Down The Stretch Podcast

We're not angry, but we do have the Fury Stakes from Woodbine. What happened to the unbeaten Beau Jangles when he met the strongest field of his 16-race career in an elimination for the North America Cup? The 158th Belmont Stakes went to Kentucky Derby champ Golden Tempo thanks to another last to first surge. Canadian Melanie Giddings scored a win last week at Saratoga, and after Tawny Port won the Belmont Gold Cup in record time, Garnet Barnsdale issued a warning to any bettors planning to bet that horse in the Melbourne Cup.Down The Stretch remembers the career of jockey Francine Villeneuve, who died last week. Opening Day at Fort Erie was a tour de force for jockey Sofia Vives and owners Icon Racing. Trainer Anthony Adamo tells us he had never before won 4 races with the only 4 horses he sent out on the same day.A mare with a North American resume won the famed Elittlopet in Sweden. We have the call...in Swedish.And at Ajax Downs, Cassandra Jeschke won for the first two times this year, Cristian Benitez added to his leading win total and Had To Be Fabulous suffered a rare defeat.

From Woodbine, 3 Stakes – the Belle Mahone, the Eclipse and the Jacques Cartier. From Mohawk - the Somebeachsomewhere and a pair of $100,000 Graduate Series races for 4-year-olds.Woodbine's Alanna Nolan is on the phone telling how the company's production team notched a pair of finalists for the Hashtag Sports Awards.A horse bred by Sam Son Farm won at Churchill Downs and paid $54.50 to win.Chantal Sutherland is now 50 and still winning races – 2 on one afternoon at MonmouthAt Ajax Downs, another good day for the Benitez brothers and a pair of quarter horse rarities. A mother horse racing against her daughter and a speedster named Peighntmeadiamond, who is not only a blood relative to the great Northern Dancer, but on May 27, which would have been the Dancer's 65th birthday, the 4-year-old won a race.And when Conn Smythe the horse won 2 races in a row, we recalled the human Conn Smythe and how he financed a Stanley Cup win after betting on a 107-1 shot. Jockey Jeffrey Alderson admits he knows much more about the horse named Conn Smythe than the man,

No Stakes races Saturday at Woodbine but trainers Josie Carroll, Katerina Vassilieva, Catherine Day Philips and Krista Cole combined for an incredible pick-6. OSS Gold Legs at Mohawk Saturday night and no horse yet has figured out how to defeat the amazing Beau Jangles. We have his trainer, Dr Ian Moore wondering if the 30-race win streak by the trotter A Worthy Lad is attainable. Former Maple Leaf, Eddie Olczyk makes the podcast after the remarkable choices he promoted for the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness. We have a Family Feud theme for our Ajax Downs Coverage – could the Benitez brothers outride Mrs. Botello's favourite son? And from Los Alamitos, a race that could indicate your wagering is having a negative effect on your marital life.

Saturday's Stakes race at Woodbine was the Ruling Angel. Mohawk featured 4 SBOA Stakes events including a 14th straight win for Beau Jangles.  The 151st Preakness went to a horse that raced near the front all the way while paying tribute to a classic 60's tv series. You never forget your first – we've got Kemaire Blackett breaking through at Woodbine, Landon Campbell nosing out his dad in Charlottetown and Corry Beland with his first riding win at Ajax Downs. Make that 3,000 wins for Travis Cullen; what does the trotter Switch have in common with Beau Jangles, and how did the bridge jumpers feel when the usually reliable Logan Park broke stride just before the wire?

The great Beau Jangles began his 3-year-old season at Mohawk. The great Had to be Fabulous ran her streak to 10 at Ajax Downs. Jim Bannon reveals the incredible Canadian pedigree that dominated in this year's Kentucky Derby. Who is Kemaire Blackett and how did he win a race at 43-1? Doug McNair put up a five spot last Friday. Tyler Borth has repeated as regional driving champion. Dan Noble had an historic 11 wins at Northfield. Full brothers on the trot with a rarity at Mohawk and the Down The Stretch version of the legendary Who's On First routine.

A spectacular finish to the Kentucky Derby and it contributed to our theme this week of brothers in sports. A rarity at Woodbine as two King's Plate winners went head-to-head at Woodbine. It was the race before the Whimsical Stakes. We have Emma-Jayne Wilson in this podcast speculating if she can, like Perry Ouzts, compete until she is 70. Owner Bruno Schickedanz showed us again how to win races and make money doing it. Our brothers in sports feature includes Mark and Anthony Macdonald, but which brothers do you think have combined for the most wins in harness racing? And from the other side of the world, a horse named Ka Ying Rising won for the 20th straight time.

Complete coverage of the Sovereign Awards including Rosie Day, Sid Attard, Santino DiPaola, Pietro Moran, Rafael Hernandez and Kevin Attard. Patrick Husbands tells us why he is retiring after 37 years and why he might un-retire. Sofia Vives is back riding at Woodbine and she delivered Mony Mony to victory in the first Stakes race of the year. Kentucky Derby #152 is upon us. Mike Smith has ridden in 28 of them and he tells us - he still gets chills. We talk with Smith about some of the greatest moments in his amazing career. The 6-year-old trotter, Ghostly Casper, cracked the $1,000,000 barrier. His favourite human, Sara Baillargeon tells us how special this horse is. And when an absolute sure thing broke stride at the start at Mohawk, how much did the other horses pay?

We're all over Opening Day at Woodbine with Jeff Bratt, Robert Geller, Rafael Hernandez, Romero Maragh, Jose Campos and Garnet Barnsdale.  Micah Husbands and Mike De Paulo combine for a win at Gulfstream.  Award winning writer Jennifer Morrison provides her pick of Horse of the Year for the upcoming Sovereign Awards. A landmark win for driver Bob McClure – he's now cracked the $60 million barrier. Kazushi Kimura is putting up excellent numbers down south, but he got days at Keeneland and it's kind of strange. And if you struggle to hit the daily double, bow down in awe at Ryan Willis who spearheaded a bet in the Meadowlands Pick-8 and was the only winner.

This week we have wins at Aqueduct by 2O24 Sovereign Award winning jockey Sahin Civaci. Rachel Halden had Kazushi Kimura aboard for a win at Keeneland for Chiefswood Stables. The Eclipse Award winning Pietro Moran is coming back to Woodbine and we know this because he told us from the Keeneland Jocks' room. On Saturday, Moran was at Gulfstream to win a nice little handicap for Gail Cox. The latest inductees into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame were announced last week - harness driver Mike Saftic gets in and so does jockey Richard Dos Ramos. Making it even better for those two athletes - each of them has a Down The Stretch interview. Rideau Carleton is the latest Canadian racetrack to close its doors. We discuss the impact of that with race caller Melissa Keith and trainer Mandy Archer. And those wise enough to follow Garnet Barnsdale's recommendations in the Mohawk Journal were nicely rewarded Friday night. I'm Peter Gross.

Jockey Pietro Moran made a good first impression at Keeneland. There were 3 Kentucky Derby preps – the Wood, the Blue Grass and the Santa Anita Derby. Trainer Kevin Attard handicaps his chances at a 2nd Sovereign Award and chats about the jockeys who have won for him this year at Gulfstream. Harness driver, Garrett Rooney was epic last week at Western Fair – he won with 5 consecutive drives. Pat Valenzuela is 63 and when he finished 1st in a race last week at Turf Paradise, it was his first win in over 9 years. And off we go to Las Vegas – well, by phone to gamble and eat by proxy through Garnet Barnsdale.

Canadians winning at Gulfstream – Steve Owens, Pietro Moran and a bunch from Kevin Attard, including an 18-1 Stakes win. Kentucky Derby Preps from Florida, Arkansas, Dubai and Japan. The iconic Roger Attfield announced his retirement from training and he told us why as we delved into some of his great memories. Harness driver Mike Saftic talks about being a finalist for the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame and admits, he probably would not have voted for himself. Hastings trainer Barbara Anderson-Heads has a lovely mare named Avana as a Sovereign Award finalist. She admits that Avana is a longshot and shares the sadness of many about the demise of racing at Hastings. We have the 10 lucky owners who have won slots to the Mohawk Million and sketch comedian/announcer Evan Loucks gave us a smile inducing race call.

Pietro Moran continues to sizzle in Hallandale. Trainers Kevin Attard, Steve Owens and Marty Drexler were winning at Gulfstream. Melanie Giddings scored at Aqueduct. There were two Kentucky Derby Preps - the Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway and the Louisiana Derby at the Fair Grounds each offered 100 points to the winner. No one wins more races than Bruno Schickedanz, but he tells Down The Stretch he does not believe he's favoured to win the Sovereign as Canada's Outstanding Owner, Bruno has a horse named Hunt Master who did something in two consecutive races we have never seen before. What we have seen before is James Macdonald winning in big numbers at Mohawk. MacDonald talks about how he and his fellow horsemen raised money last weekend for the family of driver Hunter Myers. Another harness driver, J.R. Plante found the winners circle for the 3000th time and tells us now that he's getting more comfortable at Mohawk, his passion for driving has been reignited.

Jockey Pietro Moran, who recently won the Eclipse Award as top apprentice in North America went nuts last week at Gulfstream – 9 rides and 5 wins...other Canadians winning in the U.S. - Marty Drexler, Devon Gittens Randy Exelby and Kevin Attard scoring at Gulfstream, and owner Bruno Schickedanz won at Aqueduct and Oaklawn on the same day. The one Kentucky Derby prep was the $500,000 Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs. We‘ve got last week's Women's Day race at Mohawk, which was won by Julie Walker. We already know who will win the Sovereign trophy as Groom of the Year in Canada - we've got a few minutes on the phone with the delightful Rose Day. It was just an $18,000 pace at Mohawk but that win by Ten Carat Garret had a huge emotional impact. Jim Whelan tells us what it meant to win with a horse named after his late son. And Ismael Mosqueira is a versatile jockey. He wins on thoroughbreds, he wins on quarter horses and recently he won at the Quarter Horse awards. Mosqueira was asked to decide what meant more - the award for his riding or the award for his favourite filly.

Canadians winning in the U.S. this week include Melanie Giddings and Marty Drexler at Gulfstream, John Bianco doubling down at Aqueduct and the team of Julie Mathes and Bruno Schickedanz scoring at Charles Town. We've got Kentucky Derby preps at Tampa Bay and Santa Anita with 50 Derby points to the winners. Woodbine and the NYRA have forged the Empire Trillium series and Woodbine's Tim Lawson reveals how lucrative this will be for local horse people. Amy MacDonald will be driving in her first parimutuel race in the International Womens' Day race at Mohawk and she tells Down The Stretch what her strategy will be from post 10. New Jersey saluted the ladies by having Rideau Carlton's Melissa Keith call the entire Saturday night card at the Meadowlands. And Romero Maragh tells Down The Stretch why he's bringing his tack to Canada.

+ Trainer Katarina Vassilieva and Chiefswood Stables scored their first winner of the year and the 9-1 price was generous + We've got Kentucky Derby preps from Gulfstream and Aqueduct + Big news as Woodbine is bidding to host the Hambletonian for 3 years. Mark McKelvie breaks it down + Ho hum - a 6-win night at Mohawk for James MacDonald + Two Ontario-bred horses won big at the recent Dan Patch Awards in the U.S. We give props to Lexus Kody and Beau Jangles + Renaissance man, Santino DiPaola has won a Media Sovereign Award, and this year he is nominated in two horse categories as well as for outstanding photography, so we talk with Santino + The latest star stallion to arrive in Canada is Sergei Prokofiev. David Anderson talks about his acquisition and we play some of Sergei Prokofiev's greatest hits + And a Pick-5 from Gulfstream in which all you had to do was... Pick 5

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.