We're Back for 2025! Episode #141

With the calendar turned to 2025, Emerald Downs is gearing up for its 30th season of Thoroughbred racing, Opening Day on Sunday, April 27. Horses begin training on the track on Monday, February 24. Another date to note is Saturday, February 22. That evening, horse and human achievements of 2024 are recognized at the WTBOA Awards Banquet, open to the public. Washington Hall of Fame trainer Tim McCanna and Turfway Park Track Announcer Tony Calo join Joe and Vince on this edition of Horseracing NW. McCanna, 10-time training titlist at EmD, figures to have a stronger local presence this season. Calo calls the races Wednesday-Saturday at Turfway, first race at 2:55 pm. Turfway averages over 10 starters per race and their $0.50 P-5 payoff averages over $40,000!

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Muchos.

Speaker 2 (00:04):
It doesn't matter if you love crabs, blackjack machines or
dining on the finest Asian, American and Salis 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 ahead of a layer blong, a half to go,

(00:51):
A load of free bangles out white into the trek.
A window of opportunity opens up, but never sway. The
white at a certainly never sway as a gallopery. How
does say, go, go go and challenge Jalloha brings him
sticky gay regionally as they ranged up some woods the line,
Alloa her freeze and call him on tabo blow them away.

Speaker 4 (01:11):
Horse Racing Northwest, first edition of twenty twenty five from
Emerald Downs Joe Wie Vince Broune. That was audio of
Aloha Breeze continuing her tremendous career. Top Juvenile Philly at
Emerald Downs, top three year old Philly and in twenty
twenty four top older Philly or Mayor Tom Winzel trainee

(01:35):
doing well down in Phoenix Vince. She's got a couple
wins down there.

Speaker 1 (01:39):
Yeah, you know that. The big question was her at
Emerald Downs, was could she route and bait that That
distaff was one of the great races of the season.
I thought she was really and she couldn't do anything. Really,
she's really good and really fast, and she's difficult horse
to beat because if you let her go, she's gone,
and if you try to hooker out, you're not going

(02:02):
to win. So yeah, she's really good.

Speaker 4 (02:05):
Looking forward to seeing her at Emeral Downs in twenty
twenty five. Opening day April twenty seventh. That will be
a one day week, a Sunday, and then our next
day of racing will be Kentucky Derby Day. That'll be
a one day week, and then we'll be racing Saturday
Sunday for several weeks and we'll get to our normal

(02:26):
Friday Saturday Sunday schedule for the heart of the twenty
twenty five meeting. A couple other dates coming up. We're
going to get some horses in here pretty soon.

Speaker 5 (02:37):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (02:37):
Stall applications close on February fourth, and then the horses
can come onto the grounds. What's it Friday, February twenty first,
and then training begins Monday, February twenty fourth, as we
lead into the April twenty seventh opener. So yeah, it's
almost here.

Speaker 4 (02:53):
Yeah, and speaking of stall applications moving in time, track
opening for training February twenty fourth. We're expecting some new
faces at Emerald Downs this year, Vince.

Speaker 1 (03:06):
Yeah, Joe, you and I had the opportunity to head
down south to a place I had not been before either, Pleasanton, California,
which is, you know, a half hour east of Oakland
on the freeway. And Joe, both you and I were
very impressed with a couple of things. One, the racetrack
is quite quaint and really a pretty atmosphere. Of course,

(03:28):
the weather was spectacular, and the town itself is really
a very nice place. There's obviously a lot of wealth
in the community. We saw a lot of golf courses.
But boy, you know, we all have read the news
and it would be a real shame for a place
like that to go away from racing. You know, we
might benefit from it, which is good, but on the

(03:49):
other hand, it's never good if a racetrack or a
circuit goes away.

Speaker 4 (03:53):
No, and they're they're hanging there in the balance right now.
As we know, they tried to do a replace fall
meet for Golden Gate and the finances weren't working well
for you know, there's a number of reasons there, but
they're not racing right now, which they expected to be
several months ago at Pleasanton the replacement meet for Golden Gate,

(04:14):
and lots of trainers down there, lots of local names
as well that'll be coming back, and many many new
faces interested of course, because their other alternative is a
seven to eight hour van ride to Santa Anita, which
can be tedious. Santa Anita is trying to make it
as nice for him as possible with some financial help

(04:36):
as well for those van rides and some Pleasanton type
races each week, but nonetheless to have a stable several months,
five to six months up here at Emerald Downs. Many
trainers are interested in bringing their string. We're going to
see some new horses at Emerald Downs this year and

(04:57):
we're not We were accepted down there on the stable
area because they're there, you know, could be running out
of options there.

Speaker 1 (05:04):
Yeah, a lot of people know bomberdu Trick and he
been the racing secretary a long time in Northern California,
another resident from up here, and he graciously showed us
around because there was a lot of horsemen hurting at
some point. You know, you got to get some income
coming back in. You can't just train train train, you know,
you got to race for some money. And therefore, you know,

(05:28):
there was a big article in yesterday's Daily Racing Form
you can read it online. Just interviewed a bunch of
the trainers down there, and you know a lot of
them indicated that they plan on sending at least some
runners up here. But you know, the thing going to
southern California, that's just kind of a band aid, right,
I mean, I don't think that's a long term solution.

(05:49):
So you know, the one thing is I feel confident
we get some people up here, they will enjoy themselves.
You know, they'll have a nice summer and nice weather
and it'll be a good experience for him.

Speaker 4 (05:59):
Yeah, and there's so many trainers that just they are
not looking to get out of the business. They have
a stable of horses and they want a place to
run and Emerald downs. We're offering some incentives as well
for trainers to move in bring ten or more horses,

(06:20):
twelve or more horses is one of the incentive cutoffs
and run them here at Emerald Downs. So Tim mcanna
is one gentleman we spent some time with, well known
at Emerald Downs. He's going to be one of our
guests today on horse Racing Northwest, as is track announcer
from Turfoy Park, Tony Klow. And Tony's been calling races

(06:40):
all around the United States for around thirty years. We'll
get some update on him in the Turfoy Park a
real option for handicappers later in the day Wednesday through Saturday.
Actually they're racing Sunday this week tomorrow as we do
this podcast Saturday around noon and Tony join us as well.

(07:01):
And yeah, track opens for training February twenty fourth at
Emerald Downs for the twenty twenty five season. Our thirtieth
season coming up long acres miles Sunday is August seventeenth
this year. We've got our stake schedule online our promotion
schedule as well at Emeraldowns dot com. The Wtboa Banquet

(07:23):
is February twenty second, Saturday, and that will honor crown
all of the Washington bread horses and humans for the
twenty twenty fourth season, so looking forward to that, and
of course, Vince, we've got a large presence at Turf Paradise,
so many of our trainers down there still, so that's

(07:45):
a signal to keep track of.

Speaker 1 (07:47):
Just taking another glance at the standings and Justin Evans
is ahead of Robertino Diodoro, that's no small feet. I
think he's up by three. And in the jockey standings,
car Lopez is on top of Orlando Mohico down there.
I think it's thirty eight to thirty five, and then

(08:07):
Manny Americano is third with thirty wins, and there's a
lot of trainers and jockeys trying to win races down there,
so that's no small feat for the leading apprentice at
Emerald Downs last year.

Speaker 4 (08:19):
Yeah, apparently their barn area is full, you know, with
the actual you know, misfortune up in northern cal of
not racing and Santa Anita's barn area is full as
well as tim Caanna Blaine Wright have stalls down there
to supplement their contingent, of which they'll be very prominent

(08:44):
at Emerald Downs this year. Okay, well, we're going to
do a couple of interviews. We've got our normal sports
shorts and selections and topics. Towards the end of our
podcast horse Racing Northwest Underway for twenty twenty five, we
will be right back with trainer Tim McKenna.

Speaker 3 (09:06):
Muchoson.

Speaker 2 (09:08):
It doesn't matter if you love craps, blackjack machines or
dining on the finest Asian, American and Saless cuisines. It
doesn't matter what you do or where you're coming from.

Speaker 6 (09:20):
Mucoson.

Speaker 2 (09:21):
What you do is all at Muckleshoe, an easy drive
from wherever you are. All roads lead to Muckleshoe Man.

Speaker 3 (09:32):
Mucosuon.

Speaker 6 (09:36):
No challenges yet for Baby Wave entering the lane and
Baby Wave by over two lengths blows Bow on the
outside is running on Philly getting a run through the peck.
Now is two busy to call wine to Dyne, can't
go on from Sanskript. They haven't made any impression on
Baby Wave racing down to the sixteenth Poland. Baby Wave
is about four in front and it's certainly waving them
goodbye because it's all over. Baby Wave up by five

(09:57):
two busy to call on the inside and glows mofa.
But it's Baby Way from Glow's Moo.

Speaker 4 (10:02):
That was a popular horse at Emerald Downs during our
early season. He won six of his first nine career
starts with big speed. Baby Wave won his first out
that was April twenty second, two thousand for trainer Tim
McKenna and the Quad Run Farm. What a presence they

(10:22):
had at Emerald Downs and Tim mccanna joining us on
horse racing Northwest. Tim, I know you remember Baby Wave.

Speaker 7 (10:31):
Well, yeah, he was the natural he called him. He
was just a natural race source.

Speaker 4 (10:38):
With a lot of speed. And his name came up
when we saw you earlier this week down in Pleasanton,
and you think he might have been your first ever
winner at Golden or at Bay Meadows as well.

Speaker 7 (10:52):
I think it was. We went over on a Friday, ninthies,
just paid a ship over there from Golden Gates. He
want and the boys cashed us check, so we ended
up staying the night at the hotel and little Baby
Wave party.

Speaker 1 (11:04):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (11:05):
He was a Kentucky bred by Seattle Sleet and the
Quad Run Farm. That is another Emerald Downs top name
over the years. Boy, you won a lot of races
for those guys, Tim, which included some of your family.

Speaker 7 (11:21):
I think, Yeah, it was a bunch of card dealers. Actually,
Jack bringing in playfair and John Peterson one of the
main guys. El Wade was in on it, a couple
other guys who owned dealerships, and they really helped us
get going with young horses early on. And we lost both.
We just disbanded maybe a year ago. And then Jack

(11:42):
and John Peterson both passed away.

Speaker 4 (11:45):
Yeah, John Peterson love coming over to Emerald Downs and he's.

Speaker 7 (11:49):
Yeah, they really really supported it. And right Mike I said,
they both passed within a year of kind of shutting
the Quad Run deal down.

Speaker 4 (11:58):
Yeah, John lay that was Elway was John Elway was
part of Quad Run. We didn't see him at Emerald
but he won a lot of races with those colors.
Tim mccanna training, ye and geez, we just bring Tim
right in here, Vince brun and he's been a real
prominent member of Washington of course, the first Emerald Downs

(12:21):
trainer that was born in this state to make the
Washington Hall of Fame from Emerald Downs career.

Speaker 1 (12:27):
Well, and here's some of the reasons why Tim nine
hundred and seventy six wins at Emerald Downs number two
all time, could hit one thousand this season as possible
number one with ten training titles. You mentioned the Washington
Racing Hall of Fame, but in addition to that, Tim
has two thousand, five hundred and forty career wins, which
is pretty darn good for a relatively young guy. And

(12:50):
Tim just tied for first with sixteen wins and was
first in earnings at the Pleasanton meet. And unfortunately, Tim,
that meat is over.

Speaker 7 (12:58):
It sounds like, yeah, there's a lot of rumors right
now that they might be done for a while.

Speaker 1 (13:05):
Yeah.

Speaker 7 (13:05):
I hope not, but things are really up in the
air right now.

Speaker 4 (13:09):
Yeah, they are. And a lot of interest from your
fellow horsemen down there stable at Pleasanton to come to
Emerald Downs. We are an option, of course. And you,
as Vince just said, leading trainer at that meet, duly noted,
a mayor who's won all four of her starts, including

(13:30):
a stake there at Pleasanton, and you have, well you're
racing at Santa Anita today, in fact, that's where you are, correct.

Speaker 7 (13:38):
Yeah, we're just on our RADI to races Will McLean.

Speaker 4 (13:40):
And I yeah, Tim has Zeus's War in race five
today and then three horses in tomorrow at Santa Anita.
Including Princess Hakawi, who we saw win a couple of
times at Emerald Downs this year.

Speaker 7 (13:54):
Tim, Yeah, she liked it up there. Well, we'll see
what happens down here. We might bring a few more
horses up this year, and she certainly would be one
of them that Havana likes to see him running in
his home down.

Speaker 4 (14:06):
Yeah, owner breeder Victor Bonna and his Royal Victory Stables campaign.
Princess Akawi. Tim with the horses in the second, fourth,
and fifth tomorrow, a couple of maidens in and then
Princess Akawi in race five. And yeah, Tim, quite the
record book from growing up in Spokane and your father Dan,

(14:27):
a trainer and a school teacher, and you were a
leading trainer in your young years there, a leading trainer
in Yakima. No surprise that you are in the Washington
Hall of Fame. And you know you've wanted a pretty
good percentage up here too the last few years, kind
of with your second string and maybe a little bigger

(14:49):
presence this year.

Speaker 7 (14:51):
Yeah, I think so it's looking that way, especially if
they shut down Pleasant and a longtime assister, Mary Owen
Silva might come up. It's her home up there, she
has family, so we're probably going to have it twice
as many as we've had the last couple of years.

Speaker 4 (15:06):
That is good to hear. And Tim again, you know
at Pleasanton, you've got quite a few there, and you've
made that trip down to Santa Anita a few times
now the last couple of months, haven't you.

Speaker 7 (15:19):
Yeah, for four weeks in a row at this point,
it looks like it's going to be that way through
through the meat. Just the way things are playing out
right now, not a lot of extrampty stalls here, so
we're all having to kind of rotate through.

Speaker 1 (15:32):
You know, Tim or Joe? You mentioned duly noted and Tim,
that's kind of interesting. I looked that up and that
damn Fragrant Harbor. You claimed her for twenty five thousand
and her second career started Emerald, and she's been good
to you. You had a horse Maryland Smile out of
Fragran Harbor won two hundred thousand almost and now duly Noted,

(15:52):
as Joe said, four for four, what's the plan with her?

Speaker 7 (15:56):
Okay, we're going to run to Allowance Race here? I
think coming up?

Speaker 5 (16:00):
How you doing.

Speaker 7 (16:07):
Tim Billy's here?

Speaker 4 (16:10):
I see that I hear that.

Speaker 7 (16:12):
Anyway, I jumped out, so okay, yeah, yeah, she's at
Frankrn Harbor. Actually we had I bought her mother in Kentucky,
a Hodge and the boy. So that's kind of why
we ended up claiming her because we had the mayor.
I think her name was follow your Shot.

Speaker 1 (16:27):
Yeah, right about the time.

Speaker 7 (16:29):
We were naming them all after basketball because our kids
were all playing ball.

Speaker 4 (16:34):
Tim mcan follow.

Speaker 7 (16:35):
Your shot full court press one of the three.

Speaker 4 (16:37):
That's right. You had both those horses. They both had
top winning percentages here. Tim Uh had that five wind day,
tying the state record here at Emerald Downs and and
won four races in an hour, which you know, you
say that, and how does a guy do that? Well,
he won, he was even less than an hour a
little bit, Yeah, it was. It was you're right. He

(16:58):
woned like seven third then he dead heated. Both his
horses won at eight o'clock, so he got two wins there,
and then at around eight thirty he won again. Tim,
I'm sure that that day is pretty well memorable to you.

Speaker 1 (17:14):
Uh.

Speaker 7 (17:15):
Yeah, that was fun. It happened real fast, for sure.

Speaker 4 (17:19):
And another win as well, for five wins on one
card and Vince mentioned some of the records ten training
titles here at Emerald Downs. Absolutely fantastic.

Speaker 7 (17:28):
I had a lot of good owners up there and
we had a lot of fun over the years there,
for sure, them over.

Speaker 5 (17:35):
A black Yeah.

Speaker 4 (17:36):
And speaking of owners, you know you've done well keeping
in the business. You need owners, and you've got a
couple of clients from the Pleasanton area since you've relocated
down there.

Speaker 7 (17:48):
It sounds like, yeah, yeah, it's I hope things will
pick up there again. The people were really embracing the
racing there and it was just kind of getting going.
They just didn't get off to a real good start,
but hopeful they can get it going.

Speaker 4 (18:01):
Again, definitely. And some Washington owners as well that we know,
and Charlie Dunn still in the game with you, Gordie Jarnig,
uh Al Hodge, Yeah, Victor Bonna of course we mentioned earlier.
Victor's uh uh wrote a book and and he's looking

(18:23):
to support Emerald Downs as well. And you know your
stable which has been pretty darn successful. As Vince noted
that you were leading trainer at that pleasant And meet uh. Yeah,
that is a nice little spot. We we certainly wish
the Northern California horseman. All the luck, you know, but
we did present an option and we're received down there

(18:46):
to give those guys an option in case things don't
go through, and you'll be up here. You'll be down there.
You'll be in southern cal on the busy weekend for you.
And uh tough last couple of years. Uh. Tim lost
his older brother Ray, and of course his father Dan
passed away last year. So some hardship there, Tim, a

(19:10):
real prominent Washington family as all were heavily involved. Our condolences.

Speaker 7 (19:15):
Yeah, they were a big part of it.

Speaker 4 (19:17):
Boy, Yeah, indeed. And Boone is operating down the Stretch
Ranch still outside of Spokane and doing real well there.
We feature some of his horses on our Retired racehorse
series here from Emerald down. So hey man, good luck
and well sounds like we'll be seeing a little bit

(19:38):
more of you up here in Auburn, Washington this year
with your horses. And hey, good luck this weekend, and
thanks for taking time.

Speaker 7 (19:47):
Today, Thank you, Thank you. Could be a fun summer.

Speaker 4 (19:50):
Thanks Tim. Yeah, we're looking forward to it. And Tim's
looking to win that mile, Vince, that's about the only
race he hasn't won. Second twice.

Speaker 1 (19:58):
I know, I remember Jersey we were working on it.

Speaker 7 (20:01):
We might have one of the works here.

Speaker 4 (20:02):
Yeah, you work on that. Poker Brad and Jersey Town
both the runner ups in the mile uh and both
very prominent horses. Uh, Poker Brad in Washington and on
the West coast, and of course Jersey Town has become
a sire. So Tim, have a great day, thank you,
and say yeah, say hi to Billy.

Speaker 1 (20:21):
Tim.

Speaker 4 (20:22):
Tim mccouna joining us on horse racing Northwest and yeah,
three horses and tomorrow. Hey, you know, I forgot to
mention he won two races a couple of Sundays ago
down there at Santa he did.

Speaker 1 (20:33):
Yeah, Grubauer was one of them, and I forget the
other one. They were back to back. That's right, Grubauer.
You know we're talking to Joe. You mentioned Tim just
wins races. Yeah. You know, it doesn't matter where he's at,
what track he's at. You know, the guy knows a
condition book inside out. He's got a great training regimen.
He's just a producer and a workhorse. Yeah.

Speaker 4 (20:53):
And you know, let's face it, trainers have an eye.
They watch races closely. I just uh, Tim thinking every
second of the race on what's going on. You know,
you if you're if you're prominent and in the stretch,
you're you're rooting to win. But boy, he is always
thinking about the next race too. On maybe some sort

(21:13):
of change to me.

Speaker 1 (21:14):
Yeah, and you know, tid a little better than I do. Bit.
Tim seems to have one of those demeanors. He's certainly
extremely competitive, but when something's done, it's done, and he's
not going to waste a lot of time fretting about
what might have happened. He's he's going forward and uh,
I think it serves him well.

Speaker 4 (21:29):
I think that that is an excellent trait to have. Uh,
you know, there there's a shake your head, But no,
I've never I've never seen Tim, you know, overtly extremely
upset inside. You know, it's disappointing when things go a
little bit wrong to cause a non victory. But nonetheless, Yeah,

(21:50):
Tim mccanna, Washington Thoroughbrett Hall of Fame trainer, thank you
for joining us. And as we mentioned, Tim's had some
you know, significant losses from his family the last couple
of years. We do have one obituary to relate. Joe
Burke passed away in December local owner worked for Craft

(22:13):
Foods for thirty eight years, Renton resident, and if you
were on the apron at Emerald Downs, I would say
he was here too out of every three days. Vince
at tall, white hair, about about six two or three,
lived in as I mentioned, Renton, after being born in Kentucky,

(22:34):
worked for Craft and just loved it here. He was
in the quarter shoot cafe a lot and on the
apron very frequently in retirement. Joe passed away at the
age of seventy five, and any donations in his name
he requested go to the backstretch chaplaincy at Emerald Downs.
Benevolent thing there and we're going to definitely miss Joe Burke,

(22:58):
a regular at Emerald. We're gonna take a break and
come back with track announcer Tony Klow and our final
segment here on horse Racing Northwest.

Speaker 3 (23:12):
Muchos.

Speaker 2 (23:13):
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.
Mucosit what you do is all at Muckleshoe, an easy
drive from wherever you are all roads lead to Muckleshoe mucosuit.

Speaker 8 (23:42):
Endlessly is really closing in strongly. He's all dressed up
in Sunday's best. He swings one from the outside a
ton of moment. I'm at the top of the lane
for Endlessly and Harry comes with his run Endlessly makes
his move at the eighth Paul and he has come
away with the lade endlessly storming home and look at him.

(24:04):
Endlessly is free and focused in the Jeff Ruby and
he's a powerful winner.

Speaker 4 (24:10):
That was Turfoy Park twenty twenty four, the Jeff Ruby Stakes,
and Endlessly, a good young horse took that race pretty easily.

Speaker 1 (24:21):
Vince brun sure did and went on to run in
the Kentucky Derby. And the guy who called that race,
Tony Calo little background Tony has called you probably heard
him everywhere Bay Meadows, Golden Gate, Finger Lakes, or Appahoe
Park most recently. There's several more other than that. Most recently,
racing analysts that Churchill downs but Tony. I guess it

(24:44):
all started with a trip to the races with your
dad back in nineteen seventy eight in Northern California, where
you grew up welcome, Tony.

Speaker 5 (24:52):
Yeah, yep, Hey guys, how are you?

Speaker 1 (24:55):
Yeah?

Speaker 5 (24:55):
No, most definitely. You know, my dad was a weekend warrior.
His parents had kind of talked him how to read
a racing for him. My dad was a pretty pretty
smart guy at a chemistry degree from Yukon. Spoke several languages,
and I learned under a very good handicaper. He was
taken away from us way too way too quickly. He
died in his mid forties, unfortunately, but boy, he taught

(25:17):
me a lot about horse racing. When I was younger.
Took me out to Bay Meadows. You know, I had
fallen in love with a firm and there was a
chestnut running in the California Juvenile named Golden Act, and
I bet two dollars to win on on. My dad
gave me two dollars, said Harry, either the three or
nine wins. The three was a gray. I didn't want
that horse. I went with Golden Act. And I have
been really hooked on horse racing ever since, pretty much

(25:39):
devoted my whole life to it.

Speaker 4 (25:41):
Well, yeah, you've been making your living as a race caller,
and boy, I remember hearing you first at Bay Meadows
and Tony just had a great call. I mean I
right away said this guy, you know, he builds up
during the race and there's great intensity at the end.
I mean, that's the exciting part, the finish, who wins.

(26:02):
And Tony, I've I've always admired you for that making
the thing, making a race exciting. No dial in races,
no just call send them in. You making an exciting
event and that's a good thing.

Speaker 5 (26:17):
Yeah, thank thank you very much. I appreciate those nice words.
You know. It's you know, what do they say when
you really when you really love something, you're not really working.
And I don't think you can fake the enthusiasm I
try to bring. It's just, uh, even when I'm trying
to be subtle and loading, it doesn't seem to work.
I don't know why.

Speaker 4 (26:38):
That's a good point, you know, not faking the enthusiasm
that certainly comes out in your calls.

Speaker 1 (26:43):
Yeah, and Joey, I echo what you said about Tony
and I if I'm in a room, I can through
the din I can hear a Tony Klo called race,
and I admire the way he does call a race.
But I must say, right now, you got your hands
full with all these ten and twelve horse feels out
of turf way. I know Joe's got some incredible stats
on the payoffs there. But Tony, you earn your money yeah,

(27:05):
big field.

Speaker 5 (27:06):
Yeah, I think I do. I hope my bosses A
Churchill are listening. I am earning my money this season.
We have nothing but huge fields, and unfortunately we have
like this frozen tundra that's over the area. So they're
bringing them out with six minutes to post. By the
time I get through with the post parade and I
make last second adjustments, I have anywhere from two to
four minutes to learn eleven and twelve horse fields. And

(27:29):
last night I was overwhelmed. I just was like, I
never felt like I got to take a deep breath
and settle in. But you know, you just have to
persevere and keep going with it. I think tonight's going
to be in the mid thirty, so I'm gonna bring
some suntan lotion out.

Speaker 4 (27:42):
Yeah. You know, that's a good point that you made.
Their Vince and Tony saying he only has six minutes.
That's a very key time for a track announcer, that
that post parade coming right in front of you, looking
at the silks, looking at the color of the horse,
matching up the names, and when you have about half
as much time and you've got a ten point six

(28:03):
average starters per race, that's a challenge indeed, but Tony's
making it work. And boy, what a meat. Let's just
say that Turfoy Park the benefit of all as is
all of Kentucky with some gaming enhancements. The persons are great,
and you've been there. This is your second season. Now,

(28:24):
that is just some really good racing for the average handicaper, Tony,
it's outstanding.

Speaker 5 (28:33):
Yeah, you know the good thing I always I tell
my buddies that are all into horse racing, whether they're
in the game professionally or they're just weekend warriors or
just fans. You know, big field really really help with racing.
You get proper pace scenarios and it just makes for
exciting racing. You know, the best horse, if he's good
enough upfront, could win, if they're sizzling upfront, and it

(28:55):
benefits the closers. It's just you know, I think we
all as race fans, that's what we want, our big,
big fields. You know, as a race caller, feel free
to throw in seven or eight once in a while.
Eight eight seems pretty cool. I think I could learn
that in about a minute and a half, I bet.
But getting around though, it's it's been it's been a
great season, and uh, you know, Turfway Park has really

(29:16):
been taking off the last couple of years.

Speaker 4 (29:19):
It's pretty cool, it really is.

Speaker 5 (29:21):
And I'm really proud and privileged to be part of it.

Speaker 4 (29:23):
Hey, you know, I don't have any handle stats, but
your pick five is of just fantastically huge inference our interest.
I I got to believe the handles up a little
bit this meet.

Speaker 5 (29:36):
Yeah, I would think so, I don't. I don't really
get those numbers, But you know what, I just as
a race caller, I've always just kind of attended to
my business and and and just try to try to
try to do what I'm supposed to do. I should
try to get a little bit more into that seeing
what the handle is. I know we've had some big handles,
you know, we've been We've been lucky with some big
pick five with nice carryovers which which have helped as well.

(29:59):
But U the fans want big fields, they want competitive racing,
and that's definitely what Turfoyd gives. Turfoy gives a guy
an opportunity to hit a home run, maybe change his
life a little bit, get some credit card payments down,
if not totally eliminated by a new car. You know,
it takes a lot of creativity. It probably takes some

(30:20):
bigger tickets. But hey, if you can get lucky with
a couple of zingles and try to bring it in,
you've got a chance to hit a home run.

Speaker 1 (30:28):
You know. Compounding it too, Tony with all those horses,
is you race on synthetic there, and those synthetic races
tend to be a little more like turf breather and dirt,
so they all line up in the stretch and then
you really have to sort them out really fast. But
what is a key handicap and a synthetic track? I
would I would say to the average fan who's not

(30:49):
used to it, we had it in Northern California Golden
Gate for many years, and it's a little different kind
of racing.

Speaker 5 (30:56):
Yeah, you know, I wish I had the answer to
that completely.

Speaker 7 (30:59):
I just try.

Speaker 5 (30:59):
I try to tell Van, but you know, look for
post positions. Obviously in two turn affairs, I try to
figure out maybe who's going to get somewhat of a
covered up turf trip and then can tip out and
come with a big run. The one thing I'm noticing
is if horses like this turfway to Peter, they have
a tendency to continually like it. So I've seen a
lot of repeat winners. That's an angle I've been trying

(31:22):
to emphasis in my post race analysis of late. Hey, fans,
here's another repeat winner that's two or three on the card.
I think that's a good angle. You know, post position changes,
and you know. The thing I will say is just
be careful when you're watching replays. Don't fall in love
with horses, because one thing I've learned about to Peta

(31:44):
racing over the years is you can put many of
the same horses in the same race, change their post positions,
and the whole paste scenario and the whole race development
is different. So just be a little larry on that.
Don't fall in love with too much. What you saw
so much better than the other five he's in against.
I'll tell you what, Sometimes you could run these races

(32:05):
ten times, change up the post positions, and you might
have eight or seven ten different results.

Speaker 4 (32:10):
Hey, there's an example of that. Swiss slang won a
couple weeks ago, got upright at the wire, as Tony
called it. Then he ran again last night, and you know,
I bet on Swiss slang and and he paid decent.
And then I looked yesterday and I saw none of
the horses that he beat were in against him, so

(32:32):
it was a whole new field and I and he
didn't run so good last night. But that's another thing, Tony.
You got horses coming from so many venues. This is
just a handicapping stimulus on steroids. Man, it is tough.
I was watching on TVG a little bit last night
and Matt Carrothers was going over that. He goes, wow,

(32:55):
this is not one favorite one in the pick five.
You got horses coming from everywhere. You know, you can
make a kind of a life changing score here if
you get a little bit lucky. But he was just
kind of overwhelmed to covering Turfway Park and a stat here, guys,
the pick five fifty cent wager on the last five

(33:16):
at Turfway Park every day, and by the way, they
pay out four out of five, so there's a little
money coming from the pool. So if you hit four
out of five, don't throw your ticket out, cash it.
But the pick five average Tony is like forty three
thousand dollars.

Speaker 7 (33:33):
I mean, yeah, it's crazy.

Speaker 5 (33:36):
I try to tell people, you know, you gotta be
careful the pick five. You really got to throw some
good money at it. But hey, you know, for us
small players, just maybe maybe believe. I would say, if
you're a smaller player with economical tickets, you've got to
probably have two singles to make it work. But gosh,
the temptation is there. Who knows. When the stars aligned,

(33:57):
you just got to believe and when it's your day
perhaps it can be.

Speaker 4 (34:02):
Part of that is because it's a fifteen percent takeout
as well, that helps a lot.

Speaker 1 (34:06):
And we heard endlessly on there. But you guys have
a pretty good three year old program and it's produced
some results. Rich Strike three years ago came out of
the Ruby to a shocking upset in the derby. I
noticed she's the grade third last year wins a classic.
So it's you guys have some quality usually in your

(34:27):
three year old program. I know the Jeff Ruby this
year I think is Saturday March twenty second, a seven
hundred thousand dollars race. You got to be getting excited
with that on the horizon.

Speaker 5 (34:38):
Yeah, without a doubt that was that was such a
great card. Last year, that was probably the biggest day
of racing I've ever called in my life. There were
so many big fields, so many you know, quality, quality
stakes races. It's funny when I got hired at Turfway Park,
all of a sudden that day got circled on the
calendar and it was like, oh, here we go, you know,

(35:01):
and then you get closer and closer and you start
washing out a little bit. I remember the first year
I ever called the El Camino Real. That was such
a big thing. Once I got through the El Camino Real,
I was like, okay, cool, I called the El Camino.
And then when I got golden eight fields and I
got through the San Francisco Mile, all right, I called
the SF Mile. And that was the same last year
with the with the Jeff Ruby. We've raised the purse

(35:23):
this year. I believe it's seven hundred and seventy seven
thousand dollars. I think sevens are lucky this season. You know,
you mentioned Rich Strike. We had two pills who won
the race and ran a big up, bang up second demand.
You know, last year we had the eventual Preakness winner
compete in the race. The Jeff Ruby is really starting

(35:44):
to develop as a cool race to watch and follow
horses out of that affair that can go make some noise.

Speaker 4 (35:51):
Yeah, So Turfoy Park fans that are listening starts at
two fifty five our time Wednesday through Saturday. Now they
are you guys are racing two Sunday and that's a
rare event. You've had a couple of cancelations.

Speaker 5 (36:05):
We're gonna have an afternoon post time as well, so
it'll be a little early on the West coast. Twelve
thirty Easter, nine thirty.

Speaker 4 (36:11):
Pacific, Okay, nine thirty Pacific tomorrow. So good to know there.
But just some outstanding handicapping tests again, fifty cent pick
five averages, forty three thousand dollars, ten to one winners galore,
field size at ten point six. And you're talking about
the Jeff Ruby. How about today you've got the Wishing Well.

(36:32):
Do you want to go over a couple of races
in that pick five, Tony and talk about the wishing Well?

Speaker 5 (36:38):
Yeah, without a doubt, the wishing Well is a pretty
cool race. The thirty second running hundred and twenty five
thousand dollars guaranteed you can go six and a half furlongs.
And you know there is somewhat of a Tepeda specialist
named nice as Pie. And although she disappointed recently on
our Synthetic Championship Day and the Holiday Inaugural, she did
run third and she has every right to reound. I

(37:00):
think she's one of the players I like the one.
I'll though MOONDI a European. She has Brent top and bottom,
European blood out of a Galileo mayor kingman blood up top.
And she made quite an impression to me on the
fifth of December. She had run some big, big races,
and I think she's kind of coming into her own.
That race really really stood out to me, and I'm

(37:23):
going to kind of try to come back with her.
I think she's eight to one on our morning line.
She's going to be my top selection. Little concern with
the paint scenario in here, I don't see a tremendous
amount of pace. I guess Julia's Dream has ability to
go a little quick. I know BG Warrior will definitely
be mixing it up. BG Warrior is a little intriguing

(37:43):
because she had no shot in the Holiday Inaugural. They
absolutely flew early. The flow was unfavorable and she caved
it in. But maybe she'll get loose. She's the defending champion.
Those are kind of the three that I'm looking at.
I've always had a top spot in my heart for
Sunday shoes. She did disappointed in the Holiday Inaugural or racing,
which Austin Treat wanted a big, big price. But if

(38:05):
you're going to pin me to one, I think Opera
Mundi is very, very intriguing at eight to one.

Speaker 4 (38:10):
Very good okay, and Machado's having a great meet the
rider for trainer Brendan Walsh. Okay, Yeah, BG Warrior defending champ.
A couple of scratches in there. It's a twelve horse
field still five Jiell Jitterbug is out. That's that's a
Philly I followed for about eighteen months and she's going
to be in next week and then the thirteen's out

(38:31):
as well. So still a twelve horse field in the
wishing Well. And Tony's going with Opera Mundi from the
rail eight to one morning line. Any others in that
pick five sequence.

Speaker 5 (38:44):
You know, and you know we can go over a
real quickly, you know the second leg. I'm kind of
fond on the two Sanzo Reni. You've got a few
horses coming out of a mile and a quarter races
like Hidden Stash Bourbon Day into Credit. We're going to
go one mile and sometimes I think that's a pretty
draft to cut back, whether it's on turf, dirt or Toepeeda.
Maybe not necessarily as much on Tepeta as the other two,

(39:06):
but San Tobrini is a horse that really made an
impression to me in January of last year when he
dominated an N three l allowance affair. The Connections thought
so much of it that they brought him back and
ran him right into a stakes race against a horse
that was in pretty good form at the time named
Surely Furious. Now Santni is coming out of a pretty
quick sprint in which Bromley and one of his rivals,

(39:28):
Ronder were in that affair. I think he has the
ability to maybe make the lead here. We're going to
get a nice five to one. Alex Ashard knows him
very well. He's ridden in most of the times, except
with that time when Flavian was aboard in April l
of Keeland. I find this horse intriguing if I'm going
to double up. Racecraft was the other one I was
looking at, talking about horses that win over the surface.

(39:49):
He won on the undercart of the Synthetic Championship Day
with Louis Saiyez made a very good impression to me
coming in from Gulfstream and Presgueyle. But the two's the
horse that I'm really intrigued with, fantom Orini. Hopefully we
can put him at play early and they all are
following to the wire.

Speaker 1 (40:04):
Hey, Tony, I was going to ask that race you
got number three? Is it rondor or ron Duri. I
don't know that you know what.

Speaker 5 (40:11):
I'm going to have to go back and do another
little quick google and see what I called him last time.
I like to piggyback up other announcers, so I'm just
assuming that I followed what Robert said at wood at
would buy And you can't quote me right now on it,
but I will do I will do my due diligence.
I should have it, hopefully properly pronunciated by racetime.

Speaker 1 (40:32):
I note that the writer on that is it's Irving
Monsada and just looking at a little he's a seven
pound apprentice. I see, but he is nineteen for fifteen
eight at the meet with the three dollars and fifty
three cent ROI what can you tell us about this
young writer?

Speaker 5 (40:47):
Yeah, for Irving Moncata. He got his first career in
victory last year in twenty twenty four right here at
Turfway Park, and he's been making a pretty good impression
to all of us. He had a good horseshoe Indianapolis,
he did well and limited appearances at Churchill Down. He
is now a five pound bug. He is our leading jockey.
I've been very impressed with him. He's very patient, he

(41:07):
wins on the front, he wins from off the pace.
He's he's a talented rider. And the trainers are recognizing
his ability taking advantage of the bug, and they're feeding him.
And right now he is the top jock here at
Turfway Park over Lawama Shadow.

Speaker 1 (41:21):
Wow.

Speaker 4 (41:21):
Yeah, that's one of the questions we had schedule. Vince
got that one in a jockey to watch and right
on top is that young apprentice Mancata. Okay, how about
race eight there, Tony, you know here's where.

Speaker 5 (41:36):
Here's where I think the sequence is going to get
a little trick, you know. I'm going to try Opera
Mundi and maybe Santa Rini is back to back singles.
Maybe if I can get you know, a little brave,
I'll use my other horse in the second leg. But boy,
I really believe that the rest of the sequence you
have to you have to spread here. I don't have

(41:56):
a strong, strong opinion on anybody inter Acey the four
so grand I find a little intriguing because she's been
quick in better races. She ran at Ellis Park in
a turf dash and somewhat forward the position in a
quick race. They went twenty one and four and forty five.
Ran at Kentucky Downs and had the lead at the
top of the lane against those made in auction special

(42:17):
weight types. This is a drastic class drop. I think
she's going to be very quick early. I like her
recent drill on the seventeenth of January, so she's my
top pick. I'm also looking at the ten run Hellwig Run.
I thought that horse ran well on debut and has
the ability to try to come closing. There wasn't much
paint that particular day. You know, Memphis Slim was on

(42:38):
the lead and they went forty six and three to
the half and Memphis Lynn got a little leg where
in the concluding stages. But Run Hellwig Run was kind
of up against the flow. Maybe if we can get
Memphis Limn in my top pick and a couple others
battling Run Hellwig Run is a horse that could be closing,
I'll be using quite a few of them. Four ten
nine eight looking a little bit. The eleven's had a

(43:00):
lot of chances. Don't know what to make of him.
I think this race is pretty wide open. Most of
my emphasis is on the flour ten nine and eight
probably very good.

Speaker 4 (43:10):
And the ninth race is a mile with another very
large field.

Speaker 5 (43:17):
You got yeah, and another difficult handicapping assignment. Joe and Vince,
This one's very difficult. I like a couple of long
shots along the inside Cruising and Boozen's the horse that
was successful over the Stubpedea last year in twenty twenty four.
And ever since this horse was victorious and that maiden
claiming affair, he has been only running into one turn races.

(43:38):
I think the two turns will be much much more
beneficial for him. An inside post I could see Julio
Felix getting very aggressive and trying to get him on
the engine early and cruising and boozin. I find very
intriguing at a big, big price. I also think four
Speed Institute's a decent horse. He ran well against the
maid enclaimers last time. He ran some races last these

(43:59):
in there against much much better that we're somewhat competitive.
They weren't winning races obviously, he was still trying to
break on through. But maybe the light bulbs come on.
He's a horse that kind of likes the race track
is hidden, you know what. Those seven starts only the
one win, but he does have four seconds and thirds
each second and third, so he's another one at twenty
to one. That's a little intriguing, you know, Daddy, Justified

(44:23):
makes a lot of sense. One thing people should be
noticing and get accustomed to is the California horses. The
other California horses have done very well in the state
of Kentucky all year long. Competer Erton's been doing very
well bringing these horses here. And this is a horse
that really should like the Tepeda. He's never been on
it before. Justify out of a Galileo Mayre. This is

(44:44):
the one that probably deserves most of the consideration. If
you're unlimited budgets, maybe you get brave and try to
come with this one, but that he's definitely a player.
I didn't know what to make of the ten. He's
taking a little class drop with Irving Mancott. I think
the price is a little light for my liking the eight.
My friend louis another horse that's run well over the
Tepeeda that you're going to get a big, big price.

(45:04):
So pretty pretty cool race. A difficult handicapping assignment, but
I think Daddy Justifies definitely the horse to beat. But
I've got some long shots that I'm knowing.

Speaker 1 (45:13):
You have the three, four and eight, you know, Tony
and Joe. It's interesting the ninth races for four year
olds and up, which I've never won two races, and
if you go to virtually any track, the biggest average
win payoffs are in those NW two L lifetimes. For
whatever reason, you just get bomber after bomber in those races.
So I kind of like the factor using the three

(45:33):
and the four in there.

Speaker 5 (45:35):
Yeah, you know, three, four, and eight those are my
long shots. With the nine, Daddy Justify, I know, without
a doubt. You know, I'm always talking with my friends,
you know, trying to you know, I've been in this
game for a long long time. I'm getting up there,
but you know, you never stop learning. That's the beautiful
thing about horse racing. And you know it makes a
lot of sense. You know, the better races are probably
going to be a run a little bit more to form,

(45:57):
and the lower level races, and especially with the end
two wells, which can be very unpredictable. You have a
lot of recent maiden winters, you have horses off layoffs
that are dropping in class. It just makes for big
balloons and no doubt about it, the end two wells
are the ones that you kind of want to go fishing.

Speaker 4 (46:14):
As I like to say, I'm right with you guys
on that point, exactly. Okay, the tenth and final at
turf Way. It goes about seven to twenty five West
Coast time on a Saturday, Tony, who do you like there?

Speaker 5 (46:30):
Well, here we go again, another race that probably requires big, big, big,
big spreading. You know, a lot of the money's going
to go on Hope shows, right, which probably makes sense.
It's Joe Sharp and Adam just gets to Joe sharp
just seems like no matter where he saddles up a horse,
you always have to factor him in. You get a
nice insight post a horse coming out of a mile
and a quarter race going to a mile to sixteenth

(46:52):
that ran a very good race against make Enclaimers for
forty with Tyler aboard at Churchill in the middle of November,
so he must use them. I have an angle that
I like to use sometimes is when you have a
horse that I think, like, hope Joe's right is going
to be the favorite. I like to look for horses
that have run behind him in recent company lines, and
that would be Flicker. Flicker has that good European blood,

(47:13):
you know, great bread and blood up top of great
Britain blood and Irish blood underneath, and comes out of
the same race and had a tough, tough post to
deal with. Last time he was suck out there, very
wide and you know, tried to make a move through
the turn. It doesn't really show it on paper, but
if you go watch the replay was I believe, if
my memory serves correct, he was right with Oscar Go

(47:35):
through the turn and Oscar Go the eventual winner. I'm
willing to give flicker a little bit of a look.
That was his first start since twentieth of October when
he had been running at New York and ran some
decent races at rate three back for madeen forties. It's
fairly competitive enough. He's the one that's caught most of
my attention the four, and the one who else did
I look at was the nine. I thought the nine

(47:56):
ran somewhat well. Money Memolo a horse that seems to
be on the improvement and definitely has good blood for
a synthetic warf run out of a lemon drop kid.
Another race that's competitive, that's for sure. No King, this
wall comes out of a good race. I watched this replay.
I wasn't really in love on them. I like the
horse that that one that made and race came back
and ran good second against allowance competition, a little bit

(48:19):
of a long shot and is the sixth. She hat
Lian she hat Lean had some very very nice workouts
going into that comeback race and probably needed that one
in and probably needs this one again. I don't know
a lot about the trainer, Justina Howell, but this force
has some workouts that were pretty incredible, and you know,
for a fans that aren't really a custom with our

(48:40):
Kentucky race. And you know at the Kentucky dot org,
the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association, and we have a website and
Bruno de Julio puts up workouts. You go to resources
and then you go down to the workout videos and
you can catch a lot of workouts for free. It's
a pretty cool site. And I stumbled across this one
before that twenty first of December race. Even though the
horse didn't run too well, I can't forget some of

(49:03):
those workouts. So I'll keep this one just as a
little bit maybe maybe as a favor. Maybe you got
some dollar doubles or you got a dollar exact on
top of a couple of horses if you're alive or something.

Speaker 4 (49:14):
Yeah, that's a maide and special weight dropper, you know,
two races made in special weight Gulf Stream last spring
and Turfway in December. And now coming back the.

Speaker 5 (49:24):
Horse for is the one that I'm going to be Okay, Yeah,
I'm hoping he's the one that's going to run day tonight.

Speaker 4 (49:28):
Very good. Tony Klow joining us Turfway Park just a
really fantastic signal for horse players. Uh, this time of
year again, starting at two fifty five West Coast time.
Ten race cards now and uh, just big fields, lots

(49:49):
and lots of payoffs. Just catch catch one every three
days and you'll be ahead of the game at Turfway.
That's the way that works.

Speaker 5 (49:57):
But Tony, yeah, sleep on the rolling pick thrais.

Speaker 4 (50:01):
Exactly an increment.

Speaker 5 (50:03):
You know. You can always go three by four by
one for six dollars, three by four by two for
twelve dollars, and yep, that's not a bad way to go.
I tell some of my friends, I go, hey, you
know what I know. We all want to pick five
or the twenty cent single six, but maybe we're supposed
to hit some doubles, some pick three, some pick fours,
get ourselves a little bit of bankroll, and then we
could go swing in one day when we really like

(50:23):
a sequence.

Speaker 4 (50:24):
Yep, that's been a little more my speed at the
current meetings.

Speaker 5 (50:27):
So it seems like my speed as well.

Speaker 4 (50:29):
I'm with you there, Tony, Thanks so much. Racing today
and then early tomorrow. Nine thirty posts on a special Sunday,
but generally the Wednesday through Sunday or Wednesday through Saturday
schedule at Turfway Park, and thanks again so much, Tony.
Have a great weekend.

Speaker 5 (50:47):
Yeah, thank you so much for having me. You know,
like I said, I've always been a big fan of
you guys, and I love that part of the country.
Got a lot of friends up there, and it's just
you know, always a memory of the good old days.
I've been the Emerald on a couple of occasions. Beautiful
racetrack and just a big fan of that part of
the country.

Speaker 4 (51:06):
All right, thanks Tony, appreciate those words, Tony. Tony Klow
joining us on horse racing Northwest. Check out Turfway Park
today and and you know the schedule, Thanks Tony.

Speaker 5 (51:19):
All right, thank you guys.

Speaker 4 (51:20):
Okay, Tony klo onto some race calling at Turfway just
and he's got a task, as he said, you know,
boy when they make it tight on the six minutes
with the horses on the track, with all those horses
to look at. But he does a great job.

Speaker 1 (51:36):
I didn't.

Speaker 4 (51:36):
I listened to a few last night and he didn't.
He didn't have any slip hitch. He was entertaining and
accurate as usual. Okay, so that's uh, Tony. And then
sports shorts I've got a quick one here on a
horse that won at Charlestown last night. We kind of
keep track.

Speaker 1 (51:56):
Of these oddities.

Speaker 4 (51:57):
There was a horse called Besodded that won at t Charlestown. Well.
That horse ran once as a two year old in
December of twenty twenty three, ran eighth, beatn ten. Then
he ran eight times this past year, starting in February
and into August. Eight starts, no placings, all but one

(52:22):
was all but two were double digit losses as far
as lengths. Then he had a break from trainer Michael Atkins.
This is a four year old by Bourbon Courage, now
a four year old well August to December. August twenty fourth,
he raced poorly and then he brought him back December
twenty December sixth last fall, he won at fifty to one.

(52:46):
Then he brought him back on January third of this
year and a five thousand dollars claimer. By the way,
he won a bottom maiden claimer and he won at
twenty three to one. Then he ran last night at
Charlestown again and won at thirty four to one. So
after going nine oh, he has now won three straight.

(53:06):
Besotted a four year Old Virginia Bread at fifty to one,
twenty three to one, and thirty four to one. That's
a racing oddity right there.

Speaker 1 (53:13):
You know there's something to it, though. I always like
horses that win at a big price more than once. Yes,
it tells me. You know, the reason. One of the
reasons they're a long shot is the race is competitive.
There's other options to bend on that race, so they're
they're kind of beating a little something at the level
when they keep doing it.

Speaker 4 (53:28):
So and yeah, I've heard you say that before.

Speaker 1 (53:30):
They fly a little under the radar. Maybe it's the
connections or whatever, but that's an extreme the case there,
of course, But anyone who has been riding that wave,
I salute them. He took it awesome the three and
a half month break, that's the only possible. Yeah, something
good happened there. Yeah, I know, maturity, the light clicked on,
as they say. But I love that from two year

(53:51):
olds and yeah into three year olds when they take
that break and they come back more mature and they've
especially if they've had a race or two, of course, because.

Speaker 4 (53:59):
They're not time starters. But that's something I look for
all I marked that down on my sheet every time
two year old break. Okay, And I did want to
mention the passing of Gus Williams, who Vince and I
were huge fans of as a Seattle Supersonic.

Speaker 1 (54:15):
You've heard me talk about all of his biggest fans.
You you are.

Speaker 4 (54:19):
You bring him up all the time, and one of
the fastest dribblers I've ever seen, getting up and down
the court. Had the outside shot as well, the driving layups.

Speaker 1 (54:31):
Unselfish player too, the.

Speaker 4 (54:32):
Little fallaway, A humble guy.

Speaker 1 (54:34):
Humble guy, and him and DJ in the backcourt together,
What a compliment that was for each other. And you
know he get the ball in the open court. He
never did the same thing twice. I don't know how
to defend him and he Yeah, he was just fastic, explosive,
great player.

Speaker 4 (54:49):
Had a little fall away as well.

Speaker 1 (54:51):
I mean it didn't look great, but he should sure
make it go.

Speaker 4 (54:54):
A guy was on him and he could just just
lean back a little bit and still hit that fifteen
to eighteen order average twenty six point seven in the
playoffs the year that the Sonics won seventy nine.

Speaker 1 (55:07):
Yeah, just and again with DJ dowing the defense and
you know, they just had a tremendous Yeah, that's a
big passing. He was. He was a great ballplayer, you said, Joe,
A very humble player too.

Speaker 4 (55:18):
He was seventy one years old. Gus Williams from upstate
New York, just one of the all time great Seattle SuperSonics,
passed away last just earlier this month. Actually, yeah, I
had a couple real short ones. Sure you might know this.
The Dallas Cowboys. Do you know where they had their

(55:39):
first training camp?

Speaker 1 (55:42):
You know, so big now?

Speaker 4 (55:44):
You know they went to California fairly.

Speaker 1 (55:46):
Early Thousand Oaks for many many years. Yeah. No, it
was in Forest Grove, Oregon, twenty five months west of Portland. Really, yeah,
and I saw a picture of it. Now, training camp
a practice like with the Seahawks is a big deal.
You gotta get a ticket and all. There couldn't have
been ten people there watching the thing, except for assistant
coaches or whatever.

Speaker 7 (56:05):
You know.

Speaker 1 (56:05):
It's just the NFL is a bajumuth now. But yeah,
the Dallas Cowboys first training camp was right near Portland.
This one's not a sports one, but I found it interesting.
You know, modern music, you know, in the year twenty
twenty five, I'm really not that up on it anymore.
But remember the top forty used to be a real
big deal in the US, right, And so I was

(56:26):
looking back on some Rolling Stones songs and Painted Black
debuted at number forty eight on the US Billboard Hot
one hundred in May fourteenth, nineteen sixty six. The song
took three weeks to rise to number one, where stayed
for two consecutive weeks. You know what song? This again
shows the diversity of music back then. It was replaced

(56:46):
by Frank Sinatra a Stranger in the Night. So you
go from the Rolling Stones to Frank Sinatra for the
number one song in the country.

Speaker 4 (56:53):
I don't know if Kjar and Kol were playing Stranger
in the Night then they must have been though.

Speaker 1 (56:59):
If it was a top forty, yeah, so this was
the US Billboard's Top one hundred.

Speaker 4 (57:03):
Okay, yeah, yeah, you know I would. I would bet
against that that you would, you know. And I wasn't
didn't have my ear glued to the radio, but I
was listening back then and my.

Speaker 1 (57:14):
Sister and brother, and certainly by the late sixties, if
you listen to KJR, it was all pop, yeah, you know,
no fucking pop. Yeah, yeah, there was no crooners involved.

Speaker 4 (57:26):
All right, there's a little sport short and a slice
of life section from us. Another topic just it'll be
a quick one too. Things that maybe you've picked up
for me and handicapping that you found somewhat useful and
me that picked up from you. One thing that I've
heard you say and I've I noticed that a horse

(57:48):
maybe makes its debut for made in fifteen thousand and
runs a good second, third, fourth, maybe just a good effort,
and then they step it up to thirty two thousand
or something like that.

Speaker 1 (58:00):
Or in a special weight.

Speaker 4 (58:01):
Yeah, they get high on the horse after the one start.
And man, that that looks like about an eighty to
ninety percenter. For me, that is a play against and
it comes out that way that that just you know,
you beat a certain level and you get maybe a
little too high on the horse. I found you to
be right about that particular technique.

Speaker 1 (58:24):
Okay, one you're pretty good at, Joan pointing out is
the first and we see it a lot this time,
your first start versus older horses. Yeah, you know, that's
that's a huge one that maybe I overlook a little
too much. And uh, that's a very difficult start. And
if you kind of clear that hurdle as a horse
first time you're against the older horses, you're a pretty
good horse. Because that's asking a.

Speaker 4 (58:44):
Lot well Vic Cazetti head system plays. We heard it,
and I often put s ys next to that. When
it's a second start against winners with a little dropping class,
that is a super time of improvement.

Speaker 1 (59:00):
That is a good one, yeah right, yeah, yeah, And.

Speaker 4 (59:03):
Because the first start is tough, as we just said,
after running against maidens, a lot of those maidens will
never win. But then if you drop in class as
well in that second start, you are just super live.

Speaker 1 (59:16):
Yeah, especially if you ran kind of sneaky good that
first time where you kind of ran your race in it.
You know, you were just in kind of tough but
sharp improvement next time is quite often a situation like
that very good.

Speaker 4 (59:27):
Well, Hey, I took I like looking at Turfoy Park
as you might have gathered, and the wishing Well is
starting their pick five this evening, actually late this afternoon
at Emerald Downs, and I like a horse in there
a little bit in the wishing Well. Tony mentioned there's
not a ton of speed, there is some, but how

(59:48):
about this nine horse Queen Allie. Queen Allie came from
England and she has run six times in North America
in the US and all races have been very, very competitive.
She's won two of the six and has three seconds.
In North America, she's run at Laurel, She's running Maryland,

(01:00:11):
New York, New Jersey, and Florida. So far she's run
on the synthetic. In fact, she won on the Gulf
Stream synthetic. She comes from a little bit off the pace.
She's a five year old mayor and a little bit
of a break. Hasn't raced at Turfway yet, but again,
a good race at Laurel, good race at Aqueduct, a
couple good races at Monmouth, good races at Gulf Stream.

(01:00:32):
She just runs, and she does come from a little
bit off the pace, which normally you know, that's no problem.
At Turfway, the pacete scenario was always key. But she's
twelve to one morning line. George Delgado's her trainer, who
was twenty percent last year. Queen Awllie to make an
impact in that stretch of the wishing Well, a six

(01:00:54):
furlong six and a half fur long sprint steak for
Phillies and Mayors at Turfway Park today, Race number six
at about five twenty five Emerald downs time.

Speaker 1 (01:01:04):
Well you kind of sold me like everything about what
you just said about that, including the price. Yeah, so
you know the one I kind of like today is that.
Also we got the Pegasus World Cup Invitational that's at
about two forty Pacific time today, three million dollars perce.
They're going a mile in an eighth. Well, you know,

(01:01:25):
I kind of just talked about first time versus older.
The horse i'm picking is first time versus older. Stronghold
number six finished a good second in the Malibu at
seven furlongs. I think the race should set it up
for an a race today, whatever it's got. And this
horse has always impressed me. You know, he was well
beaten the Kentucky Derby. If you watch the replay, he

(01:01:47):
tried to the wire. He's one of those horses. It's
just he's a grinder, you know, and certainly being bred
by Ghost Sapper, you know, a Breeders' Cup Classic winner
should be able to get the distance. Tend to on
the morning line is the main thing. But I think,
you know, if the gets the right pay scenario, trip.
I think Stronghold can be right there.

Speaker 4 (01:02:06):
Ten to one on Stronghold, a son of ghosts Apper
and you mentioned unplaced in the Kentucky Derby, but trying
in that twenty horse field. His nine other races all
first or second. And look at all the tracks he's
run at, Vince. Yeah, right, here's Ellis Churchill, del Mar
Low sal Sunland, sant Anita Churchill, Indiana Park, Santa Anita

(01:02:27):
and now golf Stream.

Speaker 1 (01:02:29):
Yeah yeah, And I got to think after watching the
Malibu they thought, boy, this should set him up just
perfectly for you know, the bigger objective here. But again
it's versus over horses. You got White to Barrio at
a Breeders' Cup Classic winner in the race, so it's tough.

Speaker 4 (01:02:42):
He's a router. Stronghold. Phil Dematto runner race number or
horse number six in the thirteenth. That Gulf Stream has
been said about two forty Saturday, so many of you
will know the result of that. But we'll be getting down. Okay,
we have had a lot of on this show and
we're just about done. How about our trivia. Our last

(01:03:05):
question in late December, what was what has been the
most common age of the Washington Horse of the Year
Washington Bred horse of the Year in the Emerald Downs
era at nineteen ninety six to twenty twenty three.

Speaker 1 (01:03:18):
Yes, five, Nope, it happens.

Speaker 4 (01:03:22):
To be four year olds. Four year olds have been
Horse of the Year nine times, three year olds, eight times,
five year old six times. The oldest in that run
from nineteen ninety six to twenty twenty three, Striker PhD
was Horse of the Year at age seven. He was
three time consecutive horse of the Year. So Michael Tarlow

(01:03:43):
got that one. Michael answers many of our trivia questions correctly.
Good job, Michael. I'll have some swag for you at
some point, and Russ I owe a few things too
as well. So our new question and send your answers
to trivia at Emerald Downs dot com. Blazing Bella Blue

(01:04:03):
is nominated for Washington Bred Top Older, Philly or Mayor,
which will be announced at the February twenty second Wtboa Banquet,
which is open to the public. So she's a nominee again, Vince.
She ran one time this year and won a stake
at Emerald Downs and a Loha Breeze was behind her
that day. She's going for her fourth consecutive championship season.

(01:04:28):
She was top three year old, Philly and Washington horse
of the Year in twenty twenty one. She's been top
older Philly or Mayor in twenty twenty two and twenty three.
She's going for her fourth consecutive There's been three other
horses to win championships in four consecutive years. I want

(01:04:48):
all three of them, so send your answers to Trivia
at emeraldowns dot com. The Washington breds that have won
four consecutive Divisional championships, of which Blazing Bella Blue is
a contender to join that list. All right, Thanks very
much to Tim mccanna and Tony Kaylo, our producer editor
cy Lebar doing the job, and thanks for listening to

(01:05:12):
horse Racing Northwest. Have a great rest of your Jamneywar