Bonus Happy Hour! 2022 Year in Review with E.J. Clark

All right. Welcome to a bonus episode of

the horse-racing happy hour. There's gonna be a couple of

these this week. We got to turn off the music DJ

before I introduce my guest here.

Usually, our producer Zack is on with us and he's doing all that

kind of stuff, so, but I'm doing it solo.

And that's, so I'm here with DJ Clark for with the Kentucky,

Winner's Circle of guy that I've known for several years, EJ.

His show can tell you what a circle is the longest running

horse race. You show, is it in the country?

Well, I don't know about the country but certainly, the

variant in Louisville in Kentucky is the longest running

horse racing show and mostly it has been a broadcast as you

know, Mike? Yep.

But in the last two or three years, we have concentrated more

on podcasting and things. And by the way, thank you for

inviting me on your show today. Oh absolutely, it's good to get

back with you, my friend. Why wouldn't be here if it

wasn't for you Jake? So this is like this is a it's

been a big year for both of us EJ celebrating 25 years with his

show him and Lane gold. Do a great job with that.

And and then EJ helped me get into the national Turf writers

and broadcasters this year, which I'm very grateful for.

I was going back EJ. And I was trying to remember the

first derby, we worked together. And I know I was thinking about

that as well prior to the show today and I'm going to say it

was either 16 or 17. What do you think?

Well, I know I started doing stuff for the radio station

before that. So, at, that sounds about,

right, and I, because I'm going back and like, this is like, the

spoiled brat, like the humble brag like, you know,

unfortunately, like I'm very blessed in my family has box

seats. So, I've been to most Derby

since I was in the eighth grade, not every single one, but most

of them. And so I can't honestly remember

if I started doing Media stuff like in 2010 or 2011, but it was

it was around that time and then and then when the, the post

race, show came around, then you and I work together on that and

we had some long days. Somebody we were doing pre and

post, I mean I was doing like 13 hours of radio.

Yeah, it was crazy. It was nuts.

I mean, it was, it was about angel gets I like to tell people

about the Ratio was something that we wanted to do.

We wanted to come back to. Actually, I started out at w TM

T radio in the 80s and I came to that small mom and pop country

radio station up against the giant.

Wa MZ is people know here in the Louisville Market and really, I

was just a jock, you know, on the station and, you know, did

my 45 hours whatever? We're still doing mobile DJ

work. And really, I had backed into

country music, Mike and the late 70s, 77 actually, and then sort

of backed into horse racing as well as the time went on because

I became the program director and I just felt like what we

were doing was a very narrow narrow thing at the time, this

was now, folks, this is Preeti Evg were talking about here, not

right? And so at the time and this is

the truth, this is I love to talk about this.

Because at the time, every bar and restaurant that had horse

racing fans at their watering holes, if you will and not at

the racetrack, would listen to our our stretch calls, we broke

every Rule and radio. We had a Mike on Mike Battaglia

that went right straight back to the radio station on second. and

Broadway in downtown Louisville, next to the holiday and we did

that, we started that in the mid 80s and that really kind of

started changing the thing to where we were doing more, but it

was still basically more about The handicapping, the bedding

and that kind of thing and I felt like gee if we're going to

do this, we need to do more. So I started pestering my owner

and boss and talking about. We hope we could do this, we

could do more and you know little by little you know, we

carried the Keeneland feature race of the day in the fall, in

the spring and Churchill Downs and we had a recap show of all

the races at 6:00, but we knew we could do more.

But And we finally did more. We I used to do when we were

covering the races in 91, we went to Churchill Downs, excuse

me. And the owners decided that we

could be there for an hour with a recap show and a feature race,

and we could do reports live from Churchill and the race

results. So on Derby Day, you're talking

you were talking about long days on Derby day.

I used. To do a recap just by myself and

run through the results. Obviously, and, you know, you

had 12 13 races, something like that on average on Derby days.

And then we put a microphone on, we went to Hammond Productions,

Tom Hammonds company and we and Churchill approved it of course.

And we actually put the the post race interview on the radio live

and I If anybody else was doing that but but that was something

that I wanted to do and that was pre Kentucky one or Circle radio

show on Saturday morning. So we evolved to that and then

we kind of got away from that and Mike when you and I started

doing the recap, that was so much fun for me because that was

one of those things. I don't know.

I'm kind of going along here on explaining this.

That was one of those things Mike enough.

Oh, that had been left out or we Lee didn't get to do in what you

brought to the table was not only knowing the races, knowing

the people knowing, you know, the card and the undercard and

actually, because we're sitting, there were betting the

undercard. Yeah, that's on the air, right?

I'll be like, yeah, it's a lot of fun, you know?

So that was, it wasn't that you popped in for a to our gig.

You were sitting there sort of slugging it out on.

Betty, and, and having a few beverages.

Now, I'm just a guard to you. Yeah.

And a cigar, by the way, by the way.

So I just, by the way in, this is partly cigars and everything

on, you know, the horse racing happy hour I had and I don't, I

don't smoke too many cigars anymore, but I had an Oliva

seriously. Yeah, my favorite cigars.

With what the good friend on his birthday.

It was a couple of weeks ago. So you know I'm probably a maybe

cigar to every three months or something now but gosh I still

like I'll tell you what. Yeah.

It's been a while for me to have 12 of, you know, just life

happens and it's hard to even carve out that hour and a half

to sit down and have a cigar sometimes.

That's, I mean, it's all reasons while I go on the track as you

know, you're going to get that especially on Derby day, when

you might have 75 minutes between the old Forester and the

Derby. So you know, it's a great.

Yeah, exactly. I won't go into Hey, let me ask

you a question. Yeah, so I know you've been with

the Kentucky Derby Festival. For a long, long time.

Yes, so you were doing that. So when did you decide yourself

that you wanted to do more and to get into broadcasting and

and, and do something on the radio?

So we were, I was doing Derby Festival stuff for the

basketball classic and I was recruiting basketball players.

And so These radio stations would have me on to talk about

basketball recruiting and that's when doing Ryan asked me to help

out with Derby coverage and again, I don't remember, it was

2010 or 2011 and so I was like, yeah, I'll go help out with

Derby coverage and, and did a couple shows.

And then the funny thing is, the second year, he didn't like

fully asked me. So I was credentialed and I

didn't know, until like, the last second.

It's yeah, that happened to job, right?

So so I just I know that, you know, I went in there that

second year and again I wish I remember if that was 2011-2012

but I really feel like I was on the air for all have another

2012. So the and then I kind of It

kind of grew and I knew that I was starting to do more and more

of it and then we started doing your show and then we would have

a show either before or after your show and then we come

together again and do the the post-race together and And it

just I knew that those were such those two three days of those,

two days of racing is Oaks and Derby Day.

You know as horse racing people know is kind of like the

Breeders Cup preview almost and for me to be able to speak

intelligently, I needed to be able to stay up because you set

such a high bar because I mean EJ can like remember whoo-hoo,

the jockey was on the 6 race at Churchill days.

And with the weather, what the Churchill was in 1992 and what

the weather was like, and I mean, so, and And then he'll be

able to break down all the connections.

So the only way that I was even going to get close to even

something like that, which I'm still nowhere.

Close is if I did this podcasting thing and so the our

podcast has had a couple different variations and I've

had different hosts and then and then and then Louis and I

ironically enough we were both of our kids, went to the same

school. They both go to Catholic school

and they were they did a fundraiser and Louis and I were

in charge of this is the first year.

They were going to do a Bourbon and cigar area and it happened

pretty Breeders Cup weekend. And I brought a TV and Louis was

telling me how much he loves horse racing and we were having

bourbon cigars while running this bourbon cigar room watching

the Breeders Cup for this Catholic fundraiser.

And that's how that kind of came about and then when we had one

of our guys Brown The Insider, if you don't know, if you

remember that name or not, brown The Insider left our podcast and

her Derby shows that I was doing with Brian and Kimberly

Greenwell. And so we brought Louisiana and

then the rest is history and then and then blue and I guess

we're on your three or four of this deal Lu.

Ya kill me for not knowing what exactly that is.

But, yeah, I mean, that's, I had to do the weekly podcast in

order to keep up with horse racing enough, to be able to

really felt like, I could deliver on those days.

And now, in some ways. And me, you've seen the complete

Evolution, the podcast is bigger than the radio, because you can

reach more people. Yeah.

Yeah. It absolutely is.

And we were Sort of resisting that Mike.

And let me tell you something, you you progressed every year

and I want to remind people, that, that Mike and I were in a

tough spot in 2019 because ESPN Louisville had asked us to go on

before Horse Racing, Radio Network had finished their

coverage, they wanted sort of a few minutes after Derby.

We get on there Mike and I are in the media center.

Now, we only have one shot, we have no head on and everybody

knows what happened and the disqualification of Maximum

Security. Well, we talked about the

wedding implication, uh, later. But let me tell you what people

don't know is if I had, I been on the track in the previous

year and Mike was back there by himself for the first ten

minutes before Lane and I got back like we had done before.

I could have brought some more information to the table but you

and I are sitting there on live radio on that control radio

station. Yep.

And we we cannot week. There's No add-on.

So we can't really talk intelligently and we can't see

the Winner's Circle where the two jocks, you know, we're

talking to the Stewart's and everything and everything about

the Milling. How long was was a 23 minutes.

I've had it with a long time. Time.

Because you and I were trying to figure out what was going on.

We went on the air. Think of Maximum Security is the

winter and I mean it was I still have some people that I see

everyone's welcome, Kansas City, who listen to that on the live

stream and they said that was some of the best radio because

it was so organic, while we were just trying to figure it out who

they're like they were, we had he's like, you had us on pins

and needles trying to figure out that what was going on with this

decision. And I just, they tell me almost

every single time I tell him about how much they enjoyed that

show, just because wow, Guys the year.

Yeah. And I think that's kind of the

fun part of what we got to do because you know, I've said

quite frequently. Like I don't know if we've had

like it just a normal Derby since John Asher passed away

though. And we you and I have talked

about that. I've talked about it with Layne

and other people since John Asher passed away in September

of 2018, we have not had a normal Derby.

Well, hey, look, you know, we epicenter came into the Kentucky

Derby, this This year. Okay?

And had all the credentials checked, all the boxes.

I was in this camp and what happens?

We have blistering speed on the front end, we have a horse that

had won a maiden race at Churchill Downs.

He couldn't win two of these preps over at Turfway Park

against leiter company. He comes in there with Sunny

Leone is regular writer. And because it sets up perfectly

for Rich strike. And he's able to get over to the

rail, split horses, get over to the rail, deep, stretch and shot

the world and epicenter and Steve as mucin and Winchell

thoroughbreds and all the horses binding at 80 to 1.

Yeah, it is the so you've got that shocker, you've got, we

started in 2019 with the DQ and then it's a little colder and I

wasn't there and you were. Yeah.

Not therefore for, you know, because they limited the media

and, you know, we were not there and we had we had, you could

have been there. We have plenty of the riots

outside of Churchill Downs on Derby Day.

Yeah, I mean, we had protesters, I don't know, there was some

writing but, you know, I shouldn't say it was a riot, but

we had protesters outside of the home of the Twin Spires On Derby

Day 2020 with no fans, right? And then we come back and you

know, in 2021 Medina, scared debacle and then we get a DQ a

few days later. Well, we get we get a not, not

the official DQ that didn't come until later.

But, you know, with Medina spirit and then what a story

that is, we could spend the rest of our time just talking about

Medina Spirit. But yeah, I mean it's so bizarre

because the point system comes into play.

And like the favorite going to the derby wins.

The point says ones, that are be ever since the point system and

tell John a she passes away. And then just all crap hits the

fan. I mean, it's just it's every

possible scenario, you know, from the 2D Qs 1, DQ happen in

months later to have in the derby in September.

I mean, it's just like things, you never could even like, yeah,

that's what I left. That out, for 2020, the derbies

in, September the Belmonts, the first right?

Right? I mean that's crazy.

And then the Preakness. Oh man, it's just everybody can

look back and say, hey, we didn't know what to expect.

But the great thing for horse racing is horse racing.

Continue there was no football and basketball and you name it

for a while but there was horse racing.

Yeah, and now I'll tell you what though.

That means the horsemen did a great job advocating.

Maybe I'll turn that whole deal because They had to be there.

Regardless, the horses had had to be taken care of regardless.

I mean, it was not going to be a situation where more people are

going to get exposed or whatever else and gave some entertainment

to some people I think horse racing could have done a better

job of promoting their product during that time but we know

that that's always an issue with horse racing you know.

So I think we saw that this year I mean I think horse racing

could have done a much better job promoting flight lines run

in the in the in the Breeders Cup and Just at the end of the

day like you, I was amazed how many people just in Louisville?

Kentucky had no idea because Flightline didn't run in the

derby didn't run in the Triple Crown had never never run at

Churchill Downs. How many people didn't even know

who flight line was here? Locally the Casual fan, right?

Yeah. And that is that is problematic

because you know, you think now the Breeders Cup Classic

favorite coming into the Breeders Cup, remember there's

14 racist but the finale is a Breeders Cup Classic, right?

And so there's He's so so much attention but here you had an

unbeaten horse, didn't run in the derby.

Didn't run on the Triple Crown had back issues as a

two-year-old till so didn't get the start you know.

And here he is at the very top of his game.

He wins the Pacific classic and immediately everybody is

talking. They're comparing him to

Secretariat now. Brr, when American Pharaoh came

in to Keeneland at 2015. I don't recall any comparisons

to Secretariat but he was a triple crown winner and writing

fulfilled everything. This horse comes in and sets a

new length of margins Victory record and just did everything

and it was Mike. I was there when he worked at

Keeneland and it was it was right.

There between light and dark, you know, so it was kind of

eerie there. There was still kind of dark,

but anyway, the exercise Rider and I think it's the assistant

trainer that was and Ron leave. I think I'm may have the name

wrong. Nonetheless, he had a, he had a

blinking light so you could tell where we're flight line was on

on the track before he worked and then after and everything.

Thing in this horse just came in and just did his job, everything

went perfectly for him, but, you know, you got to give all the

credit to all of his handlers and to John Sadler, because he

was under a lot of pressure. And it did feel almost like a

derby week. And but yet, as you said, Mike,

so many people didn't know about flight line, right?

I just thought MDC like every Sunday Night, Football League,

no Breeders Cup, you're not everything I football on October

ship and talking about. Commercial break.

You know, be sure to tune in to watch flight line in the

classic. You might be watching a horse of

a generation for sure. If not, you know, one of the

best horses run the last hundred years, I mean whether or not

he's likely runned and people want to put that moniker on or

not. It doesn't change the fact that

the horses was phenomenal, just a phenomenal specimen and he did

not disappoint. Even in adverse conditions, I

loved how he overcame a bad start in the mid Mi, I love how

dominant he Was in the Pacific classic.

And then I love how he handled the weather because it was

Breezy at that day at Keeneland. So yeah, it was it was, it was

chilly that morning, he came in there and I don't know who's the

temperature as much as the window.

EG that wind? Was that wind was insane.

Yeah. Yeah it was.

And actually for me personally, I walked, I walked over, you

know, to where all the The Breeders Cup horses were stable

and that was a nice stroll, after all the excitement,

because everyone, I mean, there was, there was a large crowd

there to see flight line work. Everyone was excited.

That was kids. They were all kinds of

activities for the kids and everything to me.

Apologize here, my phone is ringing.

So that's something you are. You never want to do radio fans

and We just did it. So what that won't happen again?

It was not John Sadler calling. By the way, Mike could be

watching live on Twitter right now.

You never know. So he could, he could, but it

really was, it was truly exciting and the Breeders Cup

even when it's home and you know, Churchill or Keeneland.

Boy, you just up against fall football.

Everything else going on? It's yeah, it's a lot tougher.

But boy, you know, I was a strong proponent.

I want to throw this into a lot of people.

I'm not, I don't say this to brag, I really don't.

But in the early 2000s. Several of my peers.

Scoffed when I proposed on the radio on our radio show, that

Keeneland should host the Breeders Cup and the Keeneland

would do an outstanding job and it would be super exciting to

have it in Lexington with the setting that is Keeneland truly

iconic Race Course. And they said it's too small and

can't do this. You can't do that.

All that was, you know, it's just like I knew they could put

nearly thirty five, thirty, eight thousand on a regular day

on a Saturday, in the fall and not even trying that just people

had showed up and it could have been a daily double day where

the Kentucky Wildcats were playing that night and then

there will be tons of people there.

Yeah. Well I think that's what's so

interesting. And again, with it being a

Keeneland, it just brings the whole first off the British cops

about the Iseman celebrating, the, the industry.

So it is dry deliberation for The Horseman and you know,

that's where the sales are. And that's just, it's just

overall, just kind of brings a whole thing full circle.

I mean, you got people that are literally leaving their Barns

and just driving the 15-20 minutes and coming to Keeneland

and just such a cool celebration from that standpoint and they

did a great job. I mean, that all three of them,

they've done a really good job at been outstanding.

So, all right. EJ again because of you, I get

an eclipse of would vote for the first time.

So part of what, part of what we do is we educate what the

eclipse, our Wards are to our listeners.

And even the people who I think follow horse racing, I think

there's some confusion about really what they are.

And who is eligible? So, first off our instructions

said, basically, if a horse ring and then in United States or

Canada one time, they're eligible for the eclipse award,

that is correct. Now, what is your definition of

On what the eclipse award actually is like, is it?

Mine definition of the eclipse awards for the different

categories and what it's about is your choosing The outstanding

horse in each category. Now, I have a vote do, does that

mean? It's really easy to pick in some

categories. It is for the juveniles, the two

juveniles easy, you know, CIB the human Village and say, Clark

here, I'll give you an example. Now, later on later on, Mike,

when you get into some of these other categories, it gets tough.

No question on flight line with the year older older male.

No question about that. You know the horses 646 right?

And he destroyed the field in the Pacific classic by 19 plus

length. He came back, it was only eight.

That's a, that's a record margin in the Breeders Cup Classic and

that eclipsed, a triple Crown and Grand Slam winner being

American pharoah. And honestly, it probably could

have been more. They probably even more

stunning. It's phenomenal.

It's incredible. Jumping up and down.

Yeah. And that was a Keeneland, folks

love it. Now yes, I'm a homer.

Born and raised in Louisville. Do I let you know, am I going to

promote horse racing in the Kentucky Derby and the triple

crown? And yes.

Yes, of course without question, but Again, getting back to what

I was about to say for I got off the track there, it is about

choosing the best horse in that category.

So that what you take into consideration?

The Calibre of races that they won.

Great ones grade to eighth. Grade 3s the company they beat

the times they ran in. For me it is not just because a

horse has a grade one over another horse and for the

trainer because too many variables with that, right?

I mean she's horses have bad days.

Just like if you ask me it's easy for the trainer and the

jockey will come back to that. So I want him to think about

that. Now, let me make this case.

Here for the two outstanding two-year-olds.

Without a doubt. Breeders Cup juvenile win.

Jurors are without a doubt. First of all, it's Forte, hold

on. Before you go too far in this.

EJ are, we're tasked by the way. So people know what our vote is

is we basically have got to rank number 1.

Number 2, number 3, kind of like what they do with the Heisman

vote and he's just one of these categories and then they do a

point system based off how you rank these three horses.

So you were going to talk about the two year old males and I

think you were getting ready to talk about Forte who would be on

the number one line. For me as well in that in that

situation, he is that he is at the top.

He's huge at the top Cave, Rock from California and blazing

Stevens. Here's why.

Okay, Forte no question. 3. Grade ones in a row, starting

with oval. And then the breed is Futurity

at Keeneland at a mile and the 16th same distance comes back.

And he improved by the way, in the Breeders Futurity at

Keeneland logins, did all the heavy work in the race and he

only Will Forte only wins by a neck logins.

Just ran his heart out, didn't come back there, saving him,

he's down in Ocala right now. First of all, rest.

Here at Ortiz. I mean, just another brilliant

ride in with takes another horse and take some along without

question. Keeneland sale graduate.

Violence is the, is the sire. He's there, he beats Cave Rock.

First loss comes in from California.

He'd won the American pharoah. He'd won.

The Del Mar Futurity. Those are great ones.

He won them impressively, all three of us starts.

He finishes his two-year-old campaign 344.

And by the way, that's Michael Pegram, mr.

Watson and also Watson, and Weidman are the other 20.

Is but Mike Pegram, helped launch, Kentucky Winner's

Circle, grew up in French Lick, not friends, like but Evansville

area, Indiana and was born in Fort Knox.

So he's he's just a great guy. You know, I wished him well in

The Paddock Before the Race but Cave Rock had to ship in and you

know you will hear from him. Okay.

Why don't people going into that race EJ?

Thought Cave, Rock could have be, could be a super horse.

I mean, I think he found, I mean, so the 40 win.

Although not completely unexpected.

I mean, the horse did go off at 12:55 and the Breeders Cup but

was coming off, I mean, to other grade one wins.

So three grade one wins already has a two-year-old It's

impressive and it looks like Forte's going to go.

The Florida route to the Triple Crown.

So we'll have to just keep an eye on what happens there with

what Forte. Yeah.

And you know, Todd Pletcher, Micra Poli I mean cut they had a

super year micro Poli. Get a load of this from from the

Travers. Okay they went he had eight

great one wins from the time of the drivers to the Breeders Cup.

Grade ones phenomenal, phenomenal and mode on ago, of

course, one the Travers and then had an injury and, you know, had

to be retired, they were going to try to bringing back but

yeah. Anyway, alright, so I'm with you

on Forte. I'm, I think I'm with you on

Cave. Rock on either of my, two of my

three line. I don't think I can completely

discount. This is where it gets kind of

weird with the two-year-olds is because we've got these tur

forces. I thought Mischief magic and

Victoria Road. Look Really good on the Breeders

Cup Friday and I think they deserve to be in the discussion

for one of those top spots. So especially Mission magic to

me, I thought Mischief magic came in and just ran a really

good race and then you know, how did the little head one little

hiccup? But when you got a horse in can

win and we talked about this, Misha magic did something that

no other European turf wars has been able to do by winning that

Turf Sprint because those those two year old Turf forces in

Europe run in a straight line. They've never Verdun a turn

before and Mission magic came over the United States and

became headset. Like again, set did history

create a history and did something that no horses ever

done before no European shippers ever, come a few good to point

that out and again, you know, Owned by the dolphin, what a

great year they had again in the not only in the regular seasons

but in the Breeders Cup once again, I like the instant coffee

to you know, he I was there on the Kentucky Jockey Club day on

the 26th of November and I thought it was very, very

impressive with Louisa is writing to, he wrote him both in

the Breeders Futurity and then they brought him back.

Back and he ran against Forte and logins.

But this is a horse that actually finished for that day,

came back and won very, very impressively and last year and

last few years actually, the that race has been a very key

race for the two-year-olds going forward into the road to the

Kentucky Derby. I'm glad you put the turf horse

in there. I got to be honest with you.

Overlook that horse? Yeah.

Well let's talk about those fillies because you think the

Filly again, if you're going to true to form and then you like

Wonder Wheel and I think the first question, I think the

Phillies could be completely wide open because we go into the

Breeders Cup, the two, top selections in the Breeders Cup.

Juvenile fillies finished second last and last Wonder Wheel was

the fourth choice, One race know.

Question. I don't think that was a

particularly great Breeders Cup, juvenile fillies, but you've got

these other horses. And you mentioned some of these

other races that kind of been really good indicators for

future success. And who look, who look good.

This horse, Hoosier Philly. Oh my God.

Yeah, Mike might, if I'm going by the eyeball test EJ again,

and this is like, I think when people get frustrated by the

eclipse Awards is because it's not like we go buy one formula,

it's like, okay, I'm always going to To take you had in the

most grade, one wins are always had the most earnings or

whatever else. I mean, the eyeball test felt

goes into this and if I, if you ask me, who's the most

impressive two year old Filly that we saw, who's your

Phillies? Probably it for me, Julia,

shining wins. The demos L which that race has

been a huge indicator of future success.

Yeah, Milan an eighth. Yeah, right into exactly.

And and then you know you have one But you also get you again

the other going back to the turf idea.

Meditate was awesome in the Breeders Cup on the in the

juvenile Turf. Juvenile, truly curve.

So I don't know man, I put some but you like wonder will without

question. So I'm setting the stage there.

Go for it. I like Forte.

Who won the Breeders Futurity and came back and won the

Breeders Cup juvenile Wonder Wheel one.

The alcibiades a grade. One at Keeneland came back and

ran and ran another big race. Now that that's a big thing for

me though. Remember that Hoosier Philly?

It didn't run and I'm actually I really love her and she's my

early favorite for the for the other day.

I was there and, you know, we talked to Tommy Amos for her

impressively win. The Goldenrod by five and I

think she could have want a lot more.

I'm telling you and she is so impressive, she's super fast and

she's a daughter of into Mischief.

Keeneland graduate, she is going to be huge, he was telling

anybody that was listening on the air off the air.

This is the best horse he's ever trained.

Tommy was saying that it's okay to walk.

Huge. Okay.

Okay, but when you look at Wonder Wheel, let's go back to

Mark hasse and Wonder Wheel who by the way, Wonder Wheel and a

few other things logins, they're all down in Ocala right now.

Mark's got a, he's got a farm down there and so they're

they're resting before they, you know, decide what where they're

going to go. Easy choice for me for four

five. Back-to-back grade ones.

And you know, it was it was just Three Links the margin over.

Leave no trace of Raging Sea, which was a horse.

I was looking at pretty strongly, but she was steaks

placed grade one in the spin away, one the debutante.

So she was running early in the year at Churchill Downs.

And, and then the broker Maiden first asking at Churchill Downs.

I just think that she put together now.

You remember, It's the campaign for me as well.

I mean, what do they do? You know, did they?

You know, we've got some horses that impress me that run didn't

run the same racetrack twice, but this Filly was 445.

And, you know, she was running the whole year.

So for me, Mike, that's the Easy Choice there.

Okay. Now, you know you go back to 40,

there's a good chance that mr. Rupali Why?

And Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher. Want to come back and and bring

him back in the grade 1. Toyota Bluegrass Stakes.

It's already got two victories over the course, right?

Or do they run him in the Florida Derby or somewhere else?

We don't know. It's something.

I don't even like to speculate, even at this time of year, I

guess you're going to find out how much he likes.

The trackball streaming in the fountain of youth.

I mean, that's in determine what's the next step is to me

or, and For Wonder Wheel, where will she go?

Maybe she goes to the fairgrounds, maybe she starts

there, maybe she starts at Gulfstream.

I would think those would be the two most likely places.

It's always interesting to me to kind of watch that how that

unfolds and what horses go where.

And you know, and how that, that whole selection process, it's a

really kind of underrated kind of thing to start following

like, who's avoiding who's looking for their best shot to

get points and how they're going to the whole, the whole process

and Yeah, but definitely in something for us to pay

attention to. So, all right, I want to can we

did you have your? So you're big on Wonder Wheel

there who are your other two that you're going to go with and

I'll let me sorry about the noise there.

I probably didn't prepare you very well for that.

By the way, you probably were just give me your one and didn't

know about the other actually, Hoosier, Philly.

And again, who's your Philly right now based on the Golden

Rod? Win is my early oats favorite

without a doubt? She She's she ran a phenomenal

race. I mean, he had to be impressed

and then you got chop chop who ran in the alcibiades and Chop

Chop. Also ran against Wonder Wheel.

It wasn't her day. Is she was bumps yet some

trouble. I just think she's just flat

that day. And for me if you'd like

chop-chop, she's she's by city of light.

And a Giant's Causeway mayor by the name of grand.

Sofia, I don't know if she wants to go a mile and an eighth.

I really don't we'll find out Brad Cox will you know find the

right spot for her certainly wasn't her day and but I but I

like the way she ran and she started out at Ellis Park on the

turf and then XI 1 and XI 1 narrowly.

In the juvenile fillies half million dollar race at Kentucky

Downs on a yielding track. So you know, Turf and dirt.

She's in there in my vote so I just was impressed with her.

And you know here again not really giving the European

horses much Credence because are they going to show up in the,

you know? In the three-year-old races,

maybe later, maybe later in the season, just the way I look at

it, but preference. Okay, let's let's do the three

year old females before the three year old males, and I

think the three year old males is going to be a conversation.

And Twitter's, any application Yesterday, by the way, I don't

know if your yours because it's probably going to differ from.

Well, I don't know about that mean.

You know, I can see but I can see both sides of it.

I just think, you know, I'm just Only thing that's a really good

three-year-old class if you want my honest to take it.

So you're looking at a lot of time ago, curtain argue with

you. I don't think it was very good.

No. So let's but the Three Little

Filly to me, it's pretty easy. I mean, I know.

See girls came into the Oaks won that race really didn't do much

after that. You were an agreement at this is

Nest, right? I mean, yes.

All the way. Yeah.

Again, it's not. It's not a hard choice.

No. Who you got second?

I really like matter area just her as well you know matter a

obviously didn't run well in the test.

So as far as just like again, going kind of with Althea

eyeball, I love with matter. I did all year long.

I would have liked to seen more out of secret.

Oaths, for me to feel good about putting her in the top three.

She did. Of course when the Oaks but one

of the Oaks win the Derby or not the same thing.

But then I think you look at Society I mean Society was

phenomenal. And so if I'm looking at my

three. You know, Echo Zulu had a great

year. I would put on, I would go with

Nest easily up top, probably Society number two in battery.

A number three, I would go. And I'm actually changing up

here because matter is a home bread from good dolphin daughter

upon near the Nile. You gotta remember that she won

three graded stakes in a row. She went from the Beaumont at

Keeneland. In the spring, the eight Bells

Derby week at Churchill Downs. And the grade one Acorn, which

is always a very important race for me.

So, I have to give her, I have to give her number two.

Now, when you come back to the Oaks winner secret oath, you

have to remember that she ran against boys in the Arkansas

Derby and the Preakness. And, and she also got me.

Narrowly beaten for second by Barbara Road.

Just just nipped her for second at the wire.

She was running phenomenal races in the, the two stakes out

there, the Martha, Washington, and the honeybee leading up to

the Arkansas Derby. She trained like lights out.

And then she wins The Oaks and then she runs second in the CCA,

and she ran the Preakness against the boys ran for cheer

an incredible race there, for sure, against early, voting

epicenter great administer. So, yeah, I mean, you know, I

think she's got to be, I think she's got to be in the top

three. Okay, so down, I can't, I can't

argue that. All right, so when we look at

the boys side because this again, this is where I think the

eyeball test with a Center epicenter.

Looks the part checks. All the boxes as you said

earlier, epicenter wins the Traverse.

We had a year where we had four different winners between those

Grace's, The Oaks that, I mean, the Derby, the Belmont, the

Preakness and the Traverse epicenter, you know, the knock

theme that, that's the only grade one win.

Is that Traverse take Stakes doesn't mean that the other

races obviously, the Jim Dandy is a great to which is really

good race. Louisiana Derby is a great to

which Is a great race and they just happen not to be great

once. When we think about who should

be in the conversation before we kind of go to our rankings

epicenter, should be in the conversation.

Should jack Christopher be in the conversation?

He was for about 10 seconds with me.

I would agree. And he had a great year, but

epicenter has to be my topic without a doubt, okay?

In the reason is, is because of what we said coming into the

Kentucky Derby as the favorite winning the Risen star, I can in

the lecompt to call me midnight, you know, and that and that's

back in January and really that horse just ran the best race of

his career as it turned out and then to win the Louisiana Derby.

So he dominated. He was beaten ahead in the comp

so he dominated that series of races at the fairgrounds the

surface very much like Churchill Downs.

Comes in the runs a good second. If the if the the speed and the

way the race sets up, Rich strike doesn't get past him.

Rich, stripe, Rich strike. Had the perfect setup.

Oh, yeah! 81 still the perfect setup.

Again, the horse that won the Derby was Summers tomorrow woman

who became Rich strike, just benefit off Summers of Tomorrow

setting that pace and literally, if you watch that overhead shot

EJ, when summer is tomorrow, is dropping back.

And when the rich strike is going forward, Summers tomorrow,

actually like creates that lane on the rail for a rich strike to

make that move and go right. That rail.

I mean Summers tomorrow isn't in their race which strike doesn't

win. The doesn't win.

I'll go too. I'll go to bat for that all.

It's all about the trip, isn't it?

Yeah, it's up to speed. It's about the pace.

It's about the trip. And again, here's my, here's my

three. Let's see if you agree with my

second choice, Mike and duffel. Okay, CyberKnife, okay, and then

three is table. Now, let me start with table

first. Tabor brilliant at Santa Anita.

But maybe the horse can't read the racing form.

And you know what? They're writing about him, we

all know that. Here's the point, when you, when

you start You know, saying a horse is Brianne after two races

or three races. To me as a racing fan, you're

putting a lot of pressure on a slightly raised horse.

Now maybe the horse doesn't feel that pressure.

Okay. Again, they're not you know,

They're not watching fan deal dual TV and everything or

whatever. So but I couldn't I just you

know when you start anointing go horse after one or two races.

I know I think I think he's going to be a great horse as a

four-year-old. Let me, let me just say that and

you can't take anything away from his victories and it's an

Anita race, which was great. Now, let me go to CyberKnife and

tell you why he's a clear second choice for me.

First of all, how about this three?

Double digit buyer figures now. He was beaten ahead to Cody's

wish and Cody's wishes long shot in there as we know.

But you know in In it. Cody's wish a great feel-good

story. Love it.

But to me, you know, it was just tough.

It's a tough beat when you when you get beat ahead and, you

know, he did make make the lead in the stretch and everything.

And the Travers, second to epicenter wins the Haskell wins,

the mat win. That was a confidence Builder,

they gave him a Churchill Downs. After the Kentucky Derby wins

the Arkansas Derby. Very very impressively.

So he showed up he really did, he showed up first race was to

throw out against of call me midnight in the Lo comp steaks

and then boy, did he ever improve?

I thought he He impressed me. So again, it is the fact of I

look at the whole year and then That's my decision.

I would put in my third place would be CyberKnife or modern

games. I'm not sure, which one's going

to be there. It's gonna be sad when I for

modern games. Okay?

My 12 is going to come down to table and epicenter and table

from E55, triple digits, be figures.

And three, grade one wins. And that to me this horse, I set

it on the air at when we were out at Keeneland for Breeders

Cup shows. I think table wins the Breeders

Cup Classic in 2023. And I think the way that that

horse has improved throughout the end of the year, and we saw

yesterday, looked fantastic. Yesterday tape.

And, again, from the only argument that I'll even like, do

I think of epicenter table ran a race against each other, that

epicenter wins. Well right now, I'll tell you,

it depends if it's a one turn or to turn, but tables.

Now, one racist, two turns, and one turns, and one grade 1 races

with to turn in. Learn from a versatility

standpoint, whatever else I love table, I would have loved us.

You know? I was I'm I feel like in this

and this voting I was waiting for everyone just to do

something a little bit more. I was hoping that rich strike

would have won the Clark. I was hoping that I was I think

at the end of the day we're strike, probably never should

have run in the Breeders Cup. Classic should have just focus

on the Clark if we if he wins the sorry, Anna.

Hey, by the way, small note, I'd never done the walk over for the

Clark handicap. Remember.

My last name is Clark. It's, you know, never done that

walked over filmed a little bit of Rich strike.

I was so happy. I did that.

I really it's a great story. Yeah, you know, I hope they

keeping I hope they keep him run because I raised was going to

turn out to be a very good horse.

Yeah, we have a great four-year-old season.

You could have a yeah, fantastic one.

And you knows and and I was waiting for him to show me what

he had and he got my land that that wasn't there.

You know, the only person, the only horse I feel.

Like is like steadily improving. And it's poised to have just

this unbelievable four-year-old season is table.

So I do question about that. I'm looking at this and, you

know, if it's a, if it's a, if it's a classic distance and both

horses are healthy, even though table was the the three-year-old

that finished the highest in the Breeders Cup Classic, but we

know the epicenter got injured, I'm just feeling like hey, you

know, I don't know, it's I've undecided right now EJ on

whether or not Not I'm going to put table in the one-liner

episode of one line, but those will be my top two horses.

Epicenter is going to be my top horse.

Again he danced all the dances from January all the way to the

Breeders Cup Classic. I was hoping that we were going

to get the same as a four-year-old.

And of course he was pulled up and Joel Rosario, the regular

Rider again did a kind of a Gary Stevens, type thing, when Gary

Stevens had to pull, pull up a three-year-old years and years

ago and you know, just really knew something was wrong.

Mike and got him pulled up and and Vandy of off the track had

to retiring. But he's going to be a, he's

going to be a very nice stallion for all those people, Ron,

Winchell and Winchell Thoroughbred.

So we'll see what happens. I'll be monitoring, he's got a

good chance to win another category.

So I'll probably hold modern games off until that category

comes. Okay.

Okay. Now, we talked about this

earlier, but I know that you want to specifically talk about

another horse in this in this, this is the older dirt male

candidates this white line, there's no argument Olympiad, by

the way, I think, at an unbelievable year.

Oh yeah, most years is totally deserving is Olympia.

I will be my number two and my number two as well.

Okay. And then after that, Number

three, I think you go a lot of different ways.

I think you you want to talk about Country Grammar.

I know a little bit Jackie's Warriors their life is good mind

control, even all those horses. Probably you can make a case for

in that three spot for me, it's for me again, this is kind of

probably going more author, the eyeball.

I thought I freaking hate how, how life is good?

Just could not show up in the Breeders Cup, Classic really at

all, but life is good, will be my third pick.

So, So well, let's go back to life as good because as you

said, when you get to, when you get to one and two and then you

start looking at three and easily could be five or six

sources for me, they had one choice with life is good.

They had to go to the front. They had don't know if it was

the plan. Obviously, wasn't the plan to go

that fast, right? But nonetheless, they had the

they made a decision to go immediately.

Lee and take it to Flightline. Sometimes it works.

Sometimes it doesn't that's horse racing.

A brilliant horse. Fantastic horse could you know

love love is campaign love what he did but when you look at what

Flightline did and you know when you put two races together like

the Pacific classic in the Breeders Cup, Classic to me that

separates him. Oh yeah, Olympiad runs a good

second later on he's retired and so he's gone.

And I'd love to have seen him come back, loved his race, his

win in the Stephen Foster, you know, and he had a heck of a

year and I wish I'd have bet a lot more money on it, which I

didn't, but I liked him a lot. I said, leading up to the

Breeders Cup Classic. This is the overlooked horse

right here. No, yeah, everybody's

concentrating on life is good and Flightline.

Did you want to mention Country? Grammar at all here and talk

about in really, for me, Mike, it comes down to Country Grammar

who were going to see next year. And I'm so happy about that.

It really, it really comes down to him and Well, life is good

and a couple other horses in here.

Yeah. So I haven't made up my mind on

three. I don't know what I'm gonna have

to think about that, and I have to look go back and look at them

again. All right.

The the older dirt female for me is, is not even a question

either. Yeah, we have a, we have an

unbelievable horse in mouth. That.

Yeah, absolutely. Now again I think you get to

wear who is that the 23 line? I mean this Louis and I talked

about this to you and I might have even started talking like

this before I got on the shows with Lily like if you want to

love horse racing fall in love with the Phillies and mayor's

because you're going to see these horses run several times

and have these long careers and we had mouth add right there.

The overlooked horse from me and this in this field is probably

good night. Olive who was undefeated in 2022

with to grade. One wins, probably deserves.

Probably number three for me. If I'm if I'm looking at this

and then enter another category, you got her another and this

print category. Yeah, yeah.

I'm but I'm, I'm putting Clary are who.

I'm putting Clary, are too. Maybe but you can make it.

You can make an argument for blue stripe, you can make it.

I mean, you can make it, you can make a case just like with that

Breeders Cup distaff, when we were hanging cavemen

handicapping that on the air, it's like you can take your case

for everything only sources except for long, yes to win the

race and you know, look triskele wraps up, a fantastic career,

but did not have a great 2022. Kind of the same thing with

pauling's pearl. Probably, because we were hoping

to get a little more from her. She, there's a devil only.

He gets to one wind search results but this is because all

these horses were beating each other and mouth that was by far.

The star that Rose above everyone, but I'm going to go

mouth that Clary are good night off.

Well, for Shadwell, stable for Todd Pletcher, Malla thought.

Just this was a Hall of Fame, right?

Even though it was just a nose victory for Johnny Velasquez.

I'm telling you remember the it was a little mud out there.

And for this daughter of curling, she won three grade

ones in a row personal Ensign, Saratoga spinster at And and

then coming back to win the Breeders Cup.

Distaff an Oaks winner Ogden Phipps.

She ran a good second to Bonnie Sal.

She just had a fantastic year for me.

It was easy. Now let me tell you that in the

paddock, look, I looked up at Johnny and he had all these

goggles on Now that told me for sure that she was going to come

from off the pace. And she did, she was 67, they're

not way back right? Taking some dirt there and

taking some mud and everything and he time to write he timed

her perfectly in the paddock at Keeneland.

I kept looking at number two, blue stripe.

Yeah and I said to myself, she wins the prize for best looking

Philly in The Paddock and I didn't go back to the windows

Mike and load up on our like out should have said of yeah cause

she ran a huge race against mouth.

Ah yep. We actually have our own good.

Yep. And she was coming off a grade 1

Victory at Del Mar in the CL. Hirsch.

She had a great year as well so she is going to and this is

tough Mike that making these you know matroska racing at six was

getting tired. Okay.

Still give a good account of her cell you know search results.

She dares the devil pauling's Pearl like you said they were

beating each other. Goodnight Olive is going to be

my top pick in the Sprinter category.

So I'm going to Hold her out, fantastic.

Clary are could be mentioned and you know, I didn't write third

down, so I'm hedging my bets. I haven't decided.

All right, well, let's move on to the Sprint category for male

Sprint, male Springs going to be kind of interesting to you, you

got Jack, Christopher Jackie's warrior in there again, Jackie's

Warrior inability to show up at the Breeders Cup.

Two years in a row. Probably I may be because I've

lost money on Jackie's where you're not showing for the

Breeders Cup. I'm a little bitter but Cody's

wish is in this Village bitter. Mike.

That's okay. What's that?

Could be a little better? Maybe a little bit better.

I just thought the story behind Cody's wish Cody's wish when for

street races to grade ones in a great three.

You know, I'm going to go with Cody's wish.

Number one, I want that dream. I want that, I want that story.

Free to continue. Yeah I think that Cody wish

course there's the be that male Sprinter of the year and then

when you look at those last couple spots I'm going to go

Jack Christopher number two, I feel like I feel like with that

horse, they just never could really figure out exactly what

that horse should do that, that to me is a one horse, and that's

exactly where he needs to be and then I'll go Jackie's, Warrior

number three. Well I am I'm going back and

forth between Cody's wish in Jackie's wire, okay?

I love Jackie's wire and you're right when I came to the

Breeders Cup. You know, he couldn't get it

done. Couldn't find the Winner's

Circle for go at Saratoga. You were in a ran a good second

to Cody's wish. Look at those buyer figures. 109

105 in the Vanderbilt. He win.

Truenorth 107. Churchill Downs, The Churchill

Downs grade 1 on Derby week. 105 buyer is horse.

Just ran very, very impressively.

I'm gonna I think I just convinced myself after saying

that that I'm going to put him in there.

I'm going to put him on top. And I'm going to put Cody's wish

the second. Now this is going to surprise

you the third because Jackie's Jack, Christopher Speakers

Corner, like a nice case for them.

I'm going to go with golden, pal.

I don't think that at all. I mean, I think that's totally,

you're doing great. He had a, you know, a great year

and Errata Ortiz. Again, just showing up and doing

everything. His, you know, they sent him

over to Royal Ascot and, you know, he had a bad trip that

day. It wasn't his day, you know, he

was away. Lowly had to, you know they

rushed him up a little bit. I actually come to the Breeders

Cup and he runs another bad race and here's why because there was

some discussion and never got it straight.

Did the asit, one of the assistant starters, hold onto

him a little too long before let him go.

Oh I don't know. I haven't heard that.

Well there was some discussion about that at any rate, it

wasn't his day and he was, he He was off slowly and you know,

when you're running in a five and a half for a long race,

there's no margin for error hardly unless you're just

Pegasus and a super horse, you know, right?

So so he loses to, but the son of Old Uncle Mo for Wesley,

Warden, did it fantastic job as four-year-old to me?

I'm putting him third. Okay, I don't mind that at all.

Let's move on to the females. Front and we already said, I

think both of us are going to go good night.

All of them. The on the one line Olive

trishula I do want to mention Caravel here just because

Caravelle win against the boys in the Breeders Cup Turf Sprint.

Uh-huh. And and one that was at the big

long shot of the day. It almost 43 21.

I think I screwed up. Everyone's picked six tickets.

So caramel goes in and wins that race.

And you know I just there just wasn't enough outside of that

race for me to really consider Caravelle.

I In this category, especially when you have matter area in

this as well. So good night off, one battery,

at to you, when you look at that third line, you know, you

another horse that we're going to say goodbye to.

You is CC, who had an amazing career.

I can see her on the three line. I can see Echoes ULU and I could

see putting Caravelle on that three line as well.

So where did you go with this field?

Right? With you on one and two?

No. Yeah, absolutely.

I'm going with Echo Zulu. Okay, I love this filly.

When you look at what she did, I think she ran as hard as she

could, she won the fairground. Oaks she won the Dogwood in the

Kentucky. Oaks, you know, she came in

there and this was a brilliant Philly, by the way, as a

two-year-old as you know, and so they they waited, you know, they

waited till March 2 Runner or first race was in the fairground

Oaks and she didn't disappoint as a favorite.

She won by a nose over hidden connection.

So, I really think that for her campaign for races, two wins and

and running second good. Not good night, Olive.

I really think she deserves to be in the top three Mike and she

just he's just a very, very talented Philly.

For Steve asked me is when I think they did a great job with

her and you know again or her races, you know she was third

fourth in the Oaks against secret oath who ran huge as we

know and nest and you know, those two there and Only beaten

Three Links in the Oaks. So I just think if you put all

those things together, she has to be my third choice in there.

All right, we're going to move on to the male Turf candidates

for me. This is number one, is going to

be modern games. We did not see modern games run

a lot in North America. Only got the one win in the

Breeders Cup. Turf my on the Breeders Cup

miles, excuse me. I could have also seen

potentially some votes going to nation's Pride.

We loved should be banned but never could really get it going

in the United States. Gufo with his mama has

Specialties throughout the year Golden Palace there.

Again, modern games to me, those at the top of this list and

that's where I'm going to settle in and then and then I'll

probably follow in with nation's Pride to and Rebels romance, who

won the Breeders Cup Turf to be my third pics dr3, where your

ribs with modern games. Charlie Appleby comes into the

Breeders Cup again, as another Great Breeders Cup.

Like you did the year before at Del Mar and another another big

campaign for good dolphin. But all three of those horses, I

mentioned, by the way, to Charlie Appleby horses.

Yeah. He had a pretty good year.

Yeah. He had a hit at another pretty

good year. And so as you know, as you take

a look at them, now I'm I'm going to hedge my bets a little

bit. Because yeah, you know, with

with Charlie Appleby and Gaddafi they had, they had a great year.

I'm going back and forth again. When you look at, I might throw

in Golden pal in there again just you know just a little

insurance policy to say that, you know, I likes and teens

campaign, it's not it's not good enough e, you know, when the

Arlington million. That's a great one.

The turf classic is a grade one. I think he deserves to be in the

discussion there. Rebels romance.

Again, as you said another, Charlie Appleby horse Breeders

Cup. Turf winner.

Yeah, it's kind of hard to go against em nation's Pride.

So uh, you know it's where am I going to go for second and third

yeah, words as I just mentioned but I'm going to hold

performances to me are the turf third really tough.

I think the turf categories are really tough and being I mean

because they're all All over the place.

You know and I just we're not we're not separating out

sprinters and distance horses and it's just there.

There's a lot to consider and it's hard to compare them.

I mean I think without question these are the probably the

toughest categories especially when you get to those.

Number two, and number three, spots from me on for the males

and the females couldn't agree with you more very tough.

Very tough to it. And again let's let's remind

you. We are asked as voters To have

three horses in each category, right?

And, you know, I think it's a great system, the way they do it

and everything and again hats off to Daily Racing Form in tra

and The national Turf writers and broadcasters.

Those are groups that take care of the voting for the eclipse

didn't mention. It's the 26 of 20 23, January

26. It's a 52nd annual at the

breakers and Palm Beach. And I don't know if I've been at

the breakers or not, they've been having having it at

Gulfstream Park last few years and I was able to actually

attended a few years ago at Gulfstream Park.

So you are talks I did not wear a tux.

I wore a dark suit with a solid black tie and a new pair of

black cowboy boots. They were they were not just

your regular day-to-day pair of cowboy boots, you know.

All right, so let's move on to the female Turf candidates.

This is again, another just really interesting category for

me because if Of ask me EJ. If you would have said in June

or July, who's going to win the female chair?

If I would have been like it's going to be Bleecker Street

Bleecker. Street gonna be this, yeah,

press of horse. She goes and Diana.

She obviously does not perform. I never, we never really heard.

If she got hurt or whatever happened to her exactly in the

Diana's, I don't know if you did EJ, she got silent and then they

basically retired her and we never saw her again, but she was

dominant. And those first five races of

2022 as Domino's, any Philly, I feel like he's been in this in

this category. I don't know if that's enough

for her to be considered because she we only got really got that

half a year from her and she's obviously not going to not

racing anymore. But when you look at this, like

when you look at this field, you know, you had Gina Romantica who

was, who won four out of seven races, you had Caravelle again,

he was the launch out who stepped and be the boys in the

church Sprint. You got Regal Glory here.

You've got an Italian, who probably might be the fastest

out of all these horses. You know, this this field for

this was by far, my toughest overall category.

So who did you go with you? Talk to me that you actually do.

We know who, we haven't mentioned a lot directly in all

this is Chad Brown, right? This has so many great winners

and great horses on the turf. So for me, I am looking at Regal

Glory. Okay, you didn't mention warlike

god, well, as well goddess. Yep.

And certainly, you know, for Bill mot this, you know, she ran

third in the Breeders Cup. Turf and against Rebels romance

and Stone Age. So that was that was an

impressive race for her. You know, she did get it done,

she had a, you know, she'd come off a grade 1 Victory in the

turf, classic it at Belmont at the aqueduct, you see it in your

program is baq, that's Belmont. Yeah, the Needed Aqueduct.

Yeah because they you know we're working on Belmont Park and so

it's going to be interesting to see what Belmont looks next year

for hoping to go by life. The first time, I've never been

somehow Armijo, I'm hoping to go to the Belmont this year.

You never been to the Belmont know, you're going to enjoy it.

You're going to enjoy on Long Island, Elmont New York.

Yeah, just you know, they pretty much concentrated Add to 90

thousand people. It's a big place, they needed an

upgrade badly and I'm glad that naira did.

We've been been to Belmont, but first trip to Belmont was

actually not for the Belmont Stakes but for the 95 Breeders

Cup, okay? And it was cold up there, but

Belmonts, beautiful. I haven't been there in a few

years but I want to go back. Alright, alright, so in this

category, the female Turf candidates as you said, you

know, Bleeker Street early on. I'm glad that the Lika who was

included in their you know in the voting and you know, she won

the Beverly D at Churchill Downs for Arlington million day.

The first time it ever been held first and only time, by the way,

because they've already decided Colonial Downs.

Now will be the new site for Arlington million day, but What

a great job they kept her at home.

Ford Alika proust, all just want to give them a shout out in

there. I'm going to go with Regal glory

on top and and not necessarily you know just checking all the

boxes. And you know you had to do this

or your speed figures or anything like that, I'm just

leaning toward Regal glory and I don't know, I'm just really

impressed. She you know, she She just

recently won The Matriarch, a grade one out there in

California, very impressively. And, you know, she she she ran a

Keeneland. She ran it in New York at

Saratoga and Belmont. and, So, she was running in grade one

company. All those, I should only ran in

one grade, 1 grade, 3 raised, right?

That was her first race at Gulfstream, this year, which she

won, she won the great one, Jenny Wiley.

One of my favorite race is on the turf at Keeneland by the way

in the and that is usually, you know, this is a you know, no

picnic and in those Turf races at chemo I'll tell you just a

game. She came back.

Back. And in one that s in the

four-star, Dave, the first lady, she was beaten the link to

another good race for her and then, you know, the Breeders Cup

mom, I'll throw it out. Yep.

That's where I'll put a line through it.

So, she's on top right there. By the way, on this list of

contenders that we have Chad Brown has seven of them.

Yeah. And almost every one of the ones

that we've mentioned. I mean, all seven of murder.

At the top of the list, and I do think that probably for me.

I'm going to go Bleecker Street 3 and between one and two, it's

going to be between regal regal glory in Italian.

I might let my Heritage, leave me one way or the other on that

boat, so we'll see, but but I think that's where I'm going to

settle into EJ. I'm gonna go with warlike.

Got a second Gina romantic author.

Okay, well, that is that wraps up our Fields.

We're not going to get into the horse and we just want to talk

about the horses. Like I said, tune in the rest of

this week, because Louis is going to be around with Ron

flattered at one time and, and John Sheriff.

So that's a pretty good, you're in.

Good company with flatter and Sherpa.

Yeah, I mean, that's sweet. Thank you.

Not only that, you know, I'm usually hibernation during this

time of year. Louis always makes fun of me

because I take some time off and so yeah.

Yeah, this is the rare show for me in December so but I

appreciate you coming on anything else that you want to

talk about or mentioned that happened this year in 2022.

And yeah, there's a couple of things.

Thanks, thanks for having me on, Mike, I really appreciate that.

You know what, what we saw. we saw a year where and and usually

is the case. We had we had some unfinished

business with Medina spirit so we finally we finally got the

rez even though the legal proceedings continued.

Whether or not Medina Spirit should have been disqualified

with a betamethasone with the very small amount.

But it the rules say no amount so hero.

Okay, what? What about zero don't you

understand, right. But anyway, put that aside.

So we were still, we started, we started the year with that, we

started the year and then we got resolution and And and then all

of a sudden, everybody's asking, especially Derby weeks with

CyberKnife with Brad Cox. Hey, you know, You've been

declared that the winning trainer of the Kentucky Derby.

What do you think? same answer every time didn't

get to enjoy it, didn't get, you know, we're not going to

celebrate, you know, the owners decide that, you know, They'll

just be low-key about it, you know still you know they're

still legal, proceedings are going on and there's still a

lawsuit and account of student and baffert serves his time.

He serves his 90 days. It is set up to where he cannot

participate anywhere and the Triple Crown And you know what,

I'm okay with that, I'm okay with that, I'm okay, that the

Kentucky racing commission, took their time in making a decision.

And we're you know, we're still the bathroom situation with the

triple crown with the Kentucky Derby.

Can't be there. Be 2023 with the horse.

Okay, no horse in the derby and then that's got some contenders.

He's got a lot of taste, a lot of contenders to begin with at

the top and and a whole bunch. He was running.

I'll tell you what the Arabian Night horse that we saw earlier.

Yeah. Wow.

Yeah, I mean, you know, he's just loaded up so, you know, you

get that resolved. And and so again you know not to

spend too much time on that but we see that that's the way we

started this year. We ended it with something that

racing needs. We're not going to see him run

as a five-year-old but racing needs Superstars.

We saw that in flight line. Yep.

We saw what Nest was all about when she went back to New York.

We saw a horse by the name of mold Donegal and you know if

this horse stays sound what could he be?

You know he wins at Travers. He wins the Belmont Stakes.

I'm sorry epicenter one the Travers at Trevor's yeah but

what could he be? And you know we had We had the

connections on and Jerry Crawford and had a nice podcast

with him talking about after, Oh, Donna won the Belmont

Stakes. So you know we had a different

winter early voting Rich strike mode article in the triple crown

and then don't epicenter. Therefore the yeah for the

Travers was nothing, you know. Yeah an epicenter wins the, the

midsummer Derby and, You know, came out pretty good.

I'm pretty happy with everything.

It didn't didn't like to see those affections but when I look

at the whole year Mike and I looked the way it ended, I'm

happy about it. I'm happy about, you know, horse

racing when I think there's a lot of people to who are

disappointed. We're not going to be flat line,

running word that you get this Superstar and then all the

sudden he just, you know, you can buy two and a half percent

of them for four million dollars in.

But the and you know who's two and a half percent that was that

came from Where's or bread? What you?

Yeah, I thought I saw you writing that check after, you

know, yeah, that chick in my Thoroughbred winning dreams.

But at the end of the day, like, you know what, you as a fan of

the sport, you know, I think we're starting to see this at

least with American pharoah, we're definitely seeing, what

Gunrunner we're seeing it with kerlun.

Like, if you love the horse fall in love with her babies, you

know, and then just right. You know, you got to, you got to

Look at it as a whole and just say, hey great, you know, I love

watching, you know, this horse is Dad run, I love watching this

horses. Mom run and just know that we

got some good ones coming down. I mean gunrunners having a huge

year, as a sire. We're just, we're just seeing

some incredible horses, come out and, and if you start to, like,

just pay attention to the breathing side, I think it's

really the past. But then, again, those fillies

and Mayors are going to get 2 or 3 Seasons out of them if not

for. So that's another.

You know what? Had the Phillies of Mayors and

step up and be the Zenyatta is in the superstars of the sport

that way. I think it's a lot of fun to you

know I asked Coast to erroneous at the end of the media event

after the Breeders Cup Classic is press conference and in he

came in there a little bit late and I really hadn't had a chance

to talk to him. He's course he and his brother

and their family have done. So well with the Won the

Breeders Cup, Classic twice in Kentucky, you know, 2018 and and

now in 2022 with flight line. And I asked him, I said, you

know, do you if you like with these horses that, you know,

can't get any better than this and it looked at me Mike and he

said, you know what several people have asked me that and

we're, you know, Oh, who knows? He said, we we when we won our

first big race when they first got into the game.

And somebody said enjoy this because it may not happen again

and now, you know, it's, you know, for them they've had, you

know, a lot of stars and a lot of great success and in the

Breeders Cup and he says to me you know maybe the next horse

they'd be the next door's is going to be bigger than flight

line or do something else. Remember they've never they've

never won a Triple Crown race out there in California and

their family, their dad after World War Two in 1945 in

Northern California, started out with table, grapes and citrus

fruits, and they have eight thousand acres in Northern

California. And part of it is a ranch which

gato EJ's attention, you know. So but Anyway, by the way.

Can I throw in a cheap plug? Do you mind are absolutely

unplug your show for sure? So go ahead and do that.

And we'll plug. There's two things last year.

I interviewed red Stegall read. Steve.

Y'all is the official poor Poet, Laureate of Texas.

He is just a great gentleman. He's a songwriter.

He's he's he did movies. Is our California in Hollywood

for a while and his younger days.

He hosts his own show somewhere. West of Wall Street on RFD-TV

Cowboy Corner, on the radio 150 stations.

First time, I got to interview him was actually in April of the

following year, but it didn't the show didn't air because we

were talking about the 4 sixes Ranch, which Mary and I visited

back. In 2016 before, you know,

Yellowstone came out. And so I wanted to talk to him

about the the, you know, Yellowstone and in the series

and other things. But he's one of these people

like Mike, Michael Martin Murphy, that's keeping the

Western culture music and genre alive, and I very much admire

them for that. So that's, that's a show that

part two of that there's one already but part two Is going to

be coming out, probably in January.

But before that happens I've got to get to the work on that Mary

and I attended the Texas Cowboys Christmas ball.

Oh wow. It started in the 1800's outside

of Abilene north of Abilene about 30 minutes is town called

Anson and it was started in a hotel and Michael.

Martin Murphy is played the in actually did did a song.

The Cowboy Christmas ball has played that for a number of

years and it was on our bucket list, Mike it.

There are certain rules about it which, you know, you'll find out

in the podcast and everything. But we've got video and, you

know, some different things. But to me it was it was way

above my expectations. If you know anything about this

old radio Cowboy, we, you know, we've been plugging the Western

thing for a long, long time. So that's like a great country

and western, oh, I love it. I mean, you know, I was a DJ I

was doing country. Radio for about about nineteen

eighteen years, I wanted to be a top 40 disc jockey as a kid

wanted to work at wa KY here in the Louisville area which went

away and came back and spend a great story.

And and first radio, gig was a vez 1069 here in the in the

Louisville Market is a part-timer, but You know, I love

all kinds of music. Mike.

I really do and I listen to all kinds of music, but yeah, you

know, I could go from, you know, Brooks and Dunn to the Doobie

Brothers and packing can, you know, it just just want to like

well EJ again thank you for coming on Kentucky.

Winner's Circle is available at almost anywhere.

We can get a podcast and DJ Stephanie other awesome projects

with his his love for the Lifestyle coming out pretty

soon. So stay tuned for that and I'm

sure that you'll be announcing those things shortly.

So look for if you love that Western culture EJ's going to be

your guy that you're going to follow.

You want to saddle up with this mic.

That's absolutely absolutely. I love it so EJ.

Thank you very much for everything that you've done for

me personally. But for coming on today and

you're welcome. Mike thank you for watch for,

you know, I enjoyed us working together.

You know we did that for off and on for about five years there's

a lot of fun lot of fun, enjoyed it appreciated hanging out with

you guys you and Louis at the Breeders Cup and a few other

folks and wish you the best. You guys are doing a great job.

Thanks for having me. It's been fun.

All right, we'll see you all next time on the horse racing.

Happy hour. You know we did that for off and

on for about five years there's a lot of fun lot of fun, enjoyed

it appreciated hanging out with you guys you and Louis at the

Breeders Cup and a few other folks and wish you the best.

You guys are doing a great job. Thanks for having me.

It's been fun. All right, we'll see you all

next time on the horse racing. Happy hour.