Dave Rodman | Maryland Million 2024

A man who will be calling horse races this weekend is Dave

Rodman. He's out there with the Maryland

Jockey Club, will be at Laurel Park for Maryland Million Day

tomorrow. Dave, so good to have you on.

I've been talking you up a little bit too much this week.

I think on the show, not, not, no, not to disparage you to

start the interview or anything, but just how much I enjoy your

calls and your race calls and all those things.

Happy Maryland Million. How are you doing?

I'm doing great and the weather's going to cooperate.

Thanks for having me on the show this morning.

Yeah, it's not a problem at all if people don't know very low,

very playable, 12% take out on the pick fives at Laurel Park.

So I cannot suggest enough frankly Dave, with the field

sizes, goodness gracious, this year I think people are going to

have some really great wagering opportunities.

You had to smile when it came. You know it came Dave, for post

position draws and those things to see so many names in the

entry box. Yeah, yeah.

The, the racing office has really done a great job.

Eleanor Alba, our stakes coordinator.

Of course, a lot of these horses are nominated for the Maryland

Million, but get, you know, getting them to run, especially

some who may not be based in Maryland, you know, convincing

them to come down and take the chance and showcase their, you

know, showcase their talent on Jim McKay, Maryland Million Day,

the man who started it all. And this is a format for

Maryland sired horses has been copied throughout the United

States. You know, various states, dozens

of tracks, and they've done this before.

I've recopied this format. Yeah, I, you know, I've gotten

to know the Maryland circuit a lot more as we started doing our

Road to the Preakness shows. And it is it is fascinating to

watch, Dave, how well organized the Maryland machine frankly is,

right where the the prep races for the Preakness get a furlong

longer every time they run right.

And you know, it's certainly that happens at Laurel before

the move to Pimlico for Preakness weekend.

But just how they organize the Maryland million as well.

I mean, it's it is it is. So it's so well put together.

I mean it, it's got to be frankly for you, easy to know

and and good to know that there's someone behind the

scenes organizing things in this manner.

We operate well, Preakness Day, of course, our biggest day in

Black Eyed Susan Day, the day prior was this really the third

largest day in Maryland racing and a day that brings everybody,

the breeding industry and the owners and all the farms and the

infrastructure that makes a horse racing what it is in

Maryland together. And Phoebe Hayes, who is a

horseman's relations director, has a big part in making it an

entertaining day as well. There's lots to do at post times

11:30, but virtually from 11:30 till up to the classic, we're

going to have something happening in between races as

well. Have pony races where the future

jockeys who you may see, you know, 10-15 years from now down

the line, we'll be riding. I'll have several pony races

tomorrow for the first time, we'll have corgi races.

And tomorrow we'll also spot a light.

I put the spotlight on Kay Marie Kreidel.

I'm not quite sure what she's going to do.

Probably show off one of her prize ponies, Kay Marie Kreidel,

famous in the Preakness for capturing Bodhi Express when he

unseated the rider at the starting in John, Alaska.

So she's going to do a little demonstration as well, something

different this year and a couple of other events on track events.

The Goshen Hounds, I believe, will be back again this year.

It's always very popular. So not only what's happening

with the actual races that people can bet on, but there's a

lot of things to keep people occupied, entertain, you know,

kids of all ages, so to speak. It's really a Family Day.

Dave Rodman with us is the track announcer at Laurel Park.

They have Maryland Million Day tomorrow.

Do you have a great Jim McKay story?

I'm sure there are 1000, but you've been, you've been around

the circuit long enough that certainly you got to spend time

with Jim. I've met him a couple of times

and the class is the word for him.

I mean, he was very, very humble.

But you know, big part of Maryland.

He lived here and came up with this concept, bringing all the

Maryland sired horses together in a big day and similar to the

Breeders Cup and making it a a big day.

You know he would. I think he would smile being the

39th running of the Maryland million.

Well, let's talk about some of these races.

You know, I I was looking at the later part of the card and I got

to say I don't know that I've run into a race this year.

We're ten months into it like this distaff.

It is incredibly difficult to pick out who's going to do what

when you get to Maryland million day yourself, Dave, and I know

you know, I've talked to you about your race, you know your

style and how you prep in those things.

You certainly handicap these races before you call them to,

you know, if it's an upset or something like that, you want to

reflect that in your call is is there, are you looking for

horses that are great at Laurel or are you just looking for the

best horses on a day like this? Well, I just, you know, I kind

of do my own figures and maybe take a look at how the pace

scenario is going to set up. And also a key to the Maryland

Million day is looking at trainer intent and how people

kind of gear horses to this particular day.

You know, they may have needed a race or two and the comeback.

They know they're going to run the horse in the Maryland

Million. So they'll start prepping.

You know, back in mid summer, a horse may may have had some time

away, a little bit of rest. And I mean, I'm glad you

mentioned that race at this staff, because my big price play

of the day tomorrow is in that race.

And I was going to mention it to you, whether you mentioned that

race or not. And here's kind of a prime

example of a horse maybe being prepped for a prime effort at a

big price and kissed by an Angel, a golden lad.

Philly outside draw in a big field for sure.

But you look at her, I mean, she was in really good form.

She won the Maryland Juvenile Philly back when she was a 2

year old and then ran well at Gulfstream.

And the glitter woman down there is first start as a three-year

old kind of tailed off a little bit.

They gave her some time away from March to August, needed the

race at Colonial Downs. May not have liked that track.

She ran poorly there a couple of times but came back here at

Laurel going a mile, which is a tough run and second wire

finished to run second at 7 to one behind a convincing 6th

length winner who ran a big figure that day.

This is a fourth back in the cycle for her and she is going

to like the seven for a long distance in this race and

there's plenty enough gun and go type speed in here.

If she can come back to one of her best races and I think she

actually may peak tomorrow. She's going to be closing in a

price. She's very ratable Philly in

here. I think Joanne Shankel Barnes

got her prime for a big price run tomorrow.

I hope she's 123. Angel Cruz gets the amount

there. 20 to one on the morning line is Kissed by an Angel, the

12 horse in race 10 at Laurel tomorrow.

That's one of those horses too, that you look and you see

optional claimer next to their previous race.

And I you have to remind people on these, on these stakes days,

especially with the state bed programs, if you're used to

being in Kentucky, you know, we don't have this kind of day.

This is a very normal sort of progression for a horse like

Kissed by an Angel. The classic is next.

It's race 11150 in the Kitty here, a mile and an eighth save

start line is there is a finish line there, Laurel on the mile

and an eighth track. Another Dave.

I mean, goodness gracious, another wide open one here.

You know, I think a Mosler time will get a bunch of money in

here. Maybe, maybe a market maven.

Do you have another long shot here?

Are you going to try to chalk out here?

Yeah, just remind people at mile and an eighth at Laurel is

actually once around the track because we're not a mile track.

Laurel is a mile and an eighth in circumference on the dirt

track. So anyway, having said that,

they start right in front of the grandstand.

Once around Market Maven was disqualified from this race last

year. Ain't the Beer Cold finished

second. Stewards looked at it a long

time and decided that he caused interference.

He hasn't won since, but again, a horse who had time away slowly

coming back in the form. I like this race.

Late July behind a Darrow Irish court.

Both of those horses next out winner out of that mile when it

parks. I think he's coming into the

race to try one more time with his best shot in here.

Ain't the Beer cold is kind of a little bit of a horse you need

to finesse on the front end. But I kind of like a little

horse in here and I like two horses in here that could upset

and that's brilliant. Ice, the great Notion gelding

the 10 and also feeling woozy from the Ham Smith barn as well.

And both of these horses never run the Mila Antony get wack.

Take that back. Feeling woozy.

There's the Laurel train that you can hear in the background.

That's maybe that's a good sign. Maybe that means one of those

twos, the winner. It's like that's the one mile

and an eighth is kind of a that tricky distance.

Of course, feeling woozy's gone. Gate to wire here at this

distance, but Brilliant ice has never been this distance.

Brilliant ice. I think maybe a live price in

here for a net. Eubanks, a barn that's been on a

roll. They've had a couple of really

good horses that have won several straight races here this

year or seven. I think she has one of the

winningest horses actually in the country right now in band

camp. There's one, I believe 7 races

this year out of a 10 or 11 start.

So the barn, a quiet barn nationally, but locally always a

stable that you have to look at no matter what they send out.

I think he's being set up just perfectly for a nice run.

So Market Maven feeling woozy Brilliant Eyes would be maybe my

top three picks in the spot. Dave Rodman with us at Dave

Rodman, by the way, on Twitter. Nice and easy to find him there.

He'll be calling the races at Laurel Park tomorrow as part of

Jim McKay Maryland Million Day, 39th edition of that.

I wanted to ask about earlier races, some of the two year old

races in here because we may be seeing horses that end up in the

Preakness. Like frankly Magatsu is going to

be in this race tomorrow in the Classic, do horses in.

So something that happens here, Dave, in our market is if a

horse runs in the Derby, he gets bet too much in subsequent races

regardless of how he runs in the Derby.

Does that happen in Maryland? Is Magatu going to get too much

money because he ran in the Preakness?

Well, you know, he was far back in the Preakness.

I don't know how much, how much that's going to play a factor,

but people will certainly see that in his running line.

And he's a popular horse too as well.

He seems to get play, maybe because of his name.

He's literally one fur. That's right, yeah.

Anyway, going back to the two year olds, what were you saying?

Yeah, just with the like the Lassie in race six, another

frankly pretty open race here, 6 furlongs on the dirt.

Hunter K Here are any future you know, Marilyn, Brad superstars

who might see on a Black Eyed Susan or a Preakness Day.

Well, I'm not quite sure. I mean, it's it's earlier in

their career. It's hard to say how they're

going to develop. You know, in this kind of race,

you'll always get maidens and maidens have won this race

before. So don't count the maidens out

example high of love. We're in a solid second behind a

runner who who really, really improved next time out looks

like she's going to be a nice Philly so high love maybe a

maiden to look at in there. Of the horses who have run and

are winners Onyx 10 from the Gary Capuano barn.

She ran 4th in a very quick race one by Caprice who had no got

beat at Delaware Park the other day but probably lost all chance

at the start when she kind of hopped in the air and another

horse's run against that same Philly.

Capri says no need to ask from the Lynn Ashby barn and and

since that's a shipper, she may not get as much play as you

think in here. She may not get much play being

a Delaware shipper and Carol Sedeno coming in for the mount

there. The other horse who ran against

a higher love is it's a monster mash love that name, A filly

from the Jerry Roth barn who also is a maiden but has had a

couple of excuses. She kind of bore in a bit at the

start, wasn't fully concentrating when the gates

open, but she's run against a couple of really talented

horses, young Phillies, one named Malibu, who she's also in

this race tomorrow. There was a very, very quick

footage. Philly at Timonium, Tough to

tell. There's a lot of horses coming

out, four and a half, five for a long time.

Races going 6 tomorrow. So yeah, that's an open race.

I mean, I have four horses highlighted I mentioned to you

in there. Yeah, Starting in Race 3, by the

way, is a pick four that will end with race 6 there as well.

I wanted to I ask you, you mentioned loving a name on a

horse. Are you a name the horse after

the sire and mare kind of guy or do you not care if someone goes

outside of that box? Where where does Dave Rodman go

on that very controversial issue?

Now, I mean, I yeah, I I was just trying to wonder why why

they named the affiliates amongst the MASH by Golden

Ladder A1 armed bandit. That makes not much sense, but I

could tell you that Bobby Boris ticket that's his best bet

tomorrow for you. People who are baby boomers

might get that joke. But anyway, it's.

Pretty good. The nursery is race too.

It's the other two year old race baby.

See a a qualifier for the Preakness in this one.

Sammy True coming out of a very impressive win that you called

at Laurel Park just in September.

Is he a worthy favorite? OK, I'm going right?

I'm so many pages tomorrow's. PPS here.

It's probably Hey man. You've got a great car tomorrow,

you really do. Yeah, the nursery, the nursery

in here. I I like speaking to Jerry

Robin. It's a monster mash in the

Philly race. He has a horse in here that's

very interesting me and all the hard ways getting.

He's a gelding, first time been beaten a couple of times by a 2

year old who's running against tomorrow.

Remarkably has beat him twice. He beat Kernis K, who's the

other gelding. I think they'll be a factor

tomorrow, adding blinkers for Jamie Ness.

So I'm looking at those two. All the hard ways.

If you can get 5:00 to 12:50 and all the hard ways tomorrow, I

think it's a great value play to start your Maryland million day

off in Race 2 in the nursery. So all the Hard Ways and Kernis

K both getting changes first gelding and blinkers on for both

of those runners remarkably probably going to beat the horse

to beat is 1-2 or four lifetime and just ran against a really

nice up and coming 2 year old name.

It's Hammer Time at Delaware Park on September 11th all.

Right. Well, I got to ask before we get

you out of here, is there a horse we haven't mentioned?

And are you not, you got to be not thrilled that Dan Ellman is

going to be at Laurel tomorrow? I mean, come on.

I'm sorry. You got to be.

Is there a horse that's on this card that we haven't mentioned

that you have highlighted or a big, you know, big star next to

anything like that? Well, I mean, the the one I gave

you earlier in the 10th would be, would be my, my, my kind of

long shot play of the day and that.

But yeah, you're Speaking of Dan Ellman.

Speaking of Dan Ellman, the greatest, our almost greatest if

not second greatest public handicapping selection last year

was made by Dan Ellman in the Maryland Million race.

Miss Harriet is running tomorrow in the in the 10th race in the

this task that we told you about, selected on top, by the

way, at what was she 62 to one as a top selection.

So I'll never forget that. And she's coming back.

The good thing about the Maryland million, you'll see

horses like Miss Harriet come back and run again year after

year after year. And we've seen a lot of horses

in the classic come back and run year after year after year.

Like ain't to be a cold market maven coming back this year.

But one of my favorites of all time was eight to fast to catch

who won three Maryland million races not in succession and 1-2

and then came back the year after that and one another.

So and also a fan favorite. He was and he turned into a nice

hunter and jumper for Tim Keefe's wife Rumsey as a second

career as well. So it's it's just another great

Maryland story. The Breeders, we'll be here

tomorrow, owners, trainers, everybody involved in Maryland

racing from top to bottom, from all the people that work on the

farms, all the blacksmiths of the people that keep the the

horses happy and healthy so we can have a vibrant racing

industry. He's Dave Rodman.

Other than the nice thing you said about Daniellman, I really

enjoyed this. So I will see you.

I will see you at this break for Preakness as we always do.

And I have a bunch of great calls, a bunch of safe trips

tomorrow. OK.

Thank you. Thanks, Dave.

There you go, Dave Robin.