Down The Stretch Podcast

Kentucky Derby preps take us to Turfway Park in Kentucky and to Tokyo. We have Canadians winning at Gulfstream – Melanie Giddings, Kevin Attard and Marty Drexler in the winners' circle. We followed James MacDonald to Brisbane, Australia to see how he did in the Ultimate Driving Championship, and we also have a story about older brother Mark Macdonald, who has overcome some major health problems and is now ready to drive permanently at Mohawk. If you had to choose between an overweight senior citizen podcaster or a slimmed down professional jockey, who would you predict could do the most pushups? We talk fitness with retired rider now racing judge Justin stein and you just might be surprised. Are the slots at racetracks a deal with Satan? Trainer Mark Casse talks about the likelihood that Gulfstream's casino will mean the end of Gulfstream's horse racing. And how did basketball superstar Nicola Jokic respond when asked what he would prefer – to be the MVP each year or to see his harness horses win?

From the Fairgrounds, the Risen Star Stakes and from Sunland Park the Sunland Derby as the 3-year-olds continue to sort themselves out for the first week in May. Then on to the King Abdulaziz racetrack for the $20 million Saudi Cup. Our Hot Gossip this week is about the stunning winner at Aqueduct for Canadian owner Elliott Logan. Mark Casse joins us to talk about Belmont's new synthetic track, gives a tip that is much too late and tops the week off by giving himself the greatest birthday presents possible. We ‘sample' the latest episode of Woodbine's Free Rein - the first instalment of season 3 is all about our favourite jockey, Emma-Jayne Wilson and her determined comeback from an awful injury.

We start with wins at Gulfstream from Bill Tharrenos and Josie Carroll, then give you Kentucky Derby Preps from Aqueduct, Oaklawn, Tampa Bay and Santa Anita. A little boasting – the website MillionPodcasts has put Down The Stretch in the Top 10 in the world for harness racing coverage. Accordingly, we interview O'Brien Award winning driver, Damian Maclellan and Travis Cullen, who insists his lead in the Mohawk drivers' standings is not permanent. And east coast race caller Boomer Gallant and his brood were on Family Feud. Too bad he broke stride in the bonus round.

We start with complete coverage of the O'Brien Awards, then award-winning writer, Dave Briggs talks about Lexus Kody who should have won in his category but was banned from the ballot. Only 1 Kentucky Derby prep – it was the Holy Bull at Gulfstream as the Withers and Southwest Stakes were snowed out. If you're out for dinner with Jim and Susan Hill, make sure they pay – they had a prosperous Friday at Gulfstream. Woodbine's Bill McLinchey breaks down this year's Mohawk Million. Donnie Rankin hits a huge number at Western Fair and Travis Cullen pulls off the natural hattrick at Mohawk. And we throw the Eclipse Awards under the bus for not knowing how to say Pietro Moran.

This jam-packed episode includes: + Pietro Moran winning an Eclipse Award, even if they got his name wrong + The $3 Million Pegasus taken by a longshot + Wins in the US by Josie Carroll, the Ontario-bred Uncle Cat and John Bianco with Acoustic Ave at Aqueduct + Patrick Husbands is retiring...or is he? We're not sure after talking with his agent Leroy Trotman + The Trotter Perfetto joins the million-dollar club + Daryl Ezra is back training and tells us why you need him to handle your horse + The wonderful Had to be Fabulous is once again Canadian Quarter Horse of the Year. We've got the filly's owner, Carol Robertson talking about it + Who is Will Rixon and why is Australia singing about him? + And how would you feel after betting a ridiculous amount of money on a horse, seeing it win and then not cashing a cent?

Tall Oaks Farm sent out a winner at Delta Downs. Marty Drexler had a 12-1 victory at Gulfstream. How good is Golden Tempo who rallied from last to win the Lecomte Stakes at the Fair Grounds in just his 2nd career start? Emma Christoforou joined us to report on dad, Chris, who suffered an awful spill at Mohawk. Francine Villeneuve, the first woman in Canada to ride 1,000 winners tells us how she was inspired by the late Diane Crump. We ‘sample' some of Woodbine's Year in Review video, which reminds us of 3 jockeys – Pietro Moran, Rafael Hernandez and Emma-Jayne Wilson - who epitomize grit and talent, and then there's 63-year-old Vernon Bush who retired from the saddle, but not until he won his final race.

Marvin Katz is this year's Cam Fella Award winner. Katz tells us how surprised and grateful he is for this honor. This is - in Chinese astrology - the Year of the Horse. Astrologer Sam Mukherjee breaks down what this means and we identify famous people born in the Year of the Horse - Barbra Streisand, Clint Eastwood, Jerry Steinfeld, Adam Sandler, Joe Biden, Denzel Washington and Steven Bahen. Harness driver Tyler Borth kicked off 2026 with a tsunami of wins and we ask if he belongs among the elite drivers at Mohawk. We remember Dianne Crump, the first woman in North America to ride in a pari-mutuel horse race. We go to Charles Town racetrack in West Virginia for a win by trainer Steven Chircop and to Gulfstream for a longshot that came out of the clouds for Marty Drexler.. And 2 horses named Best Bet – one paid over $70 to win and the other flopped at even money.

Every racehorse celebrated a birthday on January 1 and racing fans celebrate that the now 4-year-old Sovereignty will race in 2026. Pychic Nikki gives us her predictions for horse racing this year and trainer Marty Drexler predicts he will be a Sovereign Award finalist. The Ontario-bred Full Screen won a Stakes race at Aqueduct recently and we kick off the year with the first Kentucky Derby preps – the Jerome Stakes from Aqueduct and the Smarty Jones at Oaklawn. The first night of harness racing in 2026 at Mohawk produced hattricks from Tyler Borth and Jody Jamieson. We tell you why Clive Cohen is a lock for what will be his 10th Joe O'Brien Award and wait until you hear Ryder Pallet call a horse race – the Australian racing fan is just 11 years old.

We wrap up the moments from 2025 with these great horses and people: Moria, Kevin Attard, Emma Jayne Wilson, Roger Attfield, James MacDonald, Chantilly, Patches O'Houlihan, George Millar, Robert Geller, Brooke Bays, Mansetti, Pietro Moran, Doug McPherson, Runaway Again, Ryan Munger, Sid Attard, Tom's Magic, Rafael Hernandez, Travis Stone, Sovereignty, Jr. Alvarado, Journalism, Larry Collmus, Umberto Rispoli, Frank Mirahmadi, Hunter Meyers, Kelly Meyers, Peter Kleinhanz, Jason Ryan, Ricky Bobby, Brett MacDonald, Saulsbrook Victor, Mike De Paulo, Micah Husbands, Chad Rozema, Louprint, Notable Speech, Selawi, Maximus Miki, Scott Zeron, Lexus Kody, Yannick Gingras, Beau Jangles Bob McClure, Dr. Ian moore, Brett Sturman, Evan Louks, Louis Philippe Roy, Sugar Doyle, Dan Noble, Flavien Prat, Jody Jamieson, Doug Brown, Ken Middleton, Don McKirgan, Perry Ouzts and Bill Megens

A look back at the ‘Uns' of the year – the Unexpected, the Unusual, the Unsettling, the Unthinkable, the Under reported, the Uncanny and the Unimaginable: + Electrifying race calls from Pete Aiello, Frank Mirahmadi, Robert Geller, Chad Rozema and even... Conan O'Brien? + Horses that won at ridiculous odds + Crazy moments when race callers knew who the winner was....and then didn't + A race where Attfield defeated Schwarzeneggar + A race at Gulfstream that Chevy Chase would have loved + A race at Parx when Mychel Sanchez abandoned any chance of winning to save a fellow jockey + The day a guy proposed in the winners' circle then watched a race won by Please Marry Me with Put a Rock On It coming in second + The day Perry Ouzts set an insane record at Belterra Park + The day a jockey with the letter Zed went 4 for 4 at the Fort, then a jockey with the letter X went triple X at Woodbine + What did host Peter Gross do to deserve the wrath of Trevor Denman, Robert De Niro, the Godfather and Andy Rooney? + We've got AI musical tributes to Garnet Barnsdale, Ken Middleton and Randy Waples + Bad beats... we have two of the worst + And the race between good and evil at Mohawk

Sunday was the last of 128 cards of racing at Woodbine- though it ended somewhat abruptly, Even so, we name the champion jockey, trainer and owner. Jody Jamieson drove into the winners circle for the 9,000th time and he discusses his excellent career. Louis-Philippe Roy crushed it in the Drivers' Challenge at Western Fair; he had 6 wins as the industry made sure all kids get toys this year. We've got David Anderson telling why the acquisition of stallion Sergei Prokofiev is important to Ontario horse racing. Jennifer Stein tells us why she's heart broken that there will be no more horse racing at Hastings Park. We also examine the unsettling relationship between slots and horse racing. And it was a Group 1 trot in New Zealand and the driver was pretty sure he was about to win until disaster struck.

The Valedictory Stakes was the feature at Woodbine Saturday and on that card, Rafael Hernandez won 5 races - he may now be unbeatable for the jockeys' title We lost trainer Mike Doyle last week Janice Murchison, owner of Bourbononaholiday, Doyles' last winner, tells us about the long-time trainer. We have multiple story lines on jockey Dane Nelson - why he brought his tack east from Alberta, what happened when his horse fell, and how did he do in Jamaica's most important race, the Mouttet Mile on Saturday? Debbie Salhani, now in her 50th year at the Raceway at Western Fair, talks with us about the art of charting horses. Question - what's a more amazing accomplishment; wining 10 races on a single card of harness racing or winning every single race on a card of thoroughbred racing? And you could go years without witnessing a triple dead heat…or you can hear about one in this podcast.

There were 2 Stakes races Saturday at Woodbine; both worth $250,000 - the Princess Elizabeth and the Coronation Futurity. We love it when Emma-Jayne Wilson wins a Stakes race. She did it with Duckduckduck in the Clarendon, and the trainer Evette Chartrand-Hoek tells us that the 2 Stakes she won this year are the first 2 of her career. Woodbine's Jamie Dykstra breaks down the method by which your horse welfare initiative can get up to $5,000. from the track. Harness driver Austin Sorrie wore the Maple Leaf in France last Friday in an international drivers' event. We have the race call – in French, of course. Imagine watching a quarter horse race and as the field is galloping down the backstretch, the track ambulance is barrelling towards them. This actually happened at Evangeline Downs. How many horse races get mentioned in a list of the 50 greatest sports moments? We found…one. And someone always wins a horse race, but what is the track protocol when no one wins?

We have 3 Stakes races from Woodbine. Robert Geller called the Ashbridges and Lake Ontario Stakes, but why was it Doug McPherson for the Shady Well? Canadians winning in the U.S. – John Bianco sent out Bourbon Day at Aqueduct and Total Heart won at 12-1 for Susan and Jim Hill at Churchill Downs. No fries or burgers, but we go to MacDonald's twice; James MacDonald reviews his World Driving Championship and Anthony MacDonald gives his wife Amy props after she wins a qualifier. And Sunday, November 17 was a very good night at Mohawk for Louis-Philippe Roy - he had 5 winners.

How immature can we be reporting that Nobals won the Kennedy Road Stakes for the 2nd year in a row? James MacDonald won the World Driving Championship in New Zealand. Not quite so glamourous was Jody Jamieson who tells us he's just fine after a scary spill at Mohawk. LongRun's Vicki Pappas expresses her gratitude for Woodbine's generous donation and reminds us of our commitment to the horses that entertain us so much. We go to the Meadowlands to see how many U.S. dollars Canadians reaped in a night of big money Stakes action. Shelly Silver passed last week and long-time racetracker, ‘Coffee' John Calleja tells us about Silver and the danger of gambling too much. And from Hoosier Downs, a horse named On To Norway who has put together a world record streak.

From the Saturday card at Woodbine - the Maple Leaf Stakes, the Bessarabian Stakes and the Autumn Stakes. We update Canada's James MacDonald at the World Driving Championship in New Zealand, and while we're down under, Australia's Ric Chapman reports on the Melbourne Cup which was won by a lady jockey. Questions - Is it better for Mohawk Park to run race on Sunday instead of Thursday? And - Can a 2-year-old pacer who never raced in the United States, be acclaimed Horse of the Year by U.S. Voters? American writer Brett Sturman tells us why the unbeaten Beau Jangles should win the Dan Patch as Horse of the Year. And neat stuff from Aqueduct: Flavien Prat became the first jockey ever to win 7 races at a New York track and Canadian John Bianco sent out a winner at Aqueduct.

We have coverage of the Breeders' Cup from Del Mar – great finishes, big payoffs and European dominance on the grass, though little Cancon to brag about. Emma-Jayne Wilson was back at Woodbine after a 3-month layoff; she didn't win, but Rafael Hernandez took down 3 races and Fraser Aebly won 4. This podcast features 3-year-old Brooks Ratchford cheering on dad, Todd to a Breeders Crown win and Todd talks with us about the greatest night of his life. Jody Jamieson won a race Monday night with a horse that paid off at 80-1 and Garnet Barnsdale told you in the Mohawk Journal that The Bear a Cuda would win and when it did, the win price was $81.30 and do the rules at Keeneland allow a horse to be ridden by a rider…with no head?

The Breeders Crown Finals at Mohawk included the still unbeaten Beau Jangles, driver Todd Ratchford winning in his Crown debut and a guest appearance by 3-year-old Brooks Ratchford. On Saturday night a 68-1 shot dead heated with a 1-5 favourite and there was more magic from Scott Zeron who miraculously produced a 62-1 bomb that everyone's Bubbe will love. At Woodbine it was Austin Adams and Little Teddy capturing the Eternal Search. Trainer Bill Tharrenos has been winning Stakes races at a lucrative clip and he talks with us about his very good year. On the last card of quarter horse racing at Ajax Downs, 4 jockeys doubled up, fans got free ice cream, and we have Jennifer Morrison to help wrap up the 25 days of racing. And you won't need a medical autopsy to understand why we have a race from Hawthorne in which a horse won with surgical precision.

It was a weekend full of eliminations for next week's Breeders Crown at Mohawk and the standouts were Beau Jangles, Brandon Drive, Delaney Hanover, Miki and Minnie, Ervin Hanover and many more. Kings Plate Champion, Mansetti was nailed just before the wire in the Ontario Derby at Woodbine. He won the jockeys' crown and the Sovereign Award last year; now Sahin Civaci has taken his tack to New York. His agent, Leroy Trotman breaks down the reasons. Friday night celebrated lady drivers at Western Fair Raceway and veteran Marie Claude Auger put on a clinic. Driver Travis Henry cracked open the 300 win plateau and tells us what it means to him. It was the penultimate card of racing at Ajax Downs and once again, free ice cream for the fans, and we have a race from Australia where the announcer nearly loses his mind when an unbeatable favourite, gets beaten.

There were 8 $300,000 OSS Gold Superfinals at Mohawk. The great 2-year-old pacer Beau Jangles is now 10 for 10, but is he concerned that a filly went faster? From Woodbine, fillies and mares were front and centre in the Ontario Damsel and Fashion Stakes. Two great jockeys help us celebrate episode 300. Mike Smith, now 59, is still winning stakes races and he talks about Zenyatta, Justify, Arrogate and Chantal Sutherland. Rafael Hernandez leaped to the lead in the Woodbine riders' race. He informs us why his grand slam mattered coming on the same day as a grand slam by Vladimir Guerrero. Just 2 racing dates left at Ajax Downs and last Wednesday was brilliant for jockey J B Botello - he had 4 mounts and he own with each of them. And Bill Galvin Alliance Youth Derby Award winner, Olivia Schiedel treats us with a rendition of her first-place poem.

We have the $750,000 Canadian International Stakes from Woodbine along with the Nearctic and the Dance Smartly Stakes as well. Let's just say Woodbine were very good hosts to visiting horse people. There were fireworks at Mohawk Park earlier in the week - on Monday, Doug McNair took down 3 OSS Golds - then on Tuesday, Bob McClure did the same thing.Tom's Magic won the Breeders' Stakes. His owner, CJ Johnson is from Texas but tells us why he loves racing at Mohawk and how important it is to lower the takeout for bettors. You might expect the best horses to break track records, but last Monday, a $9,000 claimer shattered the mark for 6 ½ furlongs at Fort Erie. And, as the quarter horse season winds down, we've got races from last Wednesday's card at Ajax Downs.

It was the Breeders' Stakes, 3rd leg of the Canadian Triple Crown at Woodbine. Trainer Dr. Ian Moore talks about his wonderful 2-year-old pacer, Beau Jangles and disagrees when host Peter Gross tries to make a comparison with the great Somebeachsomewhere. Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. won the 2024 Kentucky Derby with Mystik Dan, but is now in hospital after a life-threatening fall at Churchill Downs. Despite his severe injuries, Hernandez tells Down The Stretch he is planning on riding in the Breeders' Cup. Ajax Downs had a 7-race card last week, but produced 8 winners, and in a race last week at Parx, jockey Mychel Sanchez decided it was more important to save a fellow jockey whose reins had snapped than to try and win the race. Race caller Jessica Paquette fills us in on this bizarre event.

A huge night of harness racing at Mohawk – the $Million Metro Pace featured two unbeaten horses. The Mohawk Million had a mild upset. At Woodbine, a 17-1 shot surprised in the Durham Cup. Norm McKnight scored his 1,000th thoroughbred training win (behave when you hear the horses that comprised the exactor). At the Delaware Fairgrounds, the 80th Little Brown Jug produced a very low paying winner. The 3-year-old Sovereignty, winner of the Kentucky Derby, the Belmont, the Jim Dandy and the Travers will be Horse of the Year in the U.S. We talk with Neil Poznansky, the Canadian ingredient in this super horse. Also, highlights from last Wednesday's card of quarter horse racing at Ajax Downs, and was that winner of the 5th race Friday at Laurel Park a shoutout to one of the great Toronto Maple Leafs?

On Turf Champions Day, there were 5 Stakes races at Woodbine, including the $1 Million Woodbine Mile. Lots of action at Mohawk Park – on Friday there were 2 Champlain Stakes and an Elegant Image warm-up that produced a $100 winner: on Saturday, Beau Jangles and Frantic Hanover dazzled as Sylvia Hanover and Twin B Joe Fresh renewed their rivalry. A Canadian horse – Lexus Kody won the $1 Million International Trot at Yonkers Saturday. We've got the Prince of Wales from Fort Erie; let's just say Ryan Munger was happy to be reunited with Runaway Again. Harness driver Gilles Barrieau figured out how to get on the podcast – just win 9 on one night at the Charlottetown Driving Park. Ismael Mosqueira moved closer to winning the riders' title by having a good day at Ajax Downs. And we remember one of our favourites, Zippy Chippy, who warmed our hearts by losing every one of his 100 races.

We've got the Wonder Where Stakes and the Singspiel Stakes from Woodbine and let's just say jockey Rafael Hernandez had a good day. There were 5 Grand Circuit Stakes at Mohawk on the weekend – we have the stretch calls of all of them. At Truro Raceway in Nova Scotia, veteran driver Claire MacDonald won 4 of 8 races on a recent card, but that wasn't the most unusual result for her that night. We have the uplifting but disturbing story of a pacer named Tyler, who raced over 200 times, but had to be rescued hours before being slaughtered out of a kill pen. Jockey Kirk Johnson has been fully vindicated. The AGCO says there was no bad behaviour in the unusual finish of a race at Fort Erie. Jockey Alexis Sanchez pulled off the natural hat trick at Ajax Downs last week, and when Pretty Runaway won the Maturity Stakes, we learned this speedball has a unique appreciation of heavy metal music. We were on the phone to race caller Frank Miramahdi, who wraps up the summer meet from Saratoga. When he learned that Peter Gross didn't get to the spa this year, he got his friends to lay into him pretty good. And we have a race from Laurel Park in which a flock of geese flew right into the horses as they came into the stretch.

We lead off with a monster card from Mohawk, including the Maple Leaf Trot and the Canadian Pacing Derby. From Woodbine we have a 22-1 shot winning the Toronto Cup Stakes. Beau Jangles, Canada's brilliant 2-year-old pacer ran his perfect win streak to 6. We have John Sikura telling us why his Hill n Dale Farms bought half of the sensational filly, Thorpedo Anna, though he doesn't reveal how much this cost. From Saratoga, an emotional win by a horse named Attfield over a horse named Schwarzenegger. Curtis Stock talks with us about Ron Turcotte, the great jockey who died last week. Races from Ajax Downs. It was Family Fun Day and the Robertson family probably had the most fun. And we have ladies – Lauren Tritton and Natasha Day - winning harness races at the Meadowlands and at Mohawk, but we wonder why it doesn't happen more often.

This podcast is loaded with important races: from Mohawk - the William Wellwood, The Eternal Camnation, the Peaceful Way, another huge win by Beau Jangles and a record tying mile from Bythemissal. A Canadian first as Aetos Kronos trotted under 1:50. Mark Casse hit the tri in the Eternal Search Stakes at Woodbine. Pietro Moran joins us to talk about his King's Plate win and we find out if he is, in fact, the youngest jockey to win the Plate and if he's the first apprentice. Toronto's Marvin Katz is on the phone to talk about getting into the U.S. Harness Racing Hall of Fame and why he named a horse after Ariana Grande. Jockey Cassandra Jeschke had a good day at Ajax Downs as the riders' race tightened up. We've got a 5th place finish by driver Mario Baillargeon that pushed him past the $100,000,000 purse ceiling, and big prices – we've got a horse at Mohawk that paid off at 83-1.

In the 166th King's Plate, 20-year-old apprentice, Pietro Moran gave a master class ride on Mansetti, but did he gulp down pizzas to celebrate? Also from Saturday - the Catch a Glimpse, the E.P Taylor, the Bold Venture, the Soaring Free and the King Edward Stakes, and if you run into Kevin Attard, ask him if he had a good day at the track. We document another win at Saratoga by Canadian trainer, Melanie Giddings and we go to Pocono Downs for a quarter million-dollar showdown between two great filly pacers. Arthur Silvera joins us and tells us how we can contribute to GoFundMe to help injured rider Omar Moreno, and Silvera hooks us up with Amanda Vandersmeersch, whom we all should have been betting. The top driver at Kawartha Downs is Nick Boyd and he tells us how he managed to win 6 races on the same night. Jockey Brian Bell had a huge day at Ajax Downs bringing in 3 winners. None of them paid a lot, but if you were playing ridiculous longshots at Mohawk last Tuesday, the lobster and steaks are on you.

We start with the $250,000 Bison City Stakes from Woodbine, then it's off to the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame Inductions with owner Brad Grant and writer Dave Briggs. We've got jockey Ryan Munger who has been improving his strike rate lately and driver James Macdonald breaks down his Hambletonian Oaks win. A visit to Grand River Raceway on Industry Day when the horses kept breaking records. Longshots that amazed us – Snookered and Amanda Vandermeersch at Woodbine, Aye Eye and Javier Castellano at Saratoga and rider Kirk Johnson has some ‘splainin to do after Princess O Denmark blew a huge lead in the stretch at Fort Erie.

We start with 3 Stakes races from Woodbine - the Trillium, the Niagara and the Seagram, then on to Saratoga for the $1 Million Whitney. Garnet Barnsdale was at the Meadowlands for the 100th Hambletonian. He tells us how that race went and about success on the day from James MacDonald and the great Sylvia Hanover. Less than 2 weeks until the 166th King's Plate, so Woodbine's Klaus Ebner teases us with a tempting parimutuel buffet of available wagers. We talk with Melanie Giddings, the leading Canadian trainer at Saratoga and we have natural hattricks from 2 jockeys – Ryan Munger at Woodbine and Ismael Mosqueira at Ajax Downs.

They ran the Trillium and Ontario Colleen Stakes at Woodbine Saturday and that made it a great day for jockey Sahin Civaci. At Saratoga, it was the Jim Dandy with the heavy favourite, Sovereign. Only one Canadian trainer has found the winners circle at Saratoga this summer and we will tell you who she is. We have a pair of inspirational jockey stories in this podcast A year ago, Rico Walcott was diagnosed with brain cancer and given maybe 18 months to live, but now he's cancer free, winning races and making his backers a lot of coin. We've got Walcott and his agent, Ron Burke Then there's 71-year-old Perry Ouzts still bringing in winners and setting an amazing record Saturday at Belterra park. The terrific pacing mare, Sylvia Hanover went really fast at a track in Massachusetts last week...we chat with her trainer Marc Steacy. At Ajax Downs, 2 horses are carving out perfect records; we have their latest wins and a son of Bulldog Hanover made an eye-catching debut at Mohawk last Friday. You will wish that you bet on him.

Some important races this week – the Woodbine Oaks and Kings Plate trial and other Stakes races from Woodbine, and the $1 Million Haskell from Monmouth. Trainer Mark Casse got his 4000th win and tells us what that means to him. Jockey Pietro Moran is both the leading rider and leading apprentice at Woodbine, but can he duplicate the amazing season of Mickey Walls in 1991? Count the natural hattricks in this podcast - 2 on the same day at Ajax Downs, a Bob McClure triple at Mohawk and a remarkable day at Kawartha downs for Guy Chretien as he won 3 straight with the only 3 horses he owns and trains.

The sad news first - Horse of the Year, Patches O'Houlihan could not be saved. Saturday at Woodbine, a mind-boggling daily double produced by apprentice rider, Xarel Forde and a sweep of 2 Stakes races by veteran Rafael Hernandez. Jockey Flavien Prat did something no other rider has done in the 162-year history at Saratoga Trainer Randy Harris was back in the winners circle at Mohawk for the 1st time in 10 years. Garnet Barnsdale made a remarkable prediction last week about a 2-year-old pacer named Beau Jangles – and we ask Dr. Ian Moore is this horse as good as Barnsdale says he is? Then on Saturday, the Moore-trained Prince Hal Hanover came in 1st in the Meadowlands Pace, only to be disqualified and just how ironic was that? They ran the Gridiron Classic at Ajax Downs - it took less than 7 seconds, and 2 wins by Brian Bell meant free ice cream for the fans. And we give you 7 reasons to go to Mohawk this week to bet on horses in their race book.

We had to check in on Emma-Jayne Wilson, who was thrown from a horse Friday. She tells us she's a little bruised, but otherwise ok. The Stakes race at Woodbine Saturday was the Hendrie for fillies and mares. Woodbine's CEO Mike Copeland tells us everything we need to know about the Go Station being built on the racetrack grounds. Harness trainer Ashley MacDonald broke through at Mohawk on Canada – she talks about that and tells us which MacDonalds she is related to. Ismael Mosqueira had a monster day last Wednesday at Ajax Downs. And those who bet only favourites didn't throw away many tickets Thursday night at Mohawk.

The Canada Day Racing Festival at Woodbine gave us 5 Stakes races and Canadian Horse of the Year Patches O'Houlihan gave us cause for concern after his wayward win in the Highlander. A great night at Mohawk Friday for Jody Jamieson – he had 4 wins including a pair of Stakes. We meet apprentice rider, Xarel Forde. He tells us how much he enjoys winning at Woodbine and how he got his unusual name. Harness driver Scott Wray won for the 1000th time; it took him only 16 years. We've got him on the phone to talk about it. This podcast has every race from last week's card at Ajax Downs as those in attendance wondered if their coupon for free ice cream could be redeemed. Also: + There's going to a Go station built at Woodbine + Trainer Shawn Steacy has broken through the $10,000,000 mark + What were the odds that the first 4 winners last Thursday at Hawthorne would all pay exactly the same? + What were the odds that the first 9 winners Friday night at Mohawk would all be favourites? + And after proposing to your lady in the winners' circle, wouldn't you bet on a horse called Please Marry Me?

We've got Saturday's Alywow Stakes from Woodbine which went to an invader; and from Friday's card. Apprentice Xarel Forde became the first jockey in Canadian history with a name beginning with X to score a hat trick. Same day, veteran rider, Slade Callaghan won in his first race back. The great Emma-Jayne Wilson joins us to talk about what it feels like to win a race again and what her twin daughters, Grace and Avery think about what mommy does. Chelsea Hackbarth is the editor in chief for the Paulick Report and she informs us about ICE agents arresting 84 undocumented workers from the backstretch of Delta Downs in Louisiana. Brian Bell recorded his 800th win at Ajax Downs and explains why it's much harder to put up big numbers in quarter horse racing. Also, why did we compare him to the Shawshank Redemption's Andy Dufresne? Good on Woodbine to quadruple their contribution to OSAS, the Ontario Standardbred Adoption Agency. Joanne Colville of OSAS tells us how important this was. And what do you think happened to the 5-horse named Five in a race at the Meadows on the 5th day of the week?

Not only do we have a spine-tingling call from Chad Rozema of the $1,000,000 North America Cup at Mohawk, but we have the 5 other Stakes on the undercard. Also, must-hear audio from driver Braxten Boyd who came 2nd with a huge longshot. Boyd was mic-ed up for his 1st million-dollar race. After 207 days of recuperation, Emma-Jayne Wilson rode back into the winners' circle at Woodbine in a race dominated by pussycats. Harness driver, Jason Ryan talks with us about his 2000th win and why all the other drivers call him Ricky Bobby. It's interesting that jockey Edgar Zenteno won 7 times in an 11-race span at Fort Erie; what's more interesting is his relationship with agent, Madison Meli. And Brian Bell, the iron man of quarter horse racing in Canada, rang up an historic number Sunday at Ajax Downs.

This podcast goes everywhere. We've got the Fury Stakes from Woodbine and 3 eliminations at Mohawk for next week's North America Cup. Also, Horse of the Year Chantilly in an elim for the Fan Hanover. The 157th running of the Belmont Stakes happened at Saratoga and as a result, we know who will be the 3-Year-Old of the Year in the U.S. We chat with an emotionally charged Todd Ratchford who drove the trotter, Ritchie Rich to a landmark win for his family. We've got jockeys in this podcast - Ryan Munger is starting to heat up at Woodbine; the legendary Perry Ouzts just keeps winning as he approaches his 71st birthday and Edgar Zenteno won 4 races in a row at Fort Erie. There were time trials and dead heats at Ajax Downs and when the filly Good Cheer finished 5th at 1-5 in the 11th race at Saratoga Friday, how much show money did she take down with her?

There were 4 Stakes races at Woodbine Saturday and 4 wins for Eswan Flores. We've got 5 Grand Circuit races from Mohawk and a Camluck Classic at Western Fair that needed a disqualification to determine a winner. Big thrill for us as we got jockey Umberto Rispoli to chat about his amazing and controversial win on Journalism in the Preakness. We talk with Paul Souter, the next winner of the Avelino Gomez Award and we take in Opening Day at Fort Erie - trust us - jockey Jeffrey Alderson will enjoy our coverage. So will Brian Bell – the veteran quarter horse jockey had a big day at Ajax Downs.

Jockey Ryan Munger had a break out day at Woodbine. We have 3 nice OSS Stakes from Mohawk - Chantilly romped at 1-9, but when Crack Shot at 1-9 didn't hit the board, we had some interesting prices. John Bianco sent out a winner at a mile and a quarter at Aqueduct and we were really impressed with the time of Bourbon Day. On May 18, Trainer Dale Desruisseaux had what we think was his best day ever at Woodbine and it got even better, because he got to talk about it in this podcast. Colleen Dalos is with us this week, telling us why her dad Ivan is a perfect fit for the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame and remembering some of the great horses produced by Tall Oaks Farm. Writer Dave McKenna used to cover racing at Pimlico when that track mattered in the 1990s; now he tells us what a disgusting dump the track turned into, before it closed down. And on the 3rd day of quarter horse racing at Ajax Downs, it was good to be J Botello or Ismael Mosqueira.

We feature the Ruling Angel and the King Corrie Stakes from Woodbine. There were fireworks and SBOA finals from Mohawk Saturday, including the 2025 debut of horse of the year Chantilly. Pimlico Racetrack may be falling apart, but that was a pretty good Preakness on Saturday. Veteran Brian Bell was back on horses at Ajax Downs and had a good Wednesday afternoon. We have a great interview with Katie Davis, the mom of 3-year-old Riley; appropriately, she won 2 races on Mothers' Day at Aqueduct. In the bad beat department, Jim McKenny thought he was home free when the 10-1 shot he bet at Horseshoe, Indianapolis opened up 3 lengths in the stretch, then ejected jockey Luis Contreras from the saddle, and how does a horse pay $236 to win at Gulfstream? We'll tell you how.

On the 5th card of racing at Woodbine, Pietro Moran inched ahead in the jockeys' race, Fraser Aebly went inside twice, and apprentice Xarel Forde scored his first win...sort of. We have a feature on Kentucky Derby winning jockey Junior Alvarado, who defied odds simply by being on Sovereignty on the first Saturday in May. Rick Zeron, who is 68, steered a trotter to a win at Mohawk and Garrett Rooney crashed through the $10,000,000 barrier at Hiawatha. Jennifer Stein talks with us about how she helps jockeys stay mentally and physically fit. We have every race from a very successful opening day at Ajax Downs. Chantal Sutherland is back on race horses; she rode a pair at Monmouth Saturday and how did Conan O'Brien get in this podcast?