BloodHorse Monday 11/3/25 | Jose D’Angelo

Welcome into a Breeders' Cup reaction edition of BLOOD HORSE

Monday. My name is Louie Rebeau Keyshawn

Collins. We are back from Del Mar.

We're back in the studio. Not as nice as the studios.

We got to work in the Del Mar, but hey, back to work.

Yeah, back to work here in the Commonwealth, here in Kentucky.

Appreciate everyone who hung out with us as part of our Blood

Horse at the Breeders Cup series.

And we want to thank Vandule for hanging out with us on this

episode as well. Wherever you are, download their

app right now for FanDuel Racing.

And hey, bet those races all over the world, frankly, with

our friends at FanDuel and FanDuel Racing.

Appreciate them Jumping on for this episode, Sean.

And we're back. You haven't been on the backside

of Churchill Downs for a week. And so I.

Think I think I was in an OK place.

Excuse that. I wanted to.

I just wanted to put it out there to open the show.

If you work at Churchill and haven't seen this man, he's OK.

Yes, I mean. We will see him tomorrow.

Welcome back, brother. Good to thank you.

It's good to be back in Kentucky, although I am missing

that California son. It's just that's so different.

I know that the Breeders Cup, this is something when the first

time I ever had the opportunity to be on the backstretch of the

Breeders Cup was a Keeneland in 2022.

And still to this to this day, every single year just amazes me

when I'm out there watching every single morning, you just

see top horse, top horse, top horse go right by you.

Grade 1 winner, Grade 1 winner, multiple Grade 1 winner.

Oh, there's a European horse who won the Guineas going past you

for like just that amount of talent that you see with just

one after another walking through the barn, seeing just

star after star after star after star, stall after stall after

stall. And it it's just incredible.

It's it's for me, it's now I got to kind of come down from that

high. It's just going to be kind of a

disappointing couple days, but we'll get back out there.

We'll see the horses tomorrow morning and I'll be fine.

But. A lot of fun racing coming up

too. Frankly, this time of year has

gotten better. The cleaning.

Crown concept is awesome and it makes a little mini Breeders'

Cup. Makes it a little easier to

swallow the pill to the Breeders cups over.

But similar payouts to the Breeders Cup, like it's just

difficult to handicap as the Breeders Cup, which I totally

appreciate. And then we get Clark Day up

here at Churchill Downs. There's a Cigar Mile Day still

to come. 2 year old racing at Churchill Stars tomorrow, card

number 2. And then Malibu day out at Santa

Anita, we still before the end of the year, plenty to talk

about. Of course, we'll do it every

week here on Blood Horse Monday. But you you mentioned getting

back to reality here, but I think it's it's worthwhile for

us to recap what happened this weekend.

If you are interested in our thoughts on the Friday card, I

certainly encourage you to go back and check out Blood Horse

at the Breeders Cup Saturday morning edition.

Sarah and I frankly gave an instant reaction on Friday

night. You'll see us in the night

shadows legitimately in the shadows of Del Mar.

I don't. Even think it was the shadows, I

think it was just straight up dark.

But shadows from a light maybe you fixture outside of the

something. It wasn't the sun though.

You're. Right about yeah, the first

about probably 20 minutes of that episode is US recapping the

Friday races. So make sure you check that out.

And then if you want to see how well we pick to the Saturday

races after that, you can. I know I gave out both of the

D'Angelo horses. I know you gave out Ethical

Diamond. So we, we, we had a pretty good

weekend. We had, we had some horses that

we definitely did not have, but we had a pretty good weekend of

kind of touching in on some of those.

And I also just wanted to give a big thank you, a big shout out

to our colleagues here at Blood Horse, Frank Anks, Byron King

and Bob E Halt for all jumping in and helping out with that.

Hopefully you all get enjoyed getting to hear the different

perspectives race by race and great to be able to showcase

some of the talent that we have here at at Blood Horse.

You know, I heard from from a couple of people it is so and

they they didn't phrase it exactly like this, but

essentially that show, those shows allowed people to meet

the, the people that they've been reading for so long, right.

So who, who is Byron King? Who is Frank Angst?

Who's this guy Bobby Hall? Do I always see writing about

Aqueduct and stuff? And then you get to see them on

on screen. And frankly, all three of them

are pretty good on the camera, which is like, hey, look at this

for us. I mean unbelievable because you

and I are very mediocre. It's I know we're going to be

getting replaced here pretty soon.

It's going to be the Bobby Halt show.

I'm. Very, very worried about that.

But the but no, but getting to getting to talk with them,

you're totally right about that. The team out there and frankly,

Anna, with her help and with her great photographing, you know

all of the team as well. And Alex, all J hockey was out

there up there. J hockey.

Tracy, thank you to everybody on the Blood Horse team effort for

sure. And everybody that was back home

in Kentucky or wherever they're working from reading,

proofreading all these stories as we sent them.

In watching all these fires, yes.

Pete Dank putting together the daily.

Joe Perez was helping out with that as well, getting that daily

up. I know that's always a super

late night on this big day getting everything put together.

So just shout out to the whole team all the way around.

Hopefully if you're following along, not just here on the

podcast, hopefully you were following along on the website

as well. Just shout out to everybody at

Blood Horse who made this weekend a success.

Saturday comes Saturday goes, but it starts with Jose D'Angelo

and it starts with a double. And that is the one of the big,

big themes here. And you know, I, you and I did a

radio segment this morning on my my local show here in Louisville

and I pointed out his career earnings trajectory and how it

is just slowly moving up year by year.

By slowly, I mean rapidly. And so it's been fun to watch

his progression. She's so spicy, goes on the

turf. And it is rare, rare, Sean, that

you see a horse in the paddock of the Breeders Cup and you

think, oh, that horse looks way better than everyone else.

Yes, because at the Breeders Cup, guess how many horses look

great? All of them.

They all look spectacular, by the way.

That's one of the things about the Breeders Cup.

There's no trouble loading the gate.

Yeah, right. There's no, you know, there's

none of this like. Nobody's hesitating.

Nobody's walking. Everybody's like, oh, here's the

job, I'm going and so you know, but everybody also looks great

in the paddock. She was so different and she ran

like it. Yeah, she was incredible in that

race. I mean, she was blazing fast the

entire way. Those five furlongs fit her

perfectly and she got up on the lead and there was nothing you

could do with once. She broke.

It was over. Yeah, and it was, I went out if

you if you followed along on the Blood Horse YouTube channel, you

saw a couple a couple about I think probably 10 days before

the race. I had a behind the scenes video

on there of she's so Spicy's final breeze for the race.

Had a conversation with Jose D'Angelo that was part of that.

What he told me outside of that conversation was if she gets the

lead, they're not they're not going to beat her.

It's like as long as she gets that clear path to the front,

she's got that thing. They're not going to be able to

catch her head Boy was he right? And then 30 minutes later he

comes back and he wins the turf Sprint.

And so that was just an incredible, incredible feat for

his first two Breeders' Cup wins for sure.

Up for sale is she's so. Spicy.

Yeah. Tonight Yeah, yeah, I know I

know a lot of people listen to us Tuesday morning so make sure

you check out the. The results the.

Results of the sale to see what she sold.

Should be really interesting there I.

You you got any extra cash laying around, you want to go

buy her? She's worth it.

I'd, I'd take her back to the, I mean, she's going to be at

Keeneland next year. She's already won there, so

might as well. Kentucky Downs, Yeah, OK.

Top two first Kentucky Downs horse to win Breeders' Cup race.

First 3 year old Philly to win the turf Sprint.

I know the Turf Sprint off in a lot of years gets overlooked in

the Breeders Cup. I think this is a year where you

can't overlook it. That was a phenomenal.

But heard AG Bullock coming out of that Kentucky Downs program.

I think it's worth mentioning again, it's been brought up on

this program before, but the new irrigation system there has

changed the complexion of that course where horses simply have

to deal with the undulations and turns rather than maybe harder,

harsher, more, you know, conditions.

Remember, they used to move the lanes so, so much before.

Seems like they have to do a lot less of that.

And the results are in. The Jessamine was dominated by

Kentucky Downs horses. The Breeders Cup Sprint Turf, A

turf Sprint, excuse me, was also dominated by Kentucky Downs

horses. Simply put, you put up purses,

the best horses are going to show up and then they're going

to go win other races with really good purses as well.

Followed up and by the way, you will hear from trainer Jose

D'Angelo with our guy Sean Collins caught up with him

Sunday morning after the Saturday, the Saturday card.

Then Tornado goes ahead and wins.

I complimented Jose for putting him in the Louisville

Thoroughbred Society here, a listed stakes at Churchill

Downs. They could have tried something

considerably more difficult or higher, I don't know.

But purse wise, no, go. Go ahead and get the $300,000

first. They like the timing of it.

The timing of it made a ton of sense.

It also allowed him, I don't want to call it a paid workout,

nothing like that. Because he did.

He finished in a time that was better than a workout, but it

gave him some confidence he was better than that field, right,

Because eventually he was better than the Breeders Cup spread

field as well. And so I, I appreciated him

getting that horse back out there at Churchill Downs just to

get some confidence in him. Boy, it showed on Saturday.

Yeah, it showed on Saturday. I mean, he and he, where she's

so spicy, kind of got up to the front and got away from the

field. He took some heat early.

There were several horses going after him straight.

No, Chaser was right there with him on the far turn.

And boy, when he they turned for home, he was still loaded and he

just kicked away as they turned for home.

But it was impressive to watch and I it was yeah, it I I know I

was confident. I think I may have said on this

show, I forget if I said on the show the week right after that

Louisville Thoroughbred Society sticks when that I thought he

was the Breeders Cup Sprint winner.

Sprint winner. I believe I said that.

I know Pete Tank, who I mentioned our daily editor, he

texted me at when Ben Tornado cross the finish line of the

Louisville Thoroughbred Society. I think we just saw the Breeders

Cup Sprint winner, but 2028 to one in last year's Breeders' Cup

Sprint, Great point. He run, he's off for 10 months,

run, runs one prep race, and that earns some favoritism in

this year's Breeders' Cup Sprint.

So that just shows you how strong he was coming into this

race, and boy, did he run to it. Florida Bread.

Florida bread. Yeah, Shadows.

All the Florida bread out let's keep those programs rolling for

sure down there usually in the Ocala area.

But hey, we appreciate our Florida breeders.

I I can't remember a horse. It's been a little while.

Probably the spring when I first saw sovereignty in person after

watching his races, you know, I was like, I went to the wood in

the Bluegrass. I went to the Ruby, some other

preps along the way for the Kentucky Derby, but I hadn't

seen sovereignty since the streets since.

And then he showed back up and I saw Bill Mott in his helmet and

he was, he was riding out and then this other horse followed

him and I went, who is that? There is a there's a build on

that horse that I oh, that's sovereignty.

We're done here. Literally that was my Derby

pick. Was just seeing him, knowing the

results, of course, but seeing him that made it very easy.

Ben Tornado, physically, my goodness, you'll see him a

little bit. You'll see his face at least in

the Vizio with Jose D'Angelo. But man, just physically, Sean,

that horse is everything you would want.

He reminds me almost a gun runner just in his build.

Like that big, that muscular. Really, really.

Impressive. Yeah, he's strong.

And I've, I've had the pleasure of being able to be up close

with him, Saratoga, Churchill at Keeneland, at Delmar, and he's

held that the whole time. And he's only, he's only gotten

stronger in those couple months that I've seen him.

And yeah, he, I mean, he's just built with muscle.

You can tell when you're next to him and you're looking at him,

You could you can tell that he's a beast of a horse.

Yeah, no, no doubt about it. You could even see it on the

turn. He looked bigger than full

Serrano, A Breeders' Cup winner by frankly a large margin.

And so that was very, very impressive there.

Well, here is Sean with Jose D'Angelo.

After we hear from this from Jose, we'll get back into our

other recaps, including the Breeders Cup Classic, of course,

a watershed moment for Japan and then and then the World Series

later that night. Unbelievable.

But yes, let's let's hear from Jose D'Angelo.

Here's his interview with Sean of the day after Ben Tornado.

And she's so spicy. Scored in the Breeders Cup.

All right, back in here on BLOOD Horse Monday, I am joined at Del

Mar by trainer Jose D'Angelo. Also Ben Tornado, the Breeders

Cup Sprint winner right there behind us.

Do anything fun this weekend, Jose?

Anything cool happen? I think we have another fun

yesterday, but we don't realize it.

Yes, what happened but yes, definitely we have a lot of fun.

After a strong week, you know of, of hard work.

We left Kingland on Sunday, on Monday morning and the flight

got big delayed, you know a lot, you know, so was a lot of

tension with these horses travelling to here late because

we came on the on the charter of the rears code.

That was the the last airplane, so was a lot of pressure, but

times go to work good. Yeah, well, the flight might

have been late getting here, but those two were definitely not

late getting out of the gate. Since this weekend, you've had a

couple hours now to sleep in. I don't know if you slept last

night or not, but you had a couple hours for it to sink in.

Has it hit you yet? Your first two Breeders' Cup

winners coming within 30 minutes of each other, Has that sunk in

yet? Yes, you know, I spent all the

night watching the video Santas got.

They wins every time they they saw the replay, they wins.

And I went. Forever.

I saw the actually they went faster on the video, but they

don't lose. So yes, was, you know, like I

was so tired at the night. So just watching the replay, I

feel blessed and I'm happy about about it.

Yeah, well, let's start delving into these races a little bit.

Let's start with she's so spicy since she was the first one out

there. She was so fast going down the

backstretch. And I know when I talked to you

a few weeks ago, you were expecting that speed to put her

in that forward position. Were you?

Were you even impressed with how fast she went and the fact she

was able to keep going? I'm being honest, you know,

knowing I'm sure that that that she wanted that, you know, like

when, when I decided to work at her three furlongs last week,

Keeneland, you know, like so many people call me and

questioned me like why I work at 3 furlongs this Philly to Rome,

you know, probably the tougher race of her life against older

horses are against Colts. I just tell them and the the

owners. Well, you know, she's fast and

just we need to have her just we need her speed for this race.

We don't need nothing else. We I trained her different for

the last three races because Sharon demand sell 5 1/2 where

people was questioned about the final.

The extra half for her later to Ascot where was 6 furlongs and

later to Kentucky Downs where was 6 1/2 furlongs plus the the

up and downs. So it's more than 6 1/2.

So I trained a little different to put probably this extra air

on her. But for this race just we need

her speed and brakes. Go to the gate, brakes out to

the gate. So on Sunday when we went to the

gate for last time at Keeneland, I was sure that that she gonna

do that because she arrived. I have the video, I can show it

to you. She arrived to the gate on her

toes like acting and as soon as she got into the gate can like

turn off just waiting till the doors open to explode.

That happened. So when I saw that on Sunday,

say we are, we are on business. She is obviously a three-year

old filly. This was a tough task where

she's experienced a lot of different things this year.

As you mentioned, there was the trip overseas to Ascot, there

was the course at Kentucky Downs.

That's, you know, a lot different and then facing older

horses here. I know you've had confidence

that she could end up here in the Breeders Cup since early in

the year. What at what point did you feel

that confident earlier in the spring?

And what was it at that point that made you think, all right,

she can do anything that we ask her?

Question you are part of that because you was follow both

horses. Yes, I spent a lot of time

around your part in the last couple months.

You watch almost all the workouts before every before Ben

tornado preparation to Churchill and before her races to to

Kentucky Downs. And I was very confident with

her that we're going to make into the Breeders Cup.

So, you know, she's special. She's the kind of horse that

that improve every week and more than improve like like, you

know, like like she knows what's going on, like the things that

she did on the gate, You know, at the start she was named spicy

because she was nervous. She and your one rider at the

barn early after OBS she flipped at obvious too.

But the way that she learned, I improved with a special horse.

Yeah, now she obviously has shown her talent now, first 3

year old Philly to win the Breeders Cup Turf Sprint does

that just to set her apart from just the kind of horse that she

is from any horse in the past. How?

What does that record mean to you personally that you were

able to accomplish that? You know I'm feel so happy about

it but more than everything that the record and everybody wants

to win. But if any horse they serve

round beers cup yesterday was her this Philly.

She ran almost all her career in different tracks.

She just rang out Goldstream 2 times.

She traveled all the world. You know like no matter what win

or lose, she deserve it. You know, you don't prove her

talent and she did it. So if whatever happens at the

cell tomorrow, if you know she's sold or not so whatever.

Like I just feel blessed to to put her on my way, meet her and

enjoy it. You know all the her talent and

that's special to me. Yeah, she's entered in the

Phasic Tipton sale up tomorrow when we're recording this or

tonight when this video goes up live here on our Blood Horse

channels. Regardless of whether she ends

up coming back to you or not, just when you look at her

future, how much do you think she could still improve going

into her four year old year? You know, like I'm sure like

after she can keep improve when she rests a little bit, she's

going to grow more and do better.

I'm sure of that. She's special, you know, like

the Sky's the limit for her. Now we'll move on to Ben Tornado

30 minutes later and hopefully he'll stick his head back out at

some point here and and join us for his conversation.

Hey, big boy. Come on.

See, that's for you. We're getting, we're getting the

star of the show out here right now.

By the way, she's so spicy. He's already left.

She's already on the plane, which is why you don't see her.

Here he is. Arie is getting a carrot from

Jose. Any thoughts?

Ben Tornado on winning the Sprint?

He. Don't speak English.

He doesn't speak English. He don't speak English, Gary.

But he was so impressive as well yesterday.

And when you look at last year's Breeders' Cup Sprint, he went

into that race 28 to 1. He ran such a strong second as a

three-year old. He comes back into the Breeders

Cup Sprint this year off of just one race since then, but he's

the favorite. Does that just tell you how well

respected or how strong that he got over the course of that year

that the betting public was that confident in him?

You know, last year I was very confident with him, too.

Yeah. And he was big, long shot.

So the funny part when he won the gal and Bob, I told his

owners like I wanted to go to Breerscope and Ron Ventornato

there. They say yes to everything.

But one week before 10 days before left Florida to hear they

call me and say, hey, Jose question, you know, making a

question question made like my decision, like Are you sure that

that we are going to rear into a rear scope because we don't want

to we don't want to go just for vacation.

I say what? Yeah.

He deserves some respect, you know like yeah, the heart was

doing great all the year. So yes, he we are going there

and we are going to win and we lose by nothing.

You know, I can stray no chaser that done, you know make up

magnificent work with this horse winning Brias Cup last year,

winning this year on Saudi. So my respect for them.

I'm all the thing of my race horse.

This year was different because I wanted to prep him for this

race. I wanted you know like give the.

We gave enough time to him to rest and grow.

He improved he maturity, you know, mentally different.

Like he can sit now, run second, third, make his move like he did

at Churchill. You know, like I have to say

thank you to my owners to trust me, all the decisions on him

because when we scratched him at the Malibu, we gave some time

off. But when he started training

again, he got spleen and we have to give more time to him.

And I say, hey guys, our goal is the ultimate goal is Breeders'

Cup. We're going to make it.

So let me work. OK, But what race before?

I'm going to tell you later, you know, he going to tell us what

race before. So we went to Saratoga to prep

him for Churchill. They was nervous because they

wanted to go get into the Breeders Cup.

When we're racing Saratoga at all, the perfect time to run,

you know, later recovery and prep again is the lost Build

society. So we are going there.

We went there from Saratoga, later Keeneland and finally we

made it. I was at Saratoga throughout the

summer. I joined you the one morning

when he breezed out on the Saratoga racetrack.

So this is toward the end of August, about a month before the

Louisville Thoroughbred Society. You told me at that point, this

horse can't lose that race at Churchill, and you told me at

that point he's going to win the Breeders Cup.

How are you? How are you that confident that

he was just that good that he was going to be able to handle

everything? You know, I know my horses very

well and also I spent all this summer with them.

So at some point you know that like if they're happy, if

they're angry, if they want carrots, whatever.

So you know, the way that I was looking into then training him

and Chiso, I know they're going to be tough and you know this

year for him better because 4 year old improve it.

So that's why I was very confident on him.

One of the things that's impressed me with you throughout

this year is you seem to really have the horses ready when

they're coming back from a layoff.

Ben Tornado, obviously coming back from his ten months in the

Louisville Thoroughbred Society. She's so spicy.

When she was ready to run in the Music City off of that trip to

Royal Ascot when she had a couple months.

Even Howard Wolowitz, he'd came back from a couple months off

after his trip to Saudi, and he probably would have won that

turf Sprint at Kentucky Downs if he had made it through on the

inside. How do you get these horses

prepared to run their best off the layoff and then obviously

with these two, keep improving them for the next race?

You know, we went to Saratoga with the mission that prep these

three horses from the layoff to these races at Kinla, at

Churchill and Kentucky Downs. She's so spicy one the musical

city like you say Howard Wollowitz Ben Tornado just

Howard lose by nothing. Yeah, like the announcer says

that unlucky Howard Wollowitz today.

Yeah, because he was the best source of the race to me.

Yeah, You know, I tried to simulate like all the things

that can happen in a race to them.

That's why Ventor NATO work at 45 from the from the gay because

I know that they he have to do that on the race and she so work

at 5 foot longs with strong out on the training track at

Oklahoma in Saratoga. But The thing is like later, if

you see the preparation of Ventor NATO to this rear scope

against his preparation to the Lowville society was so

different. Just easy workouts keeping them

happy because I know what he needs to came from the layoff.

We need to push him probably to his limits because that's going

to happen on the race. They're going to push him to his

limits later that he have the condition.

Just keep them happy training that way that the way they need

work at almost all his workout before and after before the

local society and after to a rear scope.

And we, I think my guys, Jose Neftali, Angel Ira, we make a

perfect team with the three horses, Howard Tiso and Vento

NATO. Now, when I talked to you

yesterday after the Turf Sprint, you mentioned to me when you

grew up in Venezuela, this was the Breeders Cup, the Kentucky

Derby. Those are the races that you

grew up wanting to be a part of, that you dreamed to be a part

of. You've made the move to the

United States here in 2019. First of all, just tell us a

little bit about your success in your home country before you

came here, and then what led to the decision to finally move

yourself here? You know, that's what I was very

successful in Venezuela was champion over there.

We won the Simon Bolivar there. You know, I have to be grateful

because I learned a lot there with horses.

You keep learning every day. I try to ask learn every single

day, especially here, like, you know, like people have more

experience than you Open, they open, you know, to let you learn

from them. So I think I have an amazing

life, you know, amazing journey with horses, but you know,

career scope Derby was the races that we meet there just to watch

the races. And I just wanted to come here

and watch the races and how we are here running them being

being, you know, like winning the races to me is amazing.

You know, like my cell phone yesterday, like shut down, shut

down. You're like off you got off by,

you know, like all the message on calls like, you know, my

friends say, hey, what you did like the rest that we saw

together, like, yeah, we was planning to go and just watch

races. You are there.

So thank you to the life and God and my owners, my team,

everybody in my family that support me because it's not

easy. Stay away from home almost all

the year around with them. What was it when you were

younger? What was it about horses that

drew you in? What made you want to be a

trainer? My father was trained in

Venezuela, champion there, a good one.

You know, he was champion three times over there.

He won a lot of the big races over there.

And, you know, I grow at the barn.

But the thing with me, like everybody likes the sports.

Like, you know, soccer, baseball, they're music,

whatever. I just like horses.

My only interest was horses. One day at the school, my first

day at school, at the kinder, they call my parents because

like the first day I put all the chairs, small chairs in a line.

I put all the kids and say they're off.

They call them worried like hey somebody have game gambler.

Probably have the house, no his. Party's trainer and the other

day was at the like high school. The teacher got me.

I have the book and I have like the DRF, so they got me and are

you going to be? No, my fire is strange.

So that's why I like the horses. Only interested in horse racing?

Yeah, that's hilarious. I know you just mentioned there

about how you don't care about anything other than the horses.

I made the mistake. We were watching a race together

at Kentucky Downs a couple weeks ago.

I made the mistake of asking you if you had a favorite baseball

team or something like that. You're like, I don't watch

anything other than the horses, and then you're wearing a

Dodgers hat. The other morning when I was

back here, me a Yankees fan, I had to give you a little Flack

for that. But I have I have a Yankee hat

too. I know you.

Need to wear that next time I see.

You but you know, like the funny my brother went to a game they

went so excited to. To win the World Series games,

he works. His game, I said no, I have to

stay with the horses. So I stay by myself here and

they bring me a hat. So next day I put my hat because

I I think it's pretty. Yeah.

So when I was arriving to Breeders' Cup, the guy at the

door was a Yankee fan. Why are you coming here with a

Dodgers hat? No problem.

No Dodgers. Now let me get him.

OK, Yankee. Yes, Yankee.

There you go. Yeah, we'll, we'll make sure

when we're back at Saratoga next year, we'll make sure we're

wearing Yankees hat. I will.

I'll make sure. That now you mentioned earlier,

the team that you have surrounding you, I've obviously

I've gotten to see you quite a bit at just being in Kentucky,

being in Saratoga the last couple of months.

The one thing that's always impressed me with your team

always smiles. Everybody's always looking like

they're having a good time, everybody's always laughing.

You guys seem like you're just really close, close knit family

essentially, rather than just guys working together.

How does that help lead to success?

You know, we are a family. We spend so much time more than

friends, you know, you know, we win or we lose together.

You know, it's not it's I I don't win.

We win. You know we won't if, if then no

exists, no, no possible if you know that and no more than

exists. They are not here for a check.

You know, they are here because we love the same.

We are on the on the on the same race.

We are, you know, we are the same person.

So, you know, they feel the horses like I feel so that

that's the key, because people don't know like to make a a

horse, you need six months, eight months to make good a

horse. You know, like like if if they

are, if they aren't with you, the gross, the whole worker, no

chance, because horse feel and and they spend more time with

the horses than you. So I think that's my, I have AI

have a dream team, you know, and we are proving that like we won

a lot of figurations here all together travelling with a small

bar because we go just with a 710 horses to Kingland,

Churchill and Saratoga. Yeah, well, let's get the main

guys. Come in here.

Come get on in here. They're all standing over there

watching. Come on in here.

Come join the team here. Come on.

I won't make you talk much. Just stand here.

Easy, boss, There we go. Yeah, easy, especially.

The brain. Come here.

There we go. Come here.

So we got obviously the team right here.

Just what does it mean to all you guys getting these both both

these wins yesterday? Awesome.

Now we feel really awesome. We are so happy with the world,

what we do and we are so excited because the first time we win a

race like that, so I don't know what can I say, So happy.

What is it that makes this job fun every day?

Really, that's my life. I, I, I grow with the horses, I

grow with the horses. And I don't feel like this is

like my job. I just feel this is like my

house, my house and with my family because we are, we, we

got good, good thing we, we don't feel like, like this is a

job. We just feel like, you know,

like family. Well, one final question here.

Jose Ben Tornado, What can we expect next for him?

We're prepping him for the for the Saudi and Dubai.

I don't know that the guys have a travel planet.

They they told me that they they're, they're going to

vacations go guys like they're going to spend like I don't know

how many months, but they're excited, I think.

Yeah, ready for the Middle East. Yeah.

No, we're ready. We're ready for the race and

we're so excited to go over there and visit and let's see if

we can bring the the winner for the United States.

Awesome. Well, congratulations to all of

you on the success that you had this weekend.

It was a thrill watching both of them run so well this weekend.

Hopefully we'll get to see you guys back here with both horses

in the future or some other horses.

More horses. More horses as well.

At night that you've won two on the same weekend you got to win

all 14 on. The same.

Yes, let's do it. Awesome.

Well, thank you, Jose. Thank you to the team and

congratulations everybody. Hi everyone.

Everybody get in here and just smile for the camera before we

go off. Great stuff there.

Great job, Sean, that that. But those are the moments,

right? Those are the moments.

These are guys that get up every day way before the regular

person is getting out of bed, many times leaving the track

after everyone else has already left.

So I learned a lot. Ben Tornado needs Duolingo.

I had no idea. We have, he's not speaking.

We have a dual. Horse there, but whatever's

working, I wouldn't change it. Actually don't teach him English

if he's going to run that fast for sure.

I wanted to talk a little bit about the fact that he's a

second generation trainer and we're seeing can we not add him

to that group? He didn't grow up with these

guys, but Miguel Clement, will Walden, thinking of Riley Mott,

right? Those guys who were in that

group that had Breeders' Cup starters this year, Jose talking

about his dad that way. And by the way, was one of the

absolute goat trainers in like greatest of all time GOET,

sorry, one of the very, very goat trainers in Venezuela as

well. Have you ever seen a photo of

Laurinconada? I've not.

I don't think so, no. Every.

Hi. I apologize.

Every Venezuelan person just just lost about a year of their

life for you, not having seen a photo.

This. It's it.

It's incredible. Yeah.

Look it up right now during the show.

I don't even mind it is that beautiful.

And you can hear it in their voices, the passion of

Venezuelan horse racing. And I wanted to bring that up

because if people watched our, if people watched our blood

Horse of the Breeders Cup series.

Oh, wow, Look at the mountains around it.

That first picture on the top left, that's the setting.

Look at that. Wow, look at that.

It's incredible. If you're listening to this, go

go look it up here. La Rinconada RINCONADA.

It is on my all right. We are going.

There. OK, I was gonna say I have like

3 tracks. I'm not even exaggerating.

I have like 3 tracks I want to go to.

That's top of the list. I'm not exaggerating and I would

love to get down there. It's because of how those guys

talk and I'm not. I'm about to text Jose right now

and I ask him if he here's what I'm asking about going down

there. Here's the thing about this, I

don't know if anyone else thinks about the sport like this, but I

I think about this a lot is where is the next generation of

horseman coming from? Right where and where in a wave

of it right now. Boom and where are these people

going to come from now? They're going to come from horse

horseman families, right? Like that's going to be a thing

when your last name's Mott, when your last name is Clemont, when

your last name is Walden, you're going to grow up like that.

And when your last name is D'Angelo, you're going to grow

up like that. We we had Carlos on the shows

earlier this this week. He's a Venezuelan expat.

You know, there is so much good horsemanship coming over both on

the training side, the riding side, so many good Venezuela

jockeys as well. And then we're getting in media

even guys who are covering these men as well and women, of

course. But you know, just just a a

wonderful infusion in North America in the way that we talk

about the Japanese contributing to the dirt program worldwide

and those Arabian Peninsula races, whether in Dubai or in

Riyadh, contributing to dirt racing around the world, The

Venezuelan influence on American racing.

The next. I'm fascinated to see it the

next 2025 years because those guys making their way through

Gulfstream, making their way through Florida.

You see Ben Tornado, Florida bred all these kinds of things.

I just I legitimately think that there's a wave of that coming

and I welcome it. Open arms for sure.

If we Can you imagine. OK, the other part is this those

guys you mentioned it are so happy all the time.

You ever been around a dog that kind of has a mean owner and

they're just kind of grumpy dogs?

No wonder their horses are happy.

No one. No, I'm serious.

That stuff rubs off. It matters, man.

When a barn is tense, you can feel it and and look before a

Derby or something like that, it's going to be tense.

I get it. That was Breeders' Cup, bro, and

and you were there. The day before I was there

almost every day, and they were and it, they were all it.

Was their attitude all the time and the guy talks about horses

family. They talk about that kind of

what Jose's set up is different and and he used to be applauded

for it and and I I'm very very I'm I'm very that was a great

interview. I got to mention Larry Canado,

which I feel great about, but just that being second

generation guy and bringing that Venezuelan influence to the

game. I love all of it.

All the best of Jose. I hope everything goes well and

I hope both of those horses run really well and if she's so

spicy, he does sell tonight. I hope that those owners keep

them with her keep her with him. Excuse me, because I I the way

he talked about it was almost a sales pitch.

He wasn't even trying it. He wasn't trying to sell it.

He's like, here's how we trained in the last three races and

here's why I tried this. That's why the three furlong

work made sense for me. All that mattered in this race

that five furlongs was speed 6 1/2 in Kentucky Downs.

Different ask, different training schedule and that kind

of move ability, that ability for a guy to know his horse that

well, that is unbelievably underrated.

And and Jose is absolutely inserted himself amongst the the

the trainers you have to watch. He's going to go over 10 million

in earnings this year. I mean, that's incredible.

And so no, just great interview. I learned a lot.

But yeah, Laurie Ganati, you, me, we got to go.

Yeah, we're going. We're going down there.

I'm going to talk to Jose and see if he can hook us up with

some connections down there. But but.

I asked Ramon Dominguez once about Laurie Ganati.

It's probably the smartest thing I've ever done.

Now he, yeah, he cool. He just.

There's a great example, by the way, is Ramon Vegas.

I mean the the the list is so so long and I hope it keeps.

I, I feel like we, we always underestimate just how much

Central and South Americans love their horse racing.

I mean, you see it all the time. You know, I obviously with the

stuff that I do on YouTube, I get comments from down there all

the time from people that are watching.

We know Carlos Morales from. HS3O.

Five who was on our show with us followers.

From. South America and he was he was

on blood horse at the Breeders Cup with us for the pre Friday

episode. He's got a large following he's

got. I mean, just look at his

numbers. That's honestly, he does

everything in Spanish and that's mostly, you know, Central and

South America. He.

Does great work by the way. I don't mind putting him on this

program at all. He's fantastic and so he he's

got such a large following because I really love their

horse racing down there and they want to be able to learn about

what's going on up here. You see horses again, I know

Touch of Destiny didn't end up running too well in the Breeders

Cup Dirt Mile, but they follow along when these horses come up

here to the United States and you know, there was there's a

lot of expectations around him. There was a lot of people that

were, you know, kind of watching for him.

Jose mentioned there how his phone was blowing up of people

from back home texting him and, you know, congratulating him

after the race. And so it's really you think, I

mean, you go back all the way back to Canonero the second when

he won the when he won the Derby in the Preakness was going for

the Triple Crown, just a lot of times 71.

So a lot of times that gets overshadowed by the fact that

Secretariat was right behind. But he was at the Caracas

cannonball. He was the one of the most

popular horses ever because he he just had the entire, the

entire Hispanic population rallying behind.

Him they still talk about. Him yeah, they, they love they

love their racing and you mentioned kind of this next

generation that's coming in. He's definitely a part of that.

He's a young guy, I believe he's in his probably mid 30s right

now, I think. And he, you know, we're starting

to see you mentioned some of the other names, Walden Mott and

and, and come on, obviously we lost Dewayne Lucas this year and

some, some of our other guys that have been around for a

while. We know we have several more

years of them training, but we are starting to see kind of

these. Younger guys and that kind of

stuff, right? Yeah.

Absolutely. We're starting to see some of

these younger guys stepping up and we're starting to see them

participate. These are going to be the guys

that we're watching for the next 30-40, fifty years.

And so we're getting to see kind of their kind of their beginning

stages moving forward. But the point I did really want

to hit home on is just how much fun that that team has.

I've, you know, I've, I've seen them a lot in the last couple

months just from the tracks that I've been to.

And every single time, I wasn't lying when I said this here,

every single time it's just non-stop smiles, non-stop joking

around. You hear constant laughter.

And we even got a perfect example of that.

I'm going to embarrass them by showing this here right before

we did that interview. Jose Rivera, who was talking

there in that interview, He's the he's the exercise writer of.

Bench Ornado, he got he got a hold of the microphones when I

was trying to adjust the camera, I had to hold the microphones.

And let's just see just how much fun they were having the morning

after the Breeders Cup wins you. Feel how you feel.

How are they feeling? Say something.

Say something please about she's a pussy.

How how'd she do in the in the in the try in the morning?

Very good. Good.

Yeah, Say hi to the people in Miami and say hi.

Come on, man. How you how you feel yesterday?

We're here with the Ventornato Gallup guy.

What do you think of the race? The race was awesome.

We we are so excited. You feeling feeling good?

I feel awesome. I feel like like unbelievable is

real or no? What are you going to do to

celebrate? I can say no at this point in

the camera, OK, we just get it. We just get it.

Well, that's what it's all about, really.

It really is. That's spectacular stuff.

And Neptali there, who was he was trying to interview?

He had both bikes. He was trying to interview him

at the beginning. That's the, that's the exercise

writer for She's So Spicy. He's getting, we're training him

on the media side of things. I told, I told him in 10 years

from now, I'm going to have him singing on the microphone.

So we're we're getting, we're getting him there.

I was there for the first couple of episodes of Blood Horse

Monday. We're getting better at this

too. All of us need media training

for sure. But no, just a great story.

Good job on that. I really do appreciate them.

And by the way, that's the kind of availability we get from

D'Angelo all the time. He is available to do that.

He will talk. It's.

Probably one of the best, making sure he gives time to the media

that that I've been around in the last two years that I've

been doing this now for Bloodhorse.

At any time you ask him for any kind of request, he's always,

he's always there for it. I know.

But he, I want to put, I want to say something, he's on a growing

list of people that have been, have been willing to do this or,

or interviews or whatever. And so I, I'm appreciative

generally, I think there's an upward trend of trainers being

willing to be out there and talking about their operations

because the stories I hear from guys who did this before I did

was that it was very difficult to get in on those stories.

I feel like some of those relationships have been made

better or I'm maybe we just need to brag and we're doing a good

job. I.

Don't know. Yeah, maybe.

I think I think part of it, too, is now the power of social

media. Yeah.

You know, you know, how much, how much beneficial, how

beneficial that could be for business, but also just in

general. Jose's a nice guy.

I know. Right after our interview was

over, Barbara Livingston from DRM had wanted to come over to

get a picture. And as soon as our interview was

over, he made sure he was asking around, trying to make sure he

had her phone number so he could call her and tell her that he

was ready. So he wanted to make sure that

he didn't miss out on that opportunity for her.

So he's he's always trying to accommodate all this.

I know she's not a blood horse, but Barbara gets a pleasure.

Yes, yes, Speaking of plushies, how about forever young in the

Breeders Cup classic? Because as we learned from Kate

Hunter a couple weeks ago, now that he's got his second

official grade one win, finally do it forever young will finally

be getting a plushie out there in Japan.

If you did, if you missed if you missed that conversation a few

weeks ago, go back and watch it with Kate Hunter here on the

podcast. But forever young.

The biggest story from this weekend, of course, is the fact

that he finally has earned himself a plushie.

I want to say this a couple of different ways, but number one,

give us a plushie because we'll put it on set #2 we will

rearrange this whole thing to get the plushie.

On we'll just, we'll just sit it on our shoulders.

That's not a bad idea. I can use some hair, the Kate

Hunter tweeted out after the race, thanking Forever Young for

the greatest day of her life. And she was.

She means it, but. She means it and I want people

to understand, like we just saw with the D Angelo clan there at

all those guys running around on all those things.

Kate Hunter for Japanese racing for these moments.

This is it, man. She's been everywhere in the

world, every continent except for an article with a source,

essentially done everything with him.

And to get to do this on this stage is the absolute

confirmation that the Japanese are here to stay in this

division. They are here to stay in dirt

racing worldwide, and they are to be reckoned with.

And as there's an expansion of the Derby trail in the Arabian

Peninsula, we're gonna see more and more Japanese runners.

They're running for those purses, running for those spots

in the Kentucky Derby. Get ready for 3/4 Japanese

starters in the Derby. Get ready for it because there's

a Japan road and there's a Middle East Rd.

I think they could dominate them.

And then once they get some of the some of those official

medical stuff out of the way and they can start traveling over

here more easier, you know they're gonna do a Mandarin

hero. I think Forever Young, great

point. Forever Young could expeditate

that process. They could see him come over

here and go, Oh my goodness, we need to.

This could be this could be a turning point for Japanese

racing, especially when it comes to racing here in the United

states. So if.

As far as international? I recommend if you, if you were

not with us back at Derby time watching this podcast, please go

back to when we had Kate on ahead of the Kentucky Derby.

And here's some of her comments on some of the some of the

regulatory stuff you have to go through to get the horses here

and how once those regulatory things get solved, it'll just

open the door for a lot more Japanese participation

throughout the year is some of our biggest races.

This is definitely going to help seeing him, you know, the

Japanese government and everybody being able to see him

come over here and have this success on this stage against

these horses. This was billed as one of the

greatest Breeders' Cup classics of all time.

I know we lost sovereignty. We shared our thoughts on that

and the blood horse at the Breeders Cup shows.

But this was still one of the greatest Breeders' Cup classics

of all time. And he and he, he went out there

and he earned it and he has been a top notch horse.

He's the only horse really in this dirt division that has had

the stress of all that travel. That's right, that he is done

and he still shows up every time and runs his best.

And so for him to breakthrough and win this race, I know you

saw it. I saw it.

The amount of Japanese fans that were in the grandstand move to

tears celebrating 3000 Japanese fans there.

Yeah, I was standing. I was like, well, I to my left,

I had John Shirafs by as this trainer.

He was not celebrating, but 4 year old to my to my right, he's

going to be special and he he had a bad start.

So that's a sure special that horse.

You cannot really count that race against Baeza.

But to my right, I had two Japanese women that were

standing there cheering and they, I don't think it was

forever young, but they had a massive plushie with the Yahagi,

the Yahagi gear on it. But I know this is a this is a

plushy advertisement show. Now, if you if you're making

horse racing plushies and you want to advertise them, this is

the show to do it on become sponsor us.

But yeah, I mean, they were, they were, they were in tears

when I went down to go to go down to the racetrack

afterwards. And you saw the guy that was

wearing the forever young silks with the Japanese flag and he's

flat. He's waving it around.

They invite him into the winner's circle.

And yeah, it was, it was jubilation at Del Mar for them.

And they, we talked to Kate a couple weeks ago.

We knew the rest of the Japanese horses that were coming in were

potentially a little subpar. They were maybe your Grade 3

type horses over there taking a shot coming in here.

But for all those fans that came over from Japan, I know it was

worth it to them for that moment with Forever Young.

He's become a superstar over there.

They don't get to see him much over there in Japan.

And the next time they do get to see him, the next time they do

get to see him, I imagine that's going to be a hero's welcome.

Yeah, it'll be a parade of some sort.

I got to talk to Brooke Smith right after the race and Sean, I

want to have two conversations here.

Sierra Leone finishes second after winning the race last

year. Fierceness finishes third this

year after finishing second last year.

Let Let's just admire the fact that we had the same trifecta, a

different order, but same trifecta, and both to both

back-to-back classics. That's what I wanted to talk

about. These three horses for every

young Sierra Leone, fierceness, we have not had really a multi

year rivalry. You think Sierra Leone and

fierceness, both of them were considered to be in the top five

two year olds of that of their two year old season.

Both of them were considered to be the top 2-3 year olds in the

in the division and then they come back this year.

Obviously the top three older horses as well.

They have been consistent forever young has been

consistent. We've gotten to see them face

each other multiple times. We've gotten to see them beat

each other multiple times, 2 to where it's been fun.

It's kept you guessing what was going to happen each time they

wind up against each other, all three of them.

Just let's just take a moment and just celebrate.

Just celebrate and admire the careers.

Thank you to Forever Young's connections, Thank you to Brooke

Smith, to the Coolmore team. Thank you to Mike Ripoli for

keeping these horses in training this year.

Hopefully, if we can maybe get sovereignty and journalism to

come back next year, I'm pretty sure we're getting by as a beck.

If we can get them to come back next year's 4, 3 year olds do

the exact same thing next year, hopefully maybe this can be the

start of the trend where people start to see there's still value

in running them as 4 year olds because we got to learn that

Sierra Leone and fierceness were legit.

They did get to prove that they are durable as well.

They lasted three seasons on top of this division at the highest

level at the highest level and they're durable.

Hopefully that will turn into more breeders being interested

in going to them, them getting good mirrors.

I pray that both of these horses have fantastic children because

if they do, if journalism and sovereignty can come back this

year or next year, do the same thing, go off and be successful,

maybe we can finally start seeing a change in this whole

let's just retire them at the end of their three-year old

season. I think they they this showed

just how much added value you can get by bringing them back as

4 year olds this year. One of the men that brought

their horses back was Brooke Smith.

And Full disclosure on this, I know Brooke personally, Yeah,

we're not friends. I want to be clear, like he's

never met my wife or something like that.

But but we are friendly for sure.

OK. This is this is me making a very

split second decision. I stood in front of him in the

peasant section on the 1st floor ahead of the in front of the

owners area there at Breeders' Cup during the classic.

And I was and I'll, I'll be honest, like I yeah, Brooke,

let's go before the race, you know, that kind of stuff.

He's like, it's game time, you know, whatever.

Then the race happens and he's congratulating the Japanese

connections right after they they're right next to one

another. That's one of the things about

these races. Connections are all just kind of

hold in one spot. And I, I had to make a snap

decision. Do I go to the man whose horse

just ran his last race and didn't win and ask him for a

walk and talk or not? And I decided to, and I just

looked at Brooke and I said walk and talk.

And he said absolutely. And here's what it was.

And I apologize for the opening of this video.

It's pretty funny. The Sierra Leone owner.

Red Feather Racing or Rocket Racing?

Sorry. Oh my goodness.

Rockets Racing. Smith.

With Brooke Smith right after the classic here at Delmar.

Well, your boy shows up every time, don't he?

He ran a hell of. A race.

That's about far the best race of the year.

The numbers are going to be enormous.

He did everything he could. The fractions were just a hair

off, but I am so proud of him. He went out of class in style,

but honestly, if there was a horse that was going to win, it

wasn't him. I'm glad that after all the

effort and work and such an amazing horse, forever young, he

won and Sierra Leone will have a new career ahead.

Ready to go for that? Just tell us the level of pride

you got right now. Just see it in the last time.

He puts it that out of separate he always does.

There'll be a moment later when I'm by myself and I, you know,

the tears are going to, well, open my eyes because of what

he's meant to, to me, my family, my friends.

How amazing of a horse. He's a horse of a lifetime.

Thank you, Brooke. Congratulations.

It's very rare in this field that we get to say

congratulations to someone when their horse doesn't win.

I don't want to say loses because that's not what he did.

He didn't lose. 2-2 minutes flat over 10 for logs is always

impressive. I don't care what the track

conditions are or where the winds are, whatever else.

And that's what Forever Young did.

And Sierra Leone was right there.

We had four horses finish another two O 1.

OK, but let's stick with Sierra Leone for a minute.

If you want to understand the, the, the mentality that you

should strive for as an owner, that's probably it, right?

Where you got to accept that, you know, maybe first, second,

third, maybe not even those on certain days.

But Brooke Smith's knowing what was next, obviously had prepared

himself for that to be that moment.

I just wanted to give a lot of kudos.

He put his arm right around me and we we walked right to the

right up to the door of the the owner's enclosure.

Obviously, I'm not going to just run in there, but we stopped

there. That's where that interview

ended. We parted ways.

We haven't spoken since. I haven't bothered him at all,

but but just that attitude, I just really appreciated that

moment. So I wanted to share that here

on the show as well. He's a.

Class Act. He Brooke is for sure and his

work with the Backside Learning Center, for example, and all

those kinds of things. I see a spirit of, of of horse

racing award in his future. He feels like that kind of guy

in our, our industry. Your reaction to, you know, just

recapping Sierra Leone's career. What a what an interesting

horse. Yeah, it's a it's it's I wonder

how he's going to be looked, looked back on in 1520 years

because he didn't always win, but he never finished off the

board. He always came with the run.

He did, even if the pace was slow, if the pace was fast, you

know, maybe it impacted how close he was to winning.

But he always ran. He always came with the run.

And I like you look at this year that he had he only had one win

this year in the Whitney, but he's still had a great year.

He still had a great year. And you could still argue that

he's in the running to win the Eclipse award for the champion

older male because of how well that he's ran.

And so, you know, he he was such a good horse.

And I feel like a lot of times, especially when you're looking

on social media, a lot of times we like to just if they don't

win, we like to just trash on them.

A lot of the times a lot of people will do that and but I

mean you got to go back. I think this like between him

fierceness forever young. I think back to like some of

these old classic rivalries and the the 30s of the 40s of these

horses that would face each other like almost every single

race. The outcome was always

different. Sometimes one of them would win

by 5 lengths and the next one would win by a head.

And then the next race the one horse won and the other horse

was 6th up the track. But they always ran against each

other when they were on their best.

They could, you know, always give each other all they had and

just keep switching those results.

And it made it fun. And that's what that's what

Sierra Leone did. That's what fierceness did.

Because I don't want to. I don't want to lose him in the

shuffle of this you're. Totally right.

Ran another great race. Yeah, he just did.

I just feel. Two O 1 folks.

I mean this is. Fast, fast, fast.

I I just feel so blessed that we were able to have the careers of

Sierra Leone and fierceness that we did.

And obviously Forever Young's career is going to keep on going

here. But yeah, it's just I hope.

I hope we look back at this time and fierceness in Sierra Leone,

not definitely throughout their careers had received a lot of

different takes from people as far as their success and their

greatness because of different things, whether it was Sierra

Leone just not being able to get the job done, whether it was

fierceness throwing in his random clunkers.

But when they showed up, they were among the best horses in

this country. We got they're in this century.

Numerous races where they vote. Yes, and I mean, Sierra Leone

showed up all the time. Fierceness did have his

occasional clunker, but man, he he's on his game.

He is. There's barely anyone better.

Yeah. And so now these two, these two

I think should be ranked highly when you're looking at the top

horses of the century so far, you know, even though they

didn't win every time, I just think their consistency over

three years of racing is just phenomenal.

Both Breeders' Cup winners and so hopefully both Hall of

Farmers by Champions that we get there.

The 4th horse to finish in under 2O1.

Journalism, my boy. How about?

That no, but let's let's let's put this in perspective here.

He's right there, man. And we've had Aaron Wellman a

couple times on the show from eclipse.

Of course I have one of my favorite stories of this year is

journalism because he is my goodness, he's a tank.

He shows up every time and I trust them to do what's right by

journalism here. I really do.

And I think that if they if he's healthy and they want to have a

four year old campaign, I think they would be wise to do that

right now. If he needs to not race anymore

for whatever reason that I don't know about, I'm not going to

fight them on that. And I would trust Aaron Wellman

on that. I really would.

But if he's ready and he's healthy, I would hope that they

would put him back in for for a regiment next year because

frankly, why can't that horse win the Classic next year?

Exactly, He's so much fun to watch and he he gave it his all

in this race. And I, I, you know, we obviously

we talked a lot about the three-year olds on this show

throughout the year. And you know, I've I was one

that back in after the high school after the Jim Dandy was

willing to go on the record to say that I thought that

sovereignty and journalism were by far the best horses in the

country over Sierra Leone, fierceness and all that.

I think we've learned in the last couple weeks that the

three-year olds are maybe this. I wish we could have seen what

sovereignty could have done in here, but that maybe the

three-year olds are just a little bit below where

fierceness. Sierra Leone forever young were

journalism obviously getting beat by fierceness twice now

Gossgar and Bracket Buster getting beat in the fight at

stakes by the older horses, but they're going to continue to get

older. We had Bob, Bobby Halt said on

on our Saturday show for a blood horse at the Breeders Cup.

You know, he remembers back to the time where a three-year old

Affirmed could not beat a four year old Seattle Slew, but then

a three-year old Spectacular Bid could not beat a four year old

Affirmed. And all all three of those

horses are considered to be among the all time greats.

And so maybe it's just it's just that developmental stage and now

that fierceness in Sierra Leone are going to step away

Journalism, sovereignty, Paeza, if they come back, they're going

to run this division next year for sure.

And, and by the way, Bob told us that would be the top three.

Yes, he was very clear about it on Fridays.

Yes. And so, so yes, it's just, it's

just that developmental thing maybe and I think maybe maybe

next year we see to where they step beyond where these horses

were. I almost kind of expect that

because of how good they were in their three-year old crop.

But at least an opportunity. Yeah, But I do wish we could

have seen what sovereignty would have had in this field.

I feel like he would have gotten a, He would have been ahead of

where Sierra Leone was with his running style and I think he

would have been closing earlier and maybe a little stronger.

And I I personally believe he might have been able to get

there and beat the older horses here.

Might have been if he might have, but we'll.

Never know. So you know what?

It's the grandest what if of what ifs.

Yes, that's unfortunate of it. But yeah, I just these older

horses this year, we talked about it at the very start of

the year, how lucky we were to have them for the four year old

season. And boy did it pay off better

than we probably could have imagined.

It was a perfect bookend to what we talked about last year at

this time. Just praying that these horses

would get a chance at a four year old campaign and they did

everything that we could ever dream of.

For sure. I have one gripe from the

weekend and it is the scratch of white, a barrio in the Dirt Mile

and I want to express my displeasure with that decision.

5 minutes to post. That horse went through

everything. The ownership was very

transparent about everything. It was cleared by another

veterinarian. If you think walking through the

paddock did something to that horse before the race, I simply

disagree. That is massively disappointing,

the lack of trust in horsemen to bring out sound horses that you

think Saffy's bringing one of his best horses ever to the

Breeders Cup. If he's not, If he's not in good

shape. This.

Stuff bothers me so much, Sean and I, and I heard like, oh,

there's a different vet here and a different vet here, then they

should talk to one another. I have to believe, unlike Ben

Tornado, that they probably speak the same language.

Yes, and I want I want to throw Mystic Dan scratch in here too.

When you look at these two horses, you have a Breeders' Cup

Classic winner in Loy de Barrio, you have a Kentucky Derby winner

in Mystic Dan and you. So I agree, but your your point

about listening to the horseman here, think of both of these

horses are lined up to have stallion careers in the future.

They have, you know, Mystic Dan winning the Kentucky Derby.

It's the greatest race in the world.

And you're you think that they, the trainers are going to put

them out there thinking that there's any kind of risk to to

them getting injured and you know that stuff like that.

When they have so much on the line in the future already,

they're not going to bring them here unless they think that

they're sound. And yeah, why to bar you.

I agree with you. I was, I mean, we, we'd heard

the the whispers all week. I actually saw one of the vet

inspections where he was getting looked at earlier in the week

and he was constantly getting watched.

He passed the the morning approval and that, yeah.

And then? 5 minutes to post. 5 minutes to

post yeah. 5 minutes to post. Doesn't sit right with me.

How that went, I don't know. I I was one.

I didn't think what barrio had the best chance in that race

personally, but that doesn't matter.

He should have been. I wish we could know.

More. I wish we could know more about

it and I hope that in the future as some as more of this, as you

know more of this has become kind of a uprage among the fan

base in the last couple years out here with the Breeders Cup.

I do hope at some point we get to the point where we are

getting more transparency on these decisions, not just in the

Breeders Cup. I don't want to just say this is

just a Breeders' Cup problem. This is, but I want to see this

across the country where some of the especially in these big

races a little bit more about some get, get, get the public a

little bit more knowledge into what exactly happened into some

of these scratches. But.

Frustrating. The 5 minutes to post part I

think is what just absolutely kills me.

Yeah. I know, and I felt bad for the

connections there. I know they were ready.

Shipping the Derby winner if he's not ready to go, Come on.

It just bothered. Oh my.

God, yeah. But aside from that, I know, I

know we're going to the end of the episode here.

But beside from that, I know I want to make sure that we give

you the proper praise. The Hurdle horse in the Breeders

Cup Turf, you were on top of him all week.

You were constantly saying I need a hat, I do need a hat.

You were constantly saying that you were confident in him.

I was asking around for hats, so it's real.

He went in, he won. He didn't take.

Take your moment of glory. OK, they didn't win.

It's a track record. All right, so let's let's start

with that. Course record.

We're on the turf. Sorry, a course record.

Where are you? Where are you at?

Rebels Romance? Where are you at?

Mini Hawk Bums. That's not it.

Look, Sean, this was an unusual handicapping angle for me.

I've never had one like this and it's probably a top three call

in my career. If people don't know.

I, I, I came over to this program previously, largely my

shows are handicapping. And so one of the things I

absolutely adore about this program is I get to talk to

breeders, I get to talk to consigners, I get to talk to

people that are outside of that handicapping realm that are in

the other parts of our industry. We talk about, you know, the

stud careers for horses like white Barrio and for, for Mystic

Dam moving forward. I'm, I'm, I'm more interested in

those things now than I was before, certainly.

And but I can't I, I this is a top three pick all time in my

life alongside King Guillermo, almost certainly in the Tampa

area. Like wow, that's a good one.

But that's a really, really good one, right?

And it just it just felt right in that moment.

This one, though, if people want, I've been asked, I got

asked at TSA why it was unethical Diamond.

OK, they by the way, they almost confiscated all of this

equipment. We almost didn't do the show

today. The woman was not in the mood.

The and all I said was buddy last two races, good to firm.

Last two races they booked Bill Buick.

Hey, book, book. What are you?

And then look, I, I do think there's stamina and muscles and

things that go into that that are different than are involved.

And I look, I want to be very clear.

I picked him third, but I bet him and I got the money.

So there you go. I, I just I, that one made sense

to me. It's a very outside the box sort

of look for me that way. But those last two races

convinced me give me the right connections.

Give me that horse. And when he ducked in right at

1st and they save ground right away, that was good.

I knew I knew he was going to make his run.

I didn't know if he was going to win, but I knew he was going to

make his run. And I look, I gave you rebels

romance. I gave you ethical diamond right

here on this platform, wherever you're watching.

And so, yeah, feels good. I need a hat, though, please.

Yes, all the hurdlers following me on Twitter.

Now I need. I need.

He needs a hat. I've never asked for a Breeders'

Cup hat before that one feels. Just look at this head.

We need to cover it up with a hat right there.

Or maybe we'll just write it on your forehead.

I. Think.

I think maybe we should do that. Any other Saturday winners that

stood out to you this weekend? I want to make sure we give a

shout out to Not Still. Putting it all together like she

did was awesome. It was awesome because she shows

up every race. She's like, you know who she's

like. She's like Sierra Leone.

She shows up every race. Doesn't matter the distance.

Now, Sierra Leone is very needs the longer distance, yeah, but

doesn't matter the distance for her.

And a reminder that in those spots when Junior Alvarado's at

his best, and I want everyone to hear the compliment that I'm

giving. It's not a slight at all when

he's on a great horse, sovereignty, whatever he is as

good at getting out of the way and letting the horse do what

they do. That's what he did.

Wasilla, hey, we need to get in a position.

And then she was there and he let her go.

He let her do the work. I thought as a career capper for

her totally appropriate because she's been in very difficult

company over and over and over again.

It is a reminder that class matters and horse racing and she

is classy and it was a spectacular send off.

If she is done racing, I think she is and I thought that

performance was it was very. Satisfying, I'll put it that

way. Yes, I agree.

I also want to give a shout out to Nisos and Citizen Bowl for

for the dirt mile there. Yeah, Citizen Bowl setting those

fractions and still hanging in there and only losing because

the wire happened to be when his head was coming up and Nisos

says it was going down. What a phenomenal effort he put

in. But Nisos, I've said on the show

before, I've never really been on the Nisos bandwagon, but I

can't deny that he I mean, he just shows up every time he's

yet to run a bad race. I know it's, it's there's been a

lot of patience involved with getting him into the races, but

I'd know now we're getting, you know, kind of talk to his owners

a little bit after the race in the press conference.

I can see just how willing to be patient they are.

I saw them at the barn the next morning giving him carrots and

giving him love the next morning.

So he's in good hands. He's being watched over as he's

been going throughout his career dealing with some of these

injury issues. And man, if we can get a stretch

next year where he's 100% and we can watch, we can watch what he

can do throughout the year. We we might be in for something

special if we get to see. That rare case where the 2nd

place horse is off to the shed, the 1st place horse will be back

and the older horse will be back next year.

Last thing I want to mention, Francis Henri Grafal wins the

last race. I think that's a name we're

going to hear in a lot of Breeders Cups moving forward,

and I want to make a bolder. We're going to hear it said like

that every single time. You're darn right.

And I also think in his case, you'll start to see more of his

horses in the New York style races as well.

Now that he knows that the flat stuff's there, his horses like

it. We're talking 6750, you know,

$1,000,000 kind of purses in those races.

That's going to be attractive. There's already a program to

ship those horses over here. Watch the French turf racing the

next couple of years. Their purses have surpassed

Royal Ascotts and so it's going to be very attractive to run at

places like Deauville, like Chantilly.

And so make sure that you are watching French turf racing the

next couple years because I am predicting on the show right now

many, many winners coming out of those races.

Yeah, straight over here to Breeders' Cup.

Yeah, I could definitely see that.

The French racing I think's continuing to get stronger and

he seems like a trainer that is going to be.

Willing to be. Willing to travel, be one that's

going to bring some of his top horses over.

Not just horses bringing some of his top.

Horses. That's a three-year old filly.

He ran her in the arc just like Mini Hawk and he you know what

he did? He did the correct thing for

her. I'm not putting mini hog down.

He did the correct thing for her and ran her in that race.

Perfect spot. That's exactly where she

belonged. By the way, the rare case where

the CAW is totally wrong, that number flipped up to like 7-8,

but David Aragona Linemaker was totally right.

Well, that'll wrap us for this week here on the program will be

back next week. Start our previews of the

claiming crown, of course, and plenty to react to coming up

this weekend as well. I want to thank our friends at

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He Sean. I'm Louis.

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