Kali Francois | Tesio Day

Louie & Mike sit down with Kali Francois, Dan Illman, and John Piassek to talk about Maryland racing. They all give their picks for Tesio Day this weekend.

See all of our coverage at 1stgensports.com & goldbookbets.com

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Full Transcript

Hi, welcome to another fun episode of the Horse Racing

Happy Hour. And we are gonna this is is this

our last Preakness preview? Like Road to the Preakness, Show

it. Is it is our final road to the

Preakness. Show Mike Endolfo.

What's your name? I'm, I'm Jon Piasek.

Nice to be here. Radio Louis next to me.

Uh oh uh oh. All of a sudden, I can't.

Yeah, this is Mike's microphone. He has no idea how to keep it

working. Louis, you're out.

Louis also can't hear us. We'll take it from here.

Let's get started with the show. Those two clowns, we can't hear

a word. They have I I just.

Oh, wait. There we go.

When he came back, you guys lost audio for like 30.

Seconds, sorry. Well, so I don't know what.

The real expert was coming out of the background me to talk.

About horse racing. No, Same thing that happened

last week. I had my phone on.

I'm putting it. I'm doing it again.

I I set the phone on do not stare.

But who knows what happened? Michael.

You're walking into a very unprofessional show, Kelly.

Number one. But #2.

No one in here likes one another.

Dan thinks of us as middle of the country.

Rubes. I don't like Dan Illman, but

people that listen to this podcast do.

I don't understand. Have you ever seen his office

Louis, come on for? Real, for sure.

I'm. I'm dealing with it.

I promise. Look, we'll keep having him on.

I'm obviously dealing with it. But John Piasik also has

beautiful hair and I hate him. So that's what you're walking

into. Kelly, good evening.

Good evening. I mean, eventually you will find

out what it is you hate about me, but.

I am just gonna come in 030, just completely innocent on the

show. So yeah, I'm.

I'm taking full advantage of that.

There you go. All right, we gotta do one quick

announcement about our Preakness trip.

I'm going back for Preakness round two.

Louis got me going. Even after my incredible travel

accommodations in Baltimore last time, the dude was missing 2

fingers and they were freshly cut off.

That's all I'm going to say I am.

Yeah, Inner Harbor, even though there's a Ruth Chris steakhouse

down the street, does not necessarily mean that move on.

Let's start. Can I, can I add?

Wait, I need to add to this. I need to add to that

conversation. My parents two weeks ago were

just in town, first time like legitimately visiting, and they

were staying at the Renaissance Inner Harbor.

Second night they were there. I dropped them off.

There's a bunch of police cars. They get to their room safely.

Turns out that there was a shooting right outside the

hotel. Oh.

Yeah, Well, hello, Baltimore. Hello, Baltimore.

So Speaking of Baltimore, we're going to go Jimmy's Seafood.

We're going to be doing a live handicapping seminar Friday

night at Jimmy's Seafood. They were so awesome to us last

year that we're going back. We're going to see, you know,

First off I just want everyone to understand that Louis tried

to be very Maryland when we went last year and John Piazza can

can can definitely agree with this.

Louis Louis went all out and said I'm getting the seafood

tower and so we got. The seafood tower.

And then like basically John Piazza and I were the only ones

that ate all that, that that was it.

No one else. I don't think I had so much

chilled. Excellent seafood, by the way.

Phenomenal. Those crab legs were

unbelievable. But everyone else was like, just

like looking at like, intimidated by it.

And I'm like, just digging in as much as I can.

So that is what it is, Yeah. So I'm excited to go back there.

And details to come, but love our folks over at Jimmy's

Seafood. Really good experience last

year. We'll be back out there the

evening of the Black Eyed Susan. And I'll say it so Dan doesn't

just fade our picks the next day.

Thanks. I mean, you guys are really

doing a handicapping seminar, so we're the handicap.

I'm I'm emptying. I'm not you know I'm I'm not

picking you know that so. I'll try to get Wyckoff to just.

Give out pigs. But you also know Piazza's hot

like get. Out of the way.

That's right. Yeah, right.

If he misses on Black Eyed Susan Day, we're just going to have

John talk for an hour and a half.

It is. That's it.

We'll stand outside smoke cigars.

There it is. That's what we got going on.

All right, Danielman, John Piazza, Kelly's here.

What do we want to go to 1st? Everyone from Maryland is here.

It's great. Yeah.

How about that? Yeah.

Yeah. Just royalty, baby.

All right. Look, I think the first thing we

need to go into is that Encino has drawn into the Derby field.

That's the obvious national story at this point.

I think everybody is just like that's it, that's the whole

thing, pins and needles. Is the Battaglia winner going to

make the Derby? Field.

That's what everyone was wondering.

That's right. And Encino does draw in, so

let's watch that replay. Zach, go for it.

Maybe. Zach.

It's on the show. Exactly.

Still some 10 legs off the lead top of the short stretch.

Encino, the leader, the wine steward, is right alongside

these two now, going at it, moving into the final furlong

gap of five more legs to Dilger and then Secret Chat Encino with

a neck in front. The wine steward is second.

Encino, giving everything he's got, turns back the challenge

and wins the Stonestreet. That's the most excited Kurt

Becker's ever been. Usually it's like the it's the

Masters and he's calling a race and the four's coming around the

turn. Look at all the Stone and the

Green Jackets. A beautiful place with a lot of

stones and we're going to have a sale as soon as this race is

over and then we're going to have another.

Sale final Derby prep race is in the books.

The Lexington is won by Encino I I actually want to talk a little

bit about the wine Stir here, though, coming back after a long

layoff. I thought he, I thought he would

look a little bit better in this race, but I thought he looked

good enough that, yeah, second off the layoff, he'd go to the

Preakness. I don't know, Dan.

Do you think he's likely for the Preakness?

He might be likely for the Preakness.

I think he's maybe the New York Derby winner at Finger Lakes.

I don't really think he's going to be winning the Preakness.

He ran very well certainly last year in the Breeders future when

he was second, but you could make the argument that that was

a race that he had won and he kind of just lost it at the very

end. And in this race, while he ran

just fine off of the layoff, he was second best to Encino.

I don't see him going a mile in three sixteenths against top

horses. I think he's a very nice grade

two grade 3 type. He can make a lot of money for

his connections. He's a good.

All right. Piazza, you want to add anything

to that? Well, I was going to mention the

wine store could be a possible Preakness horse and so I'm glad

he brought it up. I mean for his first start in so

long, I thought he ran very well.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect first time in 2024 in

fact I thought he I kind of over bet, but he still ran a game.

Second, I don't know if he's likely previous winner.

I think he belongs in the field and quite frankly if it's a

similar field like last year where there's not a a lot of

Derby horses, he he's gonna have to be perspective, especially

second off the bench and. Then I think the only other

really you know conversation here is Hades like.

Yeah, right. What's to do with him?

Sure. What?

Yeah. What is next for Hades?

Did they give him a little bit of a break, I think?

He needs a break here. Just no, not.

Not even that. They just ran him back to try to

qualify for the Derby. Didn't work.

He's 24th in points right now, even with the defection of no

more time. And so in my mind, that's a

horse that probably needs a little bit of time off.

I think. I think the Preakness is this

year, especially with how good the field is in my, at least in

my predictive estimation, he's probably not a Preakness horse.

He's probably going to go back to Gulfstream Park and pick off

some of the summer, the summer. Races.

This is the horse that Louis picked to win the Florida Derby.

I did just want to. That's true.

So go ahead, Callie. Do you have some?

No, no. I was pretty much agreeing with

everything, you know, as far you know, when it comes to these

Triple Crown races. I was just kind of going to

build off of what Dan said, you know, about, you know, the

horses just won the Lexington. Solid grade two grade 3 horse.

A lot of these connections, IE owners will get very excited and

they'll get really hot to frankly enter horses in races

that they shouldn't. So yeah, I think when it comes

to the previous projected field potentially shaping up to be an

interesting race for sure. I think it's going to shape up

to be a very fascinating race. I mean obviously with backward

having to go straight there after the the ruling today and

it's it's going to be, I think it's going to be phenomenal.

I really do. And especially if Fiercence wins

and Pletcher has to actually run the Preakness.

Short stretch at Keeneland, there in the Lexington Dan.

Do you think a horse like Encino actually turns into sort of a

another Brad Cox one turn Miller, that kind of thing.

We see him in something like the Indiana Derby, something like

that. I'm not necessarily just going

to pigeonhole him as a one turn Milo right now.

I do think he has a lot of upside potential and I do think

he has enough pedigree to go long.

To me, the Kentucky Derby is too much too soon and I wonder if

maybe he'll end up being a second season 3 year old that

perhaps will blossom in races like the Pennsylvania Derby and

maybe even later in the year. He's the kind of horse that you

take your shot in the Derby, you're in it, take your chance.

If it doesn't work out, the great thing about the Godolphin

folks are they got the cash to be patient.

You know, so Encino just joins the license of Connie, Porch,

King Fury, Owendale, My Boy Jack as the winner of the Lexington

Well. My boy Jack reference on a.

Thursday, my boy Jack. Of course, my boy Jack ended up

being like the buzz horse because you know, and when, of

course, anybody who's named Jack bet on him and all that.

Yeah. No, that's not that.

Happened just like everyone who named Rich bet on Rich strike

except for. Our producer in Baltimore, Rich.

Yeah, yeah. That's it.

Yeah. Hi Rich.

How are you, buddy? I do.

I do want to let Dan dance on my credibility grave for the last

time. For the last, we're not doing

these next year. So no, no, they put Tennessee on

the turf after. He.

Ran a turf like, never, got into a Derby prep and he's up for

sale. Kelly, this guy was telling me

and telling the people at home, the poor people, they don't

know. He doesn't know anything.

And they're saying at the end, he's saying I I talked to Brad

Cox and I read between the lines, oh.

Tennis. King is going to be his Jeff

Ruby steak source. And I was thinking, I don't

know, I don't know what this guy's talking about, that he

doesn't run in the Jeff Ruby steak.

He shows up. He shows up talking.

About reading between the lines and Brad Cox, There's nothing,

there's nothing to read. You're absolutely right.

But this guy's the amazing Crest, and he can read between

the lines. He knows exactly what's going

on. He's an insider all of a sudden,

and the next thing you know, he shows up.

It doesn't show up in the Jeff Ruby Stakes.

He shows up on the turf. He's nowhere to be found.

And now I can buy him at public auction and take him to Central

Park and ride him around. There it.

Is. I need him to.

I need. I need to see Tennessee get such

a part like I need oxygen. Does everyone understand?

Me coming to see a horse and buggy near you.

The real question is, how many times are you going to keep

trying Dan Ellman? Before it really hits you that

you shouldn't be doing that anymore.

Thank. You, Callie, thank you very

much, and I don't like it. You.

Look like Anna? And what's that?

All that part of the show. This isn't going to be a one

turn Miller. He's by Nyquist out of 1/2

brother to St. Sense.

It's going to be a one turn Miller.

He's so Cali. He's he is so.

I don't know exactly why he comes on the show.

He's so committed this like we're on the track together.

He does big times those acts like he doesn't know it.

Very true. I mean it's it's a whole thing.

It is a whole. Thing So.

Oh, geez. All right.

So the second, the second thing when you talk about is our show

sponsor here, Manscape, And I think Dan Owen's going to do the

straight. For us, let's go get out of.

The way. All right, Dan.

Would you like me to? Because the only reason I'm

doing the Manscape promo is because I I heard your last one

and it was mid and I I would like you guys to actually keep

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Manscaping Chase with Dan Holman.

Here we go. Let's go.

This Manscape promo goes something like this, Ladies and

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Cool. Well, that was like on the spot,

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We appreciate that, yes. I love that Dan wanted to do

that read so we can have a program.

Who was? So this is unlike any show ever.

All right, let's get, let's get you gas back.

Let's get you gas back. Doing some handicapping here.

I got Dan Elman. Who can handicap Piazza.

Who can handicap tally, who can handicap.

And then we got Louie. So here we go.

It's Tessio day, baby. Oh, let's go.

It is Tessio day. Federico, where are?

You. I mean, John Piazza, When when

you hear Tessio Day, how excited do you get?

On a scale of one to 10, it's about 5000.

It's a great day and these and these are in particular all 5

stakes are great betting race. I mean it's a fantastic day if

if you don't play a role on an everyday basis betting race than

usual pools than usual. It's going to be a good day and.

12% take out on those. Pick 5.

That's right. Don't forget about that as as

get. In.

On that, as Stan Salter used to remind us twice a day industry

low, 12% take out no longer, industry low but still very low.

It's very close. That's fantastic. 12 is very

playable. That's right.

Yep. Very, very pleasant.

OK. Let's get into.

The the day, the card that we're going to talk about.

We've got 4 stakes races. John, you forgot to quote Louis,

which is the Tessio is the number one predictor of Who Will

Win the Derby and the Preakness. Not the Derby.

It's actually the Tessio's a great predictor of who won't win

the Preakness. We won't.

Deputed testimony. I want to get one mention in.

They got one mention. Of that horse right now, because

it is, we have an over under 4 1/2 mentions of that horse from

1983 on this. Show and you just mentioned them

twice. I mentioned them twice, right

1980? Three.

There it is. How about that?

The last time last. Time Hey John Piazza, when was

the last time a Test skill winners won the previous?

Just go. We're going to start with the

We're the Pick 5 here, race seven.

It is the king. Well, I'm not going to play a

lot. Here was the host of people who

was bred by the Bonifaces and won in 1983 and was by a traffic

cop. I'm not going to say his name

to, lest you try to trick me into getting the over.

And I will say this too. He's also the last Maryland

bread to win the Preakness. The last Maryland bread hit the

board in the Preakness was Magic Wizard 2002 and Richard

Mccleary. It'd be out there, I know, you

know. So I'm not going to say it.

And then I think the last Test it would our tester winner hit

the board was Ichabod Crane 2008 who came in third behind Big

Brown. So the more you know and.

What can you tell us about coffee with Chris?

Well, he's actually entered on Saturday race.

Today you haven't looked but he's at a race believe.

It or not, he's entered. Chris I'm he's in like Derby

season, so all right. King T Leatherberry Stakes, 5

1/2 furlong Sprint on the turf for the Phillies. 3 year Olds,

$100,000 race here. Let's start with Ladies first

here, Callie. Oh, I thought, you're going to

me. Go ahead.

Yeah, go ahead. What do you like about this

race, Callie? Kinky Leatherberry for the boys,

that's. The boys dude, is it?

Wrong on my show, Yes, it is for the boys, yes.

Listen, yeah, it's just three. And up.

I'm sorry, I saw the F there. And then, yes, you're right.

I'm sorry, I read my. F is for furlong.

Yeah, just for for a long, yes. Thank you.

No more fire for Don, for Daniel been about.

Callie, welcome to the show. Thank you.

Callie, we're. All just read the teleprompter

Burgundy. Step by step, which is fine,

just fine with me. We will walk you through this.

OK, So the biggest thing is the biggest thing to kind of get out

of this. I mean, you have a lot a number

of. It's basically a matchup of

who's in season right now as far as you know, who's had a winter

campaign and who's coming in hot.

Now I always base mine of who's coming in hot.

How will they do? Off of the layoff And I I still

land on witty. He was first or second in 9 out

of 11 races last year, six of them being stakes.

Spoke with the connections last night happy with how he's doing.

He physically came in I think second or winning in the debut

was dequeued. But The thing is his work tab is

very similar to his. You know, lead up to the 2023

debuted versus the 2024 debut. So that's the horse that's

coming off of the layoff that I am a fan of.

Now I don't know if this one is going to be shipping in, but I

or I also go to 4 Hart who's coming off of the layoff.

Just again, it's outside speed. It's a horse that can handle

this 5 1/2 no problem. Who did I choose?

His having a little bit of a campaign.

You have to, Brother Conway. I'm trying to figure out, of

course this guy's the claimer of the year, half sibling and

special day ran well routing on the turf both at Del Mar, Santa

Anita and nothing like a listed stakes.

But the Grand Am was a Grade 3 winner routing on the turf as

well. A couple of these horses that

are shipping in that I've had campaigns, you know, like the

Morley horse. They're just not strong enough

speed for me to be convinced. Bump and run.

Who's trying turf for a second time looking for a fourth

consecutive win And it it's a style that's going to benefit

him for this distance. Any play with a, you know, a

little bit of a turn of foot on the dirt that's going to be

exponentialized on the turf. So that's my big transfer that I

think I'm going to like all. Right.

Let's go to this. Let's go to the second one.

He's here in the in the studio. Let's go to jump Yazzie.

It might. Be long, of course.

It is the king. It is the king of the very

stakes of, of course. King is best known a training.

A grass printer that is. Ben's cat.

Ben's cat. Good job, Dan.

Maryland Guy knows. The stuff we'll wait for those

two, let's let's hit this thing. Anyway, so I agree with Callie.

I mean at at first glance I didn't think I'd end up picking

Woody on top as he had kind of a second itis streak Amosa last

year. He would keep making these big

moves and keep kind of falling short.

He did get up to win the the fence cap incidentally last fall

and then won the Maryland million to Sprint did cap his

2023 with a very nice win in a sharp allowance off proclaiming

race on dirt. My thing is, is there's just so

much speed in this way. You got little situation on the

inside for the Conway has some speed, charging has speed and we

know he can't last as evidenced by his last start.

Future Future is now who I saw at let me call last Paul I I I

think she's pretty promising. She has speed coffee on with

Chris is likely going to be sent.

So it could be a pretty pretty electric pace out there.

Witty has good tactical speed and if that pace is as hot as it

as I think it's going to be, Witty is going to take full

advantage. Also like #10 outlaw kid quite a

bit for kind of the same reason. He has very good tactical speed

and if he runs back to a lot of the figures he ran at Woodbine

last fall and also New York, he's probably going to win.

He ran on the Britain scale. He ran in the 93 times and four

starts last year, one going away at Belmont Park back in June.

He's making his his post started since September.

It's a tad alarming. However, he has worked pretty

well for George Weaver at Palm Beach Downs and I think he could

slide through the cracks a little bit in the betting.

All right, Dan Elman, what do you got?

Well, first of all, thanks for showing us the VFW hall that you

rent when you show every week. It was very, very exciting.

I think that, you know, John and Kelly pretty much said it all

and that Witty is certainly the horse to beat.

We'll see what we get from him off of a layoff and he's going

to be coming from well off of the pace.

I don't know. I think the Philly future is now

is a very good chance in this race and I think the morning

line is going to normalize. I think that Witty's probably

going to end up going off to one of the favourites.

He's he's just a a reputation horse and he's very, very

popular. Future is now has looked very,

very good in Maryland with the win at Pimlico that John

mentioned. But I like the last race, the

Captiva Island Stakes while she was facing Phillies and mares

and she was run down. The winner of that race is a

heavy favorite who was in very, very good form.

I think Future is now and Jamie Rodriguez going to go right to

the top in this race and we'll see if she can last five and a

half against a very strong field of runners.

Has has Dan Elman ever been to Captiva Island?

Has Dan over ever been what that microphone's going out again?

Have you ever been to Captiva Island?

I have. I have never been to Captiva

Island. No.

OK. I'd go places.

Paris. Rome.

You know, Central Park, apparently.

Listen, Captiva Island, Tennessee.

Place what? Great place.

It is a great place. All right, So I like the Philly,

Louis. I like the Philly.

Let's go. You like the Philly.

That's all. That's where we're going to get

from Louis today. She's really fast.

Yeah, I think she'll be just. Fine.

The Philly is really fast. OK that's that's of course shot

at me. Go ahead.

Race 8 is the Weber City mistakes.

We model 16th on the dirt. This is the blackout.

Susan. Prep for three-year old

Phillies. This one is for Phillies.

Louis. Thank you $125,000 purse.

We'll start with you Louis. How about?

That this is my favorite race to cap on this card.

I'm not sure it's the best betting race, but trying to

figure out the pace scenario, who's going to do what in this

race is really interesting. I had to go back and watch last

year's race to remind myself where the starting gate is for

this thing. It's in a very unusual spot in

horse racing, but not you know, not totally out of the out of

the realm of normal start spots. But I landed in fact and we were

sitting miss on the five determined driver who I think

has been running really well at Laurel.

First time up for the Trombetta barn here, but I really like the

connections here. I like the the fact that even in

the slop at a mile, the source has been stretching out,

stretching out, stretching out, ready to go.

Two turns here. I think she'll be in a good

spot. Daughter dialed in.

I think she'll be just fine with that added distance.

Went to the inside for band of gold because I just played Kenny

Mcpee courses because I can never predict when they're going

to run well or run poorly. And so I think that she's in

here for a very, very obvious reason.

I think that going the two times you're getting the distance will

be great for her as well. And then I landed finally on the

four horse in the third spot here.

I think the 4th of most likely if this race goes a little bit

too fast up front to be able to make a run in that long stretch

at at Laurel. I think that the four shimmer

and lure here at the other Kenny Mcpeak will pick up the pieces

here. I expect if we're going to get a

horse to get out front, stay out front.

It will be determined driver, maybe sit second or third behind

the speed. But if someone does pick up the

pieces of a faster race, it'll be the one or the four.

All right, Callie, how about you?

Agreed with everything Louie's got going on so far, especially

just watching Determined Driver last time out.

She's a tiny Philly, but she moves like a really big.

She moves like she's a big girl. So she's going to.

I think she's going to be so fun to watch on the eighth race in

on Saturday, post time 4:00. So underneath I go with call

another play for John Bretta and Rodriguez only has the edge on

determined driver just because of those that two term

experience. I'm a cutie pie.

She ran against a bit on a downward spiral but nonetheless

that Philly was a tough Philly and I go with a price and

possibly a price of Grammy Girl. Is anybody really going to argue

with Depaz right now in Maryland?

I'm certainly not going to so much beat out Amy, Amy Symphony,

who I'm a huge fan of. And need I remind you that this

is 1/2 to Classic Empire. So it's, you know, the number,

it's coming up number soft and frankly those races should be

coming up number soft. So this is, and I get it first

time against winners in a stake. This is a big ask of her, but if

you can, this is potential value here if I expect this one to run

like, you know, not just Classic Empire, but a couple of her half

siblings. Kelly, we've seen her try to get

to the front early. In her two races that she's run,

she's got that outside post position.

Does that bother you at all on Saturday?

No, I think she has. She has enough gate speed to

make something of it. When I I get that.

You know, it's a bit short getting into that first turn,

but it's eight horses. We have pretty professional

ladies here. I don't think anything is going

to go too haywire. All right, Danielman, what do

you think? I think Helen gave some great

information about a Grammy girl from a pedigree standpoint and

of course from a trainer standpoint.

Her issue is in fantastic form right now, you know?

And of course Louis gave out terrible opinion because Band of

Gold is not running. She'll only be pointing for the

Kentucky Oaks or the Edgewood on turf.

So good luck there. I'll go with the other repeat.

I hate to chalk out shimmering allure.

I just think is the best horse in this race.

She showed a lot of talent last year, not only in the Tempted

but in the Demoiselles. She was second and she was 4

wide every step of the way. I thought she ran so, so well.

I was a little bit disappointed in the Busanda, but I talked to

Kenny Mcpeak today. He said she ran so well at two

that he wanted to give her a shot in the Ashland.

Actually freshened her up for that race and just look who she

was in against Leslie Rose and just FYI and Impel and all the

good ones. So this is a little bit of a

drop in class for shimmering allure, and if Miss Harry had a

stretch out, Sprinter and Granny Girl sort of get involved early.

It'll set things up for Shimmer in the lure.

Again, hate to chalk out, but she's my top play in here.

John Piazza getting that. Well I picked turban driver on

top but I think could be a very very good filler.

But I I do want to give a shout out number three Jeannie Marie

for Patrick coming off a win in the main lines takes apart as

her first start in about 8 months and her first start

beyond 4 1/2 furlongs going to a mile and a 70 yards never end

and and easy thing to stretch out four furlongs in the in the

span of Gordon Rays but it set the pace held on heard a very

nice figure these don't be tougher on the leaf for her on

Saturday but I think she's a strong contender at a pretty

good price. I mean 15 to 1 Morning Line

won't be that high with a scratch of Band of gold and also

of EPA's magic, but still, I think she'll be a good value

all. Right.

Race 9, we're going to move on to Race 9 and it's the Laurels

version of the Clark Stace No relation to Mary where the Lewis

Clark. This is the Henry S Clark of

Delaware fame $100,000 race here on the turf for three-year olds

and up. Let's see, we we've not let

Danielman start, so we'll let Daniel stay on this.

One, I think this is a really excellent betting race.

It would be Red Race for me in the Pick 5.

Eons is a really remarkable horse.

He's coming back for another season.

I talked to Arno De Lacour this morning, though, and he says

that Eons usually needs a race or two off of the layoff, and at

this distance it might be just a little bit sharp for him.

So he's not sure if he's going to absolutely run his best on

his best day. Eons is right there.

I think you have to use the sharp horse that wintered in

Florida, the number four forever.

Super for Trombetta, who's won two in a row and has utilized

brilliant tactical speed. But to me, the most interesting

horse in the race is the number six Data man for Graham Motion,

a horse. They just seem to put it

together towards the end of last year.

I mean, he wins the Bald Eagle Derby at a big price at Laurel,

and look who he's in against in the Virginia Derby integration

program. Program training came back to

win what The Hollywood Derby integration is one of the top

turf forces in the country, and the last race was on dirt.

Graham Motion excels off of layoffs.

I want to use Dataman with the two aforementioned horses.

All right. Let's go to John Piazza.

John, Let's go to John Piazza. John, can you hear me?

Did we week out? Callie?

Can you hear us? I agree with Dan, Super is my

top take. I really liked his win last

have. Bad Internet.

I'm here. I'm.

I'm right here. OK, well, I don't know what's

going on with our connection, so all right, I'll.

Just go then. Since we're here.

I I agree with what's been said so far.

I do think the other grand motion in here Envy who's been

at it for a million years, the 8 year old gelding here I think

he's an interesting entry here. I don't once in a while we get

you know these these high end grass races with Chad Brown and

see other Brown or the other bafford in a dirt race out West.

I don't know something about English B makes me think that

he's going to jump up over here with even with one win the last

two years on his record here. But just a you know a hard

knocking kind of horse and good shot here.

I I I agree with Dan completely. The data man is is one of these

to watch here. It's good to see a grand motion

entry at Laurel Park. Callie.

What's this you Callie? Can you hear us, Callie?

Can anyone hear you? I don't know.

I can hear you all. Right, we got an element there.

I don't. Care I can hear you.

I'm. Not sure I'm back.

I'm back. OK, I have come.

Definitely do not have this level of technical difficulties

on the show, but. It's well, I told you too

because I was talking about the four horse whose whose name I

won't say because when Dan mentioned his name he was

chopping out and then when I said his name he was chopping

out. Maybe it's a cruise.

Well, the Four Horse didn't run very well and Tampa Bay Downs

came to soft pace. I agree with you.

Take away put. English be actually, yeah, I can

can. Are you guys there?

Yeah, we got you. Go ahead, Cal.

Can you guys? Hear me Hello, I.

Am here. Oh my gosh.

I'm telling you right now, this is, this is going to be the this

is the Eclipse award winner right here, Luke.

This is it. This is the one that wins the

Eclipse. We're going to actually, yeah,

we're going to go to the Tessio. But at this point though, I'm

not sure what we got from our guests or not.

So we're just going to do the best we can.

So we're going to go on to the Tessio, the mile and an eighth

on the dirt. This is the Preakness preview

here. This is the main event, $125,000

race, one mile and an eighth. Louie, who did you like in the

Tessio? Federico Tessio, A very finely

dressed man, obviously an Italian, who came over and

really helped establish the the later, you know, sort of 20th

century. And did you see the list of

horses in his training? It was incredible.

It's unbelievable. Yeah.

Just a sort of and and what he set up as far as a breeding line

and those kinds of things. Really just a remarkable man.

But yeah, I I can't believe I get to go first on test the

other day. But man, I I settled on.

Slightly different. We had to have a lot of

technical difficulties. I understand, Yeah.

I'm going to go with Speediness on the inside for Jamie Ness.

You know, you know the the Ness Rodriguez combination here.

They've only combined the last two years for 430 runs in Oral

Park plus whatever else is going on, 600 total.

These two hook up all the time. This is the winner of the

miracle. Would didn't love the slop last

time but still ran a really good third that had that finish with

copper tax obviously and with Envigold.

And I'm I'm going a lot more on post position here.

I like the fact this horse is inside.

I love Copper tax Man. I think that horse is just

absolutely fantastic. But I hate the outside post for

him. I think the but I do I have I

have Coppertack second in this one for sure as well and then

I'll go to man is the 10 got a shot here doesn't Vigo have a

shot coming in. Yes.

OK. Good for Jane Savelli.

I've got someone we can listen to.

Yes, that's there you. Go.

Thank you, Callie. Go ahead, go ahead.

I'll let you go from here, but I'll I'll go.

One Oh no, no, no, sorry. I just, I also halfway did that

just to see if you. But I mean, I know.

Here's the thing. I know the thing.

Both poor speediness, vague old and copper tacks were a bit wide

of him. So I think with more distance

speediness and an opportunity of horses kind of trying to and

riders trying to race ride it a little bit, Speediness probably

could have dug in there again if he had the opportunity for more

distance. Regardless of that, I still have

him underneath on my ticket. I do go with copper tacks.

I'd go with him. Vague, old in fact beforehand.

It just to me showed a whole new dimension of grittiness last

time out. It it, it all depends how close.

He wants and needs to be behind the speed of right now.

That's. His potential Achilles heel,

because he can only, you know he can only kind of work that steam

engine so much. OK.

Can Dan or John hear us? Yeah.

They're both. There, I think we're caught.

Up. All right, good.

Let's, let's go with John. Let's at least we're caught up

for the test heel. We're going to get everyone's

opinion here on the test, Yeah. Callie, please come back because

this is usually. Not.

It is not usually as bad like. You know, Preak this Friday or

something like come talk to. Us.

We're not used to having girls on the show.

I think it broke it. I don't know what happened.

Next next week, when I'm hosting the show, Callie, You'll you'll

be. If you're hosting the show, I

know it's going to run so smoothly, Dan.

It usually does run. For it's going to be working at

the Piggly Wiggly, I have a. Feeling does usually run

smoothly on the show. All right, Piazza, go ahead man.

I don't want. To go So I like.

Speediness. I like copper tax.

However, I'm going pretty off the board with my top pick here

#2 Celtic contender is my top choice.

I don't see why he can't win. I know Dan is OK That's good

because you've had kind of a typical look on your face.

I have a second, but but then you applauded, so I'm glad.

I mean, I think he's a very live long shot.

He had a huge race to break his maiden second time out, overcame

a rough start, one has much much the best.

Then last time out for the five of terms he got bet but he lost

ground at the start. He got kind of pinched back.

He was forced much further off the pace then he was used to and

from there he had no shot. If he breaks cleanly today and I

guess his trip just off his speediness.

So I'm not sure is is able to go up a mile and an eighth.

If Jamie Ness was confident he was, he probably would have

nominated him from the Triple Crown.

So if he gets that trip and speediness backs up, he can

absolutely take advantage. He's going to be overlooked.

I think he's very live, had a big trash well.

Irish 4 car, Son of Irish 4 Car there.

All right, Hillman. I love that analysis and John,

you should know me better than that.

I'd never knock anyone who picks a price source in a race like

this, especially a lightly raced one with a good post in

practical speed. Copper tax, to me, as, as Callie

pointed out, is the most logical horse in the race, and probably

the horse to beat The post position is of course no

bargain. I'm curious about two other

horses in this race. One is Circle P, the number and

circle. Pete won the Maryland juvenile

in his final start as a 2 year old and I really like the way

Flint Stites has led him up to this race.

One turn mile, mile and a 16th. Now a mile and an eighth.

I think he's cycling to his best form in his third.

Start off the layoff and he's getting blinkers for the first

time. This guy's a little bit green

sometimes he he runs in spots in his races and he was also very,

very wide last time out and I think that hurt him and

Coppertext kind of bumped him a little bit at the 316th pole.

I like this rider Switch to Sheldon Russell as well.

I'm definitely using Circle Pi would use copper tax and I think

the Todd Pletcher trend runner at least deserves a mention.

Carol over, you know, simply because of his pedigree.

He's by curling out of a Kentucky Oaks winner named

Catherine Sophia and he looked good last time.

It was only a maiden race, but it was a very slow paced race.

There was a horse loose on the lead and Carolo Rapido ran him

down. Yeah.

It seems like one of those, like just one of those placements for

Fletcher, right? Like we always like you see a

placement like this. It's like there's something very

calculated going on here with that horse.

I would agree, so. You've asked the question now.

What's the question? Is there a Preakness?

I'm so no, there's not a Preakness player in this field.

I'll. Just that's a good answer from

you, Kelly. Francois is the winner of the

Preakness in this race. I would say no.

OK, down. Very unlikely.

John. Possible.

Not likely a possible. There you.

Go there it is. All right, Who?

Is the most likely horse that improves on the on the 3rd

Saturday in May. Copper tax cop.

OK. Copper tax.

Sorry. How about damn?

Oh, I I I think Carollo Rapido would probably be the one that

just happens to jump up, wins this race and then pulls off a

shocker. And then if I think if you're

looking for something a little bit nutty, Kenny Mcpeak's lat

long, Did you see him running a good race here?

He doesn't make it and obviously Into the Derby shows up in the

Preakness at a big pricey He scores at 40 to one.

Would it be the biggest shock in the world?

No. The biggest shock to the world

would be like if a Unicorn entered the race and won.

That would be a shock. All right, well, I won't win

when I get a shock. Not be a shock.

Don't let me. Speak.

All right. So listen, I think we're going

to quit while we're ahead. What?

Because. No.

Here's here's why we can't do that, because I want to speak

directly to the Maryland Jockey Club and to Dan Elman together

as one. I don't even.

Know I used to come on these shows and wine like the middle

of the country room that I am. About the.

Poor races at the ends of these sequences.

This is a very good race at the end of this season so we are

handicapping. Let's do the one mile main

special weight on the turf for For 345 year olds, there's. 15

horses entered in this race. We're capping this.

Race $47,000. This is the end of the pick 515

horses. So you know, there's lots of

lots of great things going on here, Lily.

So, you know, give us your quick picture.

Go to Ilman. All right, Ilman.

Who do? You like this is the Ilman

special? I like the two come rain or

shine trying turf for the first time.

For Michael Trombetta, he's a three quarter brother to no MO

Lady grade three placed on turf the damn 1/3 times on turf.

This gelding has run three solid enough races on the main track,

but I think switching to the grass and getting a good inside

post position in this two turn race is going to work out very

well for him. I'd keep an eye on him and also

keep an eye on Prime to go a horse coming in for Jorge Duarte

and getting Lasix for the first time.

This source I just thought 6 furlongs was too short for him

in his most recent start and he had a lot of trouble in his two

prior appearances. All right, John.

I am very glad that we wanted to talk about this race because it

features my best bet, not just of of the whole day, a possibly

of the Laurel Spring meet so far and it's #11 mission North.

And to appreciate him you have to have a local knowledge.

Because if you look at his running lines, it it says he

hasn't run since December. But he did compete at the Old

Dominion Hounds Point to Point in Virginia a few weeks ago.

It doesn't show up in his running lines.

It's not mentioned on on on Echo Base, but he did show up there.

He ran in a mile and an in a mile and a half amateur training

flat race. He faced all winners that day

and he won. And he won pretty impressively.

I thought too, it's a very nice tune up for this race.

He gets late 6 for the first time.

We're in a much improved race in his second grass start last fall

and most people out there are not going to know, know that he

just won. Only people who listen to this

show and read my column and also go to point to points in

Virginia and also to Laurel are going to know.

And that's two that's the people.

So I think this boy is a very live a good price 10s.

Of people 10s, of people the. Daniel, but I have to ask a DRF

question. OK.

Today is April 18th. He is listed as being gelded

today. I have never in my life seen the

program with the same day that I'm reading it that the horse is

going. Is there any chance he's

actually being gelded today to run on Saturday?

No, but today was the day he was reported as being a gelding,

since is that horse. And I would assume also by the

way, also by the way, for John, this is another great point that

he made. He was probably gelded before

that point. The point race wasn't he, John?

I'm looking it up right now just to confirm, but I did, but I'm

pretty sure he was. I'm pretty sure he was.

So yes, I mean the gelding dates.

Let's take with a grain of salt here.

A lot of times it's not the exact date they're gelding, but

the trainer's calling up Equibase and saying, my

goodness, we gelded old oak Bucket.

Today, it doesn't work. The gelding department.

Yeah, right. Yeah, yeah.

More gelding talks sponsored by Manscape.

He was listed. He was.

Listed as a, you're not. Using it right?

He was. He was listed as a colt for his

last start, so it must have happened at some point between

April 6th and right now. I doubt it was today, but it was

at some point in the last few days, a last, I'm guessing that.

They just reported it. Late Kelly's like, what's going

on? But hey, I think that's great

information. I really think that's great

information. You see, that's what goes beyond

the past performance. Forceful is going to win this

race for Brittany Russell. She's 31 percent first time with

a horse and goes to route at 31% as well.

So I'm going to lean on Brittany Russell in his last race.

All right. What do you got, Callie?

I was gonna go with Prime Dance. Dan stole all of my answers.

So I'm gonna go with Prime to go.

Probably it's a 321 situation. But now with all of this

information on Mission North, Man, I'm gonna have that horse

in my Xacta. Maybe.

And then here's the thing do I rat out the not rat out.

That's that's a bad word for it. How do I, John, Do you want me

to keep this? Information.

To myself or do you want me to Can I credit you in the

afternoon do? You can credit me because I'm

going to say it in my gracing business analysis.

It is public information. It's just a matter of Norman

what look for it. So absolutely yes, love.

It. There it is, John Piazak,

Educating the World. We went way under I'm guesses of

computed testimony. I mentioned him again.

That's only three. It's very sad about.

That's very sad. It's God's fault we're.

Trying to have a Tessio show. Trying to mention Tessio Horses.

Trying to be cool with Maryland. Not working out.

We'll see you at Jimmy Seafood. How about?

That Yeah. See you at Jimmy Seafood.

Sorry for the technical difficulties today.

Thanks to Callie. You want to pub yourself

dessert? Where can?

Where can people find you? They know where to find those

other two spots. Where can people find you,

Callie? You know, pretty, it's pretty

standard Twitter, which I'm not too.

I need to get more active on it. Dan is so much more active on it

than I am. I aspire to be Dan Illman level

involved in Twitter, but it's at Miss Francois Number Two Letter

U and that's basically it across all of my social medias.

Sweet. All right, Well, hope everyone

has an amazing Tessio today. Thanks for all of our special

guests. We can't wait to be out in

Baltimore, drink some natty Bow and have some Jimmy seafood.

It's going to be fantastic and. We do love that trip.

We'll see. Yeah, I do.

But but real quick before we get off well.

Why don't we have, since we're not going to see these folks, if

they had an early favorite for the Derby, they don't have to

take the winner today, but an early favorite right now.

I think Dan Ellen's probably got one of mine and it's forever.

I gave you the horse six months ago, boys.

I I I I don't know what the. Tennessee.

I started it certainly wasn't Tennessee and he didn't come

from. He's came up.

He's coming from a long way from Tennessee.

But I told you in November about this guy.

Forever Young, I believe. Louis, you had him on #1 all of

a sudden on your Kentucky Derby I.

Listened to. Dana a while back, but.

And. He and he took credit for him,

you know. I also think Sierra Leone, by

the way, is the horse to beat. Those are my great.

Yeah. Kelly.

Sierra Leone and I have to include here's the thing, you

have to include fierceness. If that horse gets loose on the

front end, goodbye. But he's not trustworthy.

So then I'm. I mean, yeah, I mean, Sierra

Leone is, as mentioned, horse to beat.

John. I agree with Dan and Kelly.

Everyone kind of forgot how hyped they were about Trevor

Young's win in the UAE Derby because it happened right before

Christmas's win, but he ran a giant race that day.

Think he'll get overlooked in the betting?

And as Kelly and I talked about last night, it it would be

pretty cool if Japan finally got a Derby winning.

There it is. All right.

Great. Thanks for all your picks.

We we will see you all in Baltimore.

For people who want to see Louis and I especially, live Tuesday.

At John Piasik. He's going to be there with the

hair. I'm.

Talking about art. Like stuff in Louisville, Real

quick. Well, these people don't care

about that. This is the Maryland show.

We'll do that. Another.

Oh, OK, We'll do it. All right.

All right. We got lots of the hair.

We got to be a Jimmy Seafood there you.

Go Jimmy Seafood. We'll see you then.

We're going to pay Tab. We're going to get out of here.

Thanks for listening. This is the horse racing Happy

hour I.

Horse Racing Happy Hour