to make a comment, and uh yeah,

(48:06):
it was just it was I mean, it was just
exactly the you know. And then like Kenny said in
the in the post race interview, it's the the the
epitome of the thoroughbred and the will to win. And
he's a he's an eight year old horse, and he
knows where the wire is and he's obviously it was
his fifth time and in the long Acres mile he
knows exactly where the wire is. And and in a

(48:26):
couple of his long Acres mile trips he was further
back and and had to close and and didn't get
there and and uh but uh yeah, I mean it's
just absolute all heart on his part. And and Joe, Uh,
I mean, if you watch the last part of the
race again, Joe's just hand riding him. He knows the
horses is giving him everything he's got and there's no

(48:47):
need to use the crop or anything. He's just the
horse is laying out, and Joe's just trying to do
everything he can to just stay out of his way
and and urge him, you know, with with the hand
ride to to to to keep his momentum going to
get to get him up and and and nail them
right on the wire.

Speaker 4 (49:06):
Grant you knew, of course, Jim Penny, of course here
and you're with reasonably young guy and you're two behind him. Now,
has it ever crossed your mind that maybe I could
win this thing five times? You're up to three?

Speaker 7 (49:20):
Well, it's a it's an amazing statistic to be mentioned
in that, you know, and in those with those names
and be I'm I know, I'm tired tied with Howard
Belvoir at three and and somebody else has three? Is
that correct?

Speaker 3 (49:35):
Yeah, there's actually Bobby the Rosses have three, Bobby Frankel
has three. Yeah, and there's.

Speaker 7 (49:43):
Only pretty pretty good company.

Speaker 3 (49:45):
Yeah, there's only two ahead of you. Yeah, Jim Penny
with five. Alan Drumheller had four.

Speaker 7 (49:50):
Alan Drumheller, that's I think, Yeah, okay, yeah, yeah, so yeah,
I mean it's pretty uh as a kid growing up
in the Northwest to now have three of them, it's
a it's yeah, I mean I pinched myself for sure.
And uh, we've had such a great experience coming out
these last two years with General and it's been so
fun to uh to come back and see everybody and

(50:10):
and it's almost been like a little family reunion to
see so many good old friends and and you know,
it's just it's such a special day. And uh, as
you guys know, it's it's a it's such a neat
day as part of the Northwest sports calendar, and it
always has been. And uh, just to I remember running
my first horse in it and being part of it
and just being part of the energy, and and then

(50:33):
winning it with no giveaway, and and I mean I
was on a high for months after and it was
just such a special day. But yeah, I mean, I
I definitely want to do everything I can to. Obviously,
five star General is not coming back next year, but
I'm hoping that we maybe have a horse that that
develops over the winter and next spring that you know
that we we have some way to to come back

(50:53):
and try and do it again, whether it's next year
or the following year or in the years to come.
It's definitely something that's on my radar for sure, and
and something uh, you know, win or lose these last
couple of years. It was just a great experience. Obviously
winning is a is a fantastic experience, but just to
be around everybody and to be part of that, the

(51:14):
long Acre's Mile culture is a is a wonderful thing
and something I want to continue to be a part of.

Speaker 4 (51:19):
And you you mentioned after the race, Grant that you
you know Blaine right really well, you guys are pretty
tight and respect each other, and uh, Blaine even work
for you. And to catch his horse at the wire
that had to really have some crazy emotion there too.

Speaker 7 (51:38):
Yeah, No, it really was. And and I wanted to
be cognizant of the fact that as elated we were,
I know what it's like to be on the other
side of that and Uh, obviously the you know Blaine
had helped and you know it helped me back in
the day, and we're really close friends and and uh,
but just in the in the short term here, they've

(51:58):
looked after General in their barn and done everything that
we've asked him to do with him and uh, while
while he's been out there getting prepared for these races
the last two years. So even though we're competitors in
the race, they've they've done everything they can to to
help General settle in and and be at his best
on that day and made the best horse win, you know,
which is what horse racing is all about. Let's get

(52:20):
our horses together, Let's line them up, and let's see
who's the fastest. And uh, and I know Blaine has head.
I know how much the long Acre's Mile means to
him and his family. And uh, I know he's had
some tough beat in it. And uh, I'm really happy that,
you know. I remember texting him immediately after he won,
uh and got his first and and what it what

(52:43):
it meant, I know how much it meant to him.
So yeah, it was it was a bitter you know.
I mean, obviously we were just over the moon and
so excited and the drama of the race. But I
I really felt, you know, I felt the sting for
for him and his owners and and they're all their
crew because I know what it what it would have
meant to them to win for sure.

Speaker 3 (53:02):
Yeah, blain Wright, I'm with you. Grant, I'm glad he
I'm glad he has a win with another twist of
fade in the Long Acres Mile because he had any
port in a storm wind Ribbon Clovis connection. Those three
were really really close near Missus. So you spoke about
Travis Stone. I listened to hr r end's calling show

(53:26):
on Thursday mostly because of Charles and Mississippi. He's such
a good caller. And yeah, but so they were going
over the races before they started taking calls on the
week after the Miles show, and which you can catch
at hr r N via archive of the Brisnet calling show.

(53:47):
And so they start talking about some of the big
races of the week and some of the good horses
at one and then Bobby Newman, who's the main host
and of course the track announcer at Prairie Meadows, he goes, hey,
you know there's one race last weekend guys that I'm
going to talk about, and not many, not everybody's going
to know about it, but it was the most exciting

(54:07):
race of the weekend bar none. And you know you
talked about this at Saratoga and this at del Mar
and so forth and so on, but the Long Acres
Mile at Emerald Downs with five Star General getting up
to win for the second year in a row, you
can't top that, you know, he was just yeah, I
mean he captured it for and the other guy, James,

(54:32):
he hadn't seen the race, but knew of five Star
General because of being you know, located in Lexington, Louisville area.
But anyway, they gave they gave credit as well. And
we haven't even talked about the Winter's Circle after the
race yet, Evince. I mean, you know that was one
for the agent. Oh my gosh, Kenny All had a

(54:53):
bought ninety seats. But you know Grant has a pretty
good following too, and Grant, a lot of those people
were your friends and acquaintances that joined you in the
Winter Circle there.

Speaker 7 (55:05):
Yeah, that was a that was about as close as
you get to organize, man, I think, and uh, you know,
kudos to Reed Palmer and his daughter Aaron, the track
photographers forgetting somehow getting that mob organized. But yeah, I
mean there was uh you know, I knew it was
gonna be a big affair, of course, and it just

(55:26):
I think there was people just coming out of the
grand stand that had been on them. I don't know,
that was just there was We had I had a
lot of friends from the area, and we had a
lot of friends that came in this year that wanted,
you know, wanted to be a part of it after
last year that had never been to Emerald Down's and
a couple of my clients that came in and wanted
to be a part of it. And I have some
clients still from Seattle that were there that day for

(55:48):
the race that I have horses with back here in Kentucky.
And it's just like a perfect storm of a group
of people and the excitement of the race and everybody
wanting to be a part of it, and uh, yeah,
it's just it's uh, it's just it was an amazing
special day. And I think, uh, you know, last year,
like you said, it was, it was kind of in

(56:08):
the bag turning for home. It looked like he had it.
He was a favorite and nobody was going to catch him,
and and but just the drama of the of the race.
And I mean, it wouldn't have mattered if if that
was a maiden ten claimer or what. It was just
an amazingly dramatic race. But when you throw everything in
together with him potentially his last race, and yeah, and

(56:30):
uh and the long Acre smile and going for you know,
two in a row, and and how it happened, and
and that you know that the people that were there,
it was just it was a perfect storm. And yeah,
it's it's it's just one of those experiences. And I
mean I've been to I don't know how many Kentucky
Derby's now and and how many and and and the

(56:50):
crowd noise and but you know where I was standing,
the crowd noise as they came down the stretch was.
I mean, that's one of the most loudest crowds I
can ever remember at Emerald Down's, you know, in my
years there, and I'm just of any racetrack anywhere. It
just the crowd was so into it. And you know,
he was the favorite, so of course a lot of

(57:11):
people had bet on him, but just the enthusiasm of
the crowd and and how how much the crowd is
involved in the long incres mile and what it means
to the community and the people that come every year,
and and yeah, it just it couldn't have I mean
if you, if you if somebody had written the Hollywood script,
you'd say, oh, no, that's too obvious, right, you.

Speaker 3 (57:32):
Know exactly, you know, no, you can't, you can't do that.
You know, real real life and sports brings us that
all the time every year, and it did bring us
that on August eleventh, where you know exactly if you
wrote something like oh yeah, okay, Hollywood story, but this
was this hat it all and the finish with all

(57:53):
that was on the line and the build up and
it just came to fruition for you guys so well
and the winner reflected all that it was. It was
a beautiful day. So all right, Well can Ell had
to fnnounce that five star general would be retired and
seeking a stud career, which is fantastic. And yeah, and

(58:15):
one thing I want to get one more comment from
Grant on this. Vince. He mentioned after the race that
night that in two plus years of having this horse
now he said he might have had three mornings with
Gus Aboard that weren't perfect. I mean you've mentioned, you
tell the story ground how the horse just loves his job,

(58:36):
loves to train, and is so consistent on a high level.

Speaker 7 (58:40):
Yeah, I mean, I'm you know, as a trainer, you're
so spoiled with a horse like this because you know,
so many things happen, and horses are like any athlete.
They have ups and downs, and they have you know,
our morning workouts sort of like practices, and they have
good practices, bad practices.

Speaker 5 (58:57):
You know.

Speaker 7 (58:59):
But basically, you know, five star general wasn't a Grade
one horse like Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant or you know,
Tom Brady or but the elite, elite athletes that we
talk about all the time. But in his preparation and
in his attitude and that he was just like you
know the stories you read about those guys where they

(59:21):
never take a practice off and they never you know,
everything is about getting an edge, and he just I mean,
I probably had a handful of days, whether it's three,
four or five over the last two and a half
years where Gus would come back and say he was
just a little quiet today, or you know, and even
then you watch him train and you'd be like, oh, man,

(59:41):
I wish every other horse in the barn trained as
good as he did that day and every workout, and
just the way he throws his legs out there and runs.
He just enjoys it so much. I mean, I've never
I've had some really nice horses over the years, and
and but I don't know that I've ever had a
horse that I that enjoyed working as much as he did.
He just looked like he almost had a smile on

(01:00:03):
his face every time he every time he worked like
it was just finally, they're letting me go fast once
a week. And and you know, he's worked at fair
grounds here in Kentucky for us, and you know, people
get to know him, and he's such a gorgeous horse.
You know, he looks like a black stallion. You know,
he's a big, beautiful black horse. And and you know,

(01:00:24):
gets so many comments, like I said, even though he's
not the best. You know, when we're at Fairgrounds or
when we're at Churchill, he's not the best horse here
at the track. He's one of the better ones, to
be sure, but he's not the best. You know, we're
talking about we have Derby and Oaks winners training here,
and we have you know, all these fancy, big horses,
and but he's a horse that everybody knows when he's

(01:00:44):
on the track, just because of the way he his
attitude and the way he goes about it and how
he looks and how he carries himself. And and it's
just been such a joy to have a horse like
that in the barn. Where you come into the barn,
you know, the first thing I do in the morning
when I get to the bar, and like most trainers,
you check their legs, and just so consistently, We've never

(01:01:05):
had to, you know, think about you know, oh we've
got to stop on him, or we need to you
know something's not right, or you know he's he's just
been so consistent and all of the you know, the
breaks in his form that since I've had him have
all been by design to to you know, knowing that
he's a horse that's getting older. And we our goal
has been the Long Acres mile both years and how

(01:01:27):
do we best get him there? And and this year
we came in a little with a little more racing
ahead of it. Last year we came in just a
little fresher and but he was just doing so good
this year and and uh so, yeah, it's it's going
to be a big, big hole to fill in the barn,
but it's it's pretty exciting to know that a horse
like that and what he's achieved and and how he's

(01:01:48):
going to go out on top. And it was such
such an easy decision to retire him after that race.
We had talked Kenny and I about possibly, you know,
for his stallion career, maybe we should, you know, maybe
we'd think about run him another time or two, you know,
maybe make a you know, see if he could make
a million, and that would help kind of market him
as allion, as a millionaire and a millionaire son of

(01:02:08):
distorted humor. And but you know, we we both kind
of had in our mind that that if he won
that that would probably be his last race, and the
way he wanted and all the stuff that you you,
Vincent and Joe and I've just been talking about, and
the drama of the day, like, there's no way he
could ever go out any better than that. So it's

(01:02:29):
a it's a really easy decision.

Speaker 3 (01:02:30):
Yeah, I don't think so, all right, Well, Grant always
good talking horses, with you talking anything with young Forrester,
but especially the events of August eleventh, with five star
General winning his second straight mile. Again, congratulations and and
have a great rest of the season. And Vince yeaut
he's going to be thinking when he gets a good

(01:02:52):
four year older upward, he's going to be thinking about
that race in August. So again, Grant, thanks so much.

Speaker 7 (01:02:59):
And oh yeah, thank you guys.

Speaker 5 (01:03:01):
I liked that.

Speaker 7 (01:03:02):
I'm already already trying to figure out a way so
we can make it back next year and try and
try and be a part of it. It's just it's
one of the great races in the country. And yeah,
it's I think I think the other day with the
victory and the way it went, I think really really
brought a lot of people's attention to the race, which is,
you know what it's all about, and you know, so

(01:03:25):
super excited to be a part of that that it did.

Speaker 3 (01:03:28):
All right, Grant, take care, good luck. The rest of
the year will be following your action and we'll see
you down the road.

Speaker 7 (01:03:37):
Thanks you guys, have a great rest of the season.
We'll be watching the races from Afar and hope you
guys finish out the season really strongly, and we'll be
looking forward to seeing the date for the Long Acres
Mile in twenty twenty five.

Speaker 3 (01:03:48):
All right, thanks Grant, Thanks Grt. Great poster joining us
on horse racing Northwest. And yeah, just you can talk
about that day and that horse and that event for
all long time, which we did. Okay, Uh, let's go
on to our sports shorts, Vince. I'm gonna say Denver

(01:04:09):
Broncos over five and a half wins this year in
the NFL. It's it's tiny. Five and a half is
amazingly low because bow Knicks was considered the worst quarterback
in the draft, I mean on perception, but he's been
playing great in his two preseason chances. He's got that
coach Sean Payton, who you know has his detractors, but

(01:04:31):
he's a good quarterback coach. And uh, Denver, you know,
there's seventeen games now, there's not sixteen over five. I
like that. Yeah. Yeah, they're in a tough to Every
division's tough. And Detroit the Lions were pretty darn good
last year. I think they're There'd be my pick to

(01:04:52):
win the Super Bowl this year. I think they can
keep moving forward. They blew a few through fourth. They
missed on a few fourth plays last year against the
forty nine ers. They might have been there against Kansas City.
They beat Kansas City last year in the regular season
early on to kind of establish themselves, so Detroit for
the Super Bowl Denver over five and a half wins.

(01:05:14):
Those are sports shorts for me.

Speaker 4 (01:05:16):
Well, today being Thursday, the Mariners finally made a move firing.
They did do it. Huh yeah, I'd bringing in Dan Wilson,
former catcher as interim manager, and something needed to be
done because this team is just I don't see any
corrections being made to the approach to batting or whatever.
But that's beside the point. My point here is do
you realize now in Seattle, beginning with the season, the

(01:05:40):
Kraken will have a new head coach, Dan Bilsma. The
Seahawks have a new head coach, The Mariners have a
new manager. UW has a new football coach, football and basketball.
Every major sports any in town has fired or released
their coach. You know, it's in the last few months,
so kind of changing of the guard here. That's a
good sport short right there. Yeah, I mean you got

(01:06:04):
to lay it right out. New coaches new new regimes
all over the place, and the Mariners have I think
a five game deficit on Houston. Yeah, they're done.

Speaker 3 (01:06:13):
Okay, all right, well we're done with that topic for
right now then, But selections, I like Uncle Leon. He's
the second choice on your morning line of three to
one in the Hollywood Harbor Sprint final. That horse is
just running super and he is certainly one to beat
in there. You know, Friday night, I'm going to take

(01:06:34):
a chance on Tis a Tiger? Or yeah, tis a
Tiger at eight to one from the outside there to beat?

Speaker 7 (01:06:42):
Is it?

Speaker 3 (01:06:43):
Holy twot to Bella?

Speaker 2 (01:06:44):
Is that?

Speaker 4 (01:06:46):
Yes? Yeah?

Speaker 3 (01:06:47):
On Friday?

Speaker 4 (01:06:48):
You know there's a horse in there. Don't tell Heidi
is finished second in all five starts at the meet.

Speaker 3 (01:06:53):
Yeah, that's right, don't tell. Heidi's certainly live back in
justin evans barn. They're actually in his barn for the
first time after recent claim. Fully two to to Bella
is a legit favorite from the one hole for Evans
and Krigger. But you know, Tis a Tiger has a
win at the meeting, fourth behind Mary Walker last time out,
had a bad start the time before the race against

(01:07:16):
Oreo's dream is Flashy Harbor wasn't bad. I think that
horse is live at eight to one Alyssa Morales for
Jennifer Nunway. So there's a pick.

Speaker 4 (01:07:24):
Yeah, you know, it's an interesting race. On Sunday we
mentioned the two stakes. Yeah, preceding that is six races
a twenty seven thousand dollars allowance at six furlongs from
the rail out Firewalker, God Send, Papa's Golden Boy, Fantastic Day,
Naval Escort, Nieman and Company's Dream, you know, his interesting
horse in there. I thought, Joe, if closers have any
kind of a chance, Fantastic Day is going to be

(01:07:45):
rallying into one wicked pace and he has and you
know that he can do that.

Speaker 7 (01:07:51):
I do that.

Speaker 4 (01:07:52):
The feeds figures speed figure feeds path speed figures are
a little bit low, but it's going to be interesting.
I think the horse has a chance to get up
if they go crazy upfront, and how can they not
with horses like Nieman and Papa's Golden Boy in there,
you know, but those are classy horses that could certainly
take them all the way. But Fantastic Day, when he

(01:08:13):
gets an honest pace to run at, he has a
hell of a kick.

Speaker 3 (01:08:17):
Oh, it's huge. And Carlos Montalvo really knows him well
now after winning twice aboard him last year and winning
that race when he was it says thirteen lengths behind.
He was all of that at least. Yeah, it seemed
like it was even more. But nonetheless, you know, George Rosalis,
I saw him out there this morning training and he's

(01:08:38):
excited to put him back in. He says six six
and a half. You know, yeah, he drops back, but boy,
he knows when to go and he'll take the rider
with him. And yeah, you're right. The pace is going
to be fantastic in that race, So fantastic day. Have
you made the morning line?

Speaker 4 (01:08:55):
Yeah? I made him six. Yeah, sure, I had to
make Neman favor. He's and you know Justin's other horse
in their Godsend. He's no slouch either. He's awful fast
and Papa's Golden Boy, we know all about him. So
and you know, a horse like Firewalker is going to
be rallying late Naval Escort can rally. So very interesting race,

(01:09:19):
fun race to watch, you know, and I'm happy to
see Papa's Golden Boy and we know he didn't get
in the mile. So it's great to see him get
a race in here and who knows, maybe the Washington Cup.

Speaker 3 (01:09:30):
Yeah, that's right after that. On closing day he beats
loosed his Wis in the tribal class.

Speaker 4 (01:09:36):
So when and that's when Loosed to his Wizard just
won the miles.

Speaker 3 (01:09:39):
Right, Okay, all right, let's go on to our trivia.
And last week's question was pretty easy for these grizzled
veterans are out there listening. Who is the only horse
to finish second in the Long Acres mile twice? And
you got to go back to the three Yakama years.
Sneak and Jake was second twice in the mile, to adventure,

(01:10:02):
some love and to a net desperate photo finish with
Larry Hillis's horse winter Home.

Speaker 4 (01:10:12):
I was there that day. Yeah, you were there, that's right.

Speaker 3 (01:10:14):
And I think everybody thought that Sneak and Jake on
the outside one.

Speaker 6 (01:10:18):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (01:10:18):
I rode over with Mark Kaufman to the races from
the I was up from Santa Anita that day and
had a nice ride and it was a lot of
fun boy and the Yakama was set up was very nice.
It was very impressive.

Speaker 3 (01:10:32):
Yeah, we put a lot of money into that track.
To summarize it, you know you use the word winter rise.
We summarized Yakama Meadows for those three seasons between Long
Acres and Emerald Bounds. But Boy Russ got at. CJ
got it, Michael Tarlow got it. I think there might
have been four correct answers in there, so I'm gonna
I didn't determine who won yet on the random draw,

(01:10:54):
but good work everybody. That question wasn't too tough, just
kind of go to a list of long acres mile.
This week's question, who was the all time leading jockey
at Emerald Downs who was born in Washington?

Speaker 1 (01:11:10):
So?

Speaker 3 (01:11:11):
Send your answers to trivia at Emeraldowns dot com. And
I got that question from Vince Burn So who is
the all time leading jockey at Emerald Downs who was
born in Washington State? Thanks for listening to Horse Racing
Northwest our guest Scott Hanson the Grant Fort. They're onto
the races at Emerald Downs.