Jonathan Wong and a move to KY

Alright, welcome in Christmas edition.

Horse racing happy hour. This is the, we're about hanging

out with you. So, although this week here, on

the happy hour, two parts to the show today, I guess, three, if

you include this intro, We will be talking.

I had an interview yesterday, but Jonathan Wong who's moving

his barn from California. Not totally.

But a lot of it to the state of Kentucky, including himself and

his family relocated here to Kentucky, and I wanted to kind

of ask him about it. What what's the motivation?

What does he expect? When he gets here?

What are his goals? You know, does he have a

contingency plan? What are, you know, and he gets

into a little bit of how he came up in the sport and And and what

he does expect, once he does get here to once it gets here to

Kentucky, and frankly talks about his best favorite moment

of the year and I think people will enjoy that story as well.

Look, he's a superstar in the making, if he can keep his

percentages where they are and then move up the ranks frankly

in a circuit that's got A lot more money than is going on in

Northern California has more race days than or going on in

Southern California. It'll be interesting to watch

him, make that transition to Kentucky, but he's all in, it's

a fun interview. I'm glad I got to do.

It was very, very nice meeting him in my senses now that he's

going to be a local guy will be talking to him much, much more

here on the happy hour. So, without further Ado, here's

my interview yesterday, Wednesday, December 21st, from

our studio here, at ESPN Louisville with Jonathan Wong.

So, enjoy that. And then we'll come back.

And I will talk a little bit of Gulf Stream and the couple of

listen steaks to have there on Saturday Christmas Eve.

All right. Welcome and special Wednesday

Edition. Horse racing.

Happy hour Lewis. We're both used here at the ESPN

level Studios, hanging out with new friend of the show.

Jonathan Wong. Jonathan, how are you today?

Hey man, thank you for having me.

I appreciate it. Yeah, no problem at all.

You know, we have had trainers on before but usually, it's

because I'm standing next to them at the paddock at Pimlico

or something, or chasing someone at Churchill, something like

that. So, I what, I, what I don't know

that we've had one, especially in December, or January format.

Your reason we wanted to have you on is pretty obvious.

You're moving that, that Barn from a very successful spot in

Northern California, Southern California, to Kentucky, lots

and lots of more races. Obviously, you've claimed a

third of the horses at turquoise so far.

This meat, it's just a little bit of a joke, but, you know, I

got to ask you, man, what, what are your expectations for the

move? I mean, you're a, you're a young

guy or over 23% lifetime wins. I mean, you've had over five

million in earnings this year. I mean, you know, It's not as

though. The success isn't already there

for you. What does a move to Kentucky

look like the what are those expectations?

Yeah. I mean we acquired a couple of

my orders and I we talked about making a move out to Kentucky

for about a year now and we took a little string out there for

the Keeneland meet and we did we had decent success out there.

We just kind of want to make more of putting her foot more on

the door and the Kentucky Circuit and try to make it more

of a Mainstay like year-round. Make more of a presence on in

Kentucky the cost of living and expenses in California, In vain

right now, I mean, everything's going skyrocketing and workers,

Compton, huge, huge, huge expense out, here in California.

There's a lot more opportunities to run out of Kentucky.

I mean there's so many tracks within a couple hours, you could

just ship to run. So if you don't get a race to

fill out where you're at because like you can ship and run it

other race tracks whereas I mean California pretty much on an

island. I mean we Run 3 day a week

Racine and if you don't get a horse in I mean it's tough you

just have to wait, you know I mean With a lot of the cheaper

level horses. I mean, it needs Harper owners

to keep them in training with, without being able to run their.

You bring that up, it's interesting because you know,

we're we're lucky we get to do shows up in Indianapolis and

then, of course, belt errors, right up the street from Turfway

and all that kind of stuff and so, you're right.

It's a, you know, I we had a guest on one city, refer to

Kentucky as a racing bubble that we kind of don't know what we've

got here, right? And so you know and but you're

right though there are some regions where, you know, if

you're in the Mideast, you can have parks.

And whatever is going on in Maryland in the delawares right

there. And you know you have that mix

where you can kind of get into different spots but being on the

island of Northern California racing or Southern California

racing, whatever that might look like is it's got to be a little

more difficult. You talked about that Island.

What are you going to miss about?

The NorCal thing? Is it the fares?

Is it Golden Gate? Is it?

I mean is it what do you think you'll miss about being out

there? I mean, I was born and raised in

the Bay Area in San Francisco, California.

I mean, Bay Meadows was the first truck driver, what?

Yeah, Golden Gate. Like I said, I love Golden Gate.

I mean their management there. I mean the GM David Doug and I

mean, he does have been easy job.

I mean, it's hope. Yeah.

Obviously, it's always tough to leave home.

But I mean, we're still going to keep horses are still key.

Have a barn, it in California, as well.

It's just the numbers are going to be as big as they were in

previous years. We're going to be more focused

towards the Kentucky Circuit. What do you think the you know,

Northern California obviously has its own challenges, right?

You go from that synthetic. Most of the Year Golden Gate up

to the fair's running a lot of dirt races, some turf at some of

those spots as well. What do you think the challenges

are going to be for you? Not just getting your foot you

know your footing in Kentucky but rather just on the racing

side what do you think it's going to look like for you when

you get here to Kentucky more not when you get here but when

you're you know you're a little more established here in

Kentucky. Yeah.

In the problem that we've had thus far in Kentucky is the

stall situation. There's not a lot of small

space. So currently we're slip between

Turfway Park and Trackside. The Churchill training center,

and that's just been like the difficult part.

Part of it is finding stalls for the horses and because we still

have more than we want to ship out to California.

California owners want to claim but we don't have a lot of stall

space right now, which has been the big issue.

So that's been a big issue. And probably the biggest issue

those far another issue I've never had to deal with in

California, is winter training like I did Trackside?

Sure. I mean the track freezing.

So you have to constantly or redoing your training chart

working around the weather. Moving up workouts, moving back

workouts. I mean, so, moving horses from

Trackside to Turfway, vice versa.

So that's just being like, one of the things that is new to me

more. So, because We Golden Gate, I

mean that's surface, it's an all weather tracking mean you train

365. I mean everyday the tracks open

we're going to work, you know so that's just been the biggest

Hurdle this far, well, if there's anything but freeze in

the Bay Area. Oh, good.

That's good to hear. Yeah, if it freezes at Golden

Gate, there's there's other issues to deal with in the Bay

Area. Yeah, yeah.

You know, it's an interesting dichotomy here to Jonathan with

the different places that people trained and there's lots of

tracks sort of in random spots for people to train and keep

their horses. Do you think eventually you will

you'll be racing at all five tracks here is that kind of the

goal or is it more? We're really going to

concentrate on say Turfway the winter and then we'll go to, you

know, other spots in the summer as it comes Rock.

No. I mean, the plan is to stay in

Kentucky here route, right? And run the whole Kentucky

Circuit. Hell is Park Turfway?

Churchill Keeneland Peggy bounce.

Hopefully, we'll have something good enough that we'll be able

to eat there. But yeah, I mean the goal is

we're going to go. We're going all in on the

circuit. Hopefully, we'll be here for

many years to come. You mentioned the lower level

horses, you know, and trying to get the right.

Aces out in Northern California. What is, what are the basic

goals for you here? Do you think is it to stay in

those claiming levels? Maybe, you know, in the allow

its levels kinds of things or is it look?

I mean you've made over five quarter million dollars in

purses. This year.

Is it is it is there a desire to move into those those steaks

levels? You know what it came in at a

church home you know you mentioned Kentucky down if

you're on a Kentucky Downs man it's 180 thousand dollar race

and he just it just is right and so you know what are those

goals? What do they look like for long

racing? Yeah, I mean I changed a lot of

horses for Tommy Town thoroughbreds and they've been

the last several years. They've been buying a lot of

families out of the keyless, and temper yearling sale.

So, I mean, ideally, I mean, hopefully we'll get a couple of

those at all about to begin and we can compete in the bigger

stake races out here without a dream, you know, ideally.

But I mean we're still going to have our horses from all levels

of the, we're going to cover all levels of the races and

everything, you know me. As much action as possible,

pretty much. Yeah.

You mentioned, you know, wanting to be here for many years.

We interviewed Umberto rispoli this summer when he was moving

his tack to the area from Southern California and I'm not

trying to be negative here. I promise.

But he's back in. Southern California.

Doing the thing again, right? And look, he's a top 10 earner

in purses and different things. And so he's got nothing to be

ashamed of and how good of a rider he is out at Del Mar, it's

an even different places. So it's, you know, he's got a

good, he's got a good life. Is there a back-up plan for you

here or you like no. No, I'm going to be I'm going to

be a Mainstay in that can second circuit.

Oh no. Like I said, I mean, we're going

all-in. I mean, we're not looking back.

We're here to stay and you're San Francisco guy.

I mean, is it, is it nervousness?

Or is there just like a built-in confidence that you have to have

to make that kind of move? Well, you always have to have

confidence in yourself. Yeah, I mean, you always have to

believe in yourself. I mean, I mean, unless far we've

been able to Port, we've been fortunate enough to win, right?

Aces at Keeneland. This stuff with me.

The Church of me Turf way we've won a couple already.

This meat, I just think we just need to stay focused and stick

to our game Planet. Just work hard and fortunately I

have a very good group of owners behind us.

The great staff, I mean, just keep working hard and hopefully

they continue to support us. I mean, like I said, Tommy

Tucker, but they've been amazing.

Brent Malmstrom. I mean, he's actually actually

just moved out to Lexington from Washington last year.

Here. I mean him and his family they

let me I've been staying with them since books in scaling.

I mean they've been amazing. I mean he's been a huge

supporter, he was in his whole family, so been very fortunate.

What's the, what's the end goal in?

Kentucky, is that the Derby is it, is it the Oaks?

I mean, you're talking about buying year leagues at

Keeneland. I mean that's that's serious.

That's serious company. Yeah, I mean obviously I mean

who wouldn't want to run one in the derby though?

You know that would just be a dream you know you never know.

It could happen for sure. Exactly what happened.

So the other side of this of course is our guys like Matt

determine and the other folks who are out in Northern

California. You're good.

You said, obviously, you're going to keep a barn out there.

What do you think the future of Northern California racing?

Looks like this, will it look like it does now where you've

got your your your your your basic at Golden Gate.

But you go out to the fares is that kind of just the culture of

Northern California racing to do, you think it's sustainable?

Yeah, that's pretty much what it's going to look like.

I mean that's because we don't have like The Gambler on an

island. We don't have many options.

I mean, we were run majority of the year at Golden Gate and the

summertime we go to the fair, circuit and race.

I mean I hit stuff. I mean, it's very hard.

Make running 3 day a week races. I mean, it makes life very

difficult for Trainers for owners.

I mean, especially when you can't get horses in, you know?

I mean, that makes it hard because, like I said, the cost

of everything is so, so high and everything.

I mean, it just keeps getting higher.

There's not really any relief in sight.

I mean, feed Bill, the trackbill workers comp, everything is just

going up and up, you know. So I mean I hope there's a

positive outlook for Northern California, racing in California

racing in general. But I mean we think we just kind

of have to figure out something to wear.

It makes more sense for owners. What do you think that looks

like? I mean I would love to say more

race days and figure persons. I mean but there's only so much

that they could do, you know? I mean, I don't know how they

would be able to achieve that. I mean, we were hoping that

there are the sports wagering was going to get passed through

ride, but it didn't so that that definitely didn't hopes, it will

help matters. You know, I don't remember the

exact day of the week, it was but when the protesters laid

down on the on the track a year and a half ago, two years ago

whatever, and they still ran some of the races at night, you

know, they use the training lights, try to do that.

And I remember how popular it was, and I kept thinking like

just run six races on Thursday, you know, do something where

it's, you know, in the evenings, you know, you know, low cell

isn't running on Thursday, so you're not really up against

anything that way, I always thought they had an opportunity

with that, but I know there's lots of light issues and all

kinds of other things that they would.

Run into but are you finding at a place like Turfway for example

because that's what we're doing right now in.

Kentucky, that it's easier to get horses in because as a

better, we love Turf way because there's so many freaking horses

in every race and it really spreads that money around me the

exact two pools are awesome and you know, payouts whatever but

are you finding it easier to get into races at a place like

Turfway, we've had a lot. I'm getting horses in Kentucky,

in general, we've had a lot easier time of getting horses in

races and Kentucky in general, you know.

I mean it it's because it a lot of the times here in Kentucky,

what did the condition? But those raises will go and

they don't use as many extras as in California.

So, you can kind of, it's almost you can kind of train to the

condition book here, a lot easier than you can out in

California. So if so can you explain that to

me? Like I'm a 5th Grader.

Training to the condition book. I know what that means, but I

imagine that we have a fair. Number of listeners, who are

hearing that for the first time, what is it?

What does it mean to train to the condition book?

Yeah. So what happens is, racetracks,

they'll put out a condition book of possible, races races you can

enter in right for your horses. And, for example, January 1st,

it could be a race for poor say and here in Kentucky most of the

time, the if the races in the book it will be used.

So you can kind of train up schedule, workout schedule.

I mean everything around that, whereas a lot of other tracks

races in the booked, okay, use they could carry it over.

They don't bill. So your race could be January

1st but your horse might not be running in that race.

Till the 15th of January or that race might.

I get brought back and you have to call an audible and go to

find a different spot for your horse.

Yeah. So it's an interesting dichotomy

there because how often did you find yourself?

I mean and I know these are in exact numbers.

But you know how often do you think you found yourself?

Training, horse a for race, that's in the condition book.

They can't feel the race and you have to, you know, call an

audible and do something else. How often do you think that

happened? In Santa Anita, not as much

because then Anita. They usually have a lot of extra

Southern California. Usually, what's in the book will

be used Northern California. It's a daily occurrence.

Daily occurrence. I mean they have 15 extras on

top of 16 races in a book so there's like 30 races on offer.

And obviously you're only going to use about 8 or day, you know.

Like it's just like that's one of the things like we were

talking about how they can fix it.

Simplify it less is more. Yeah, less is more.

Thankfully. Is not like, put a bunch of them

together. So you get bigger field sizes.

Again, instead of having 25 horse Fields, why don't you just

have 110, horse bill. You know, instead of stacking

conditions on top of each other, combine them into one.

In the Middle where you like, you'll get a bigger field size,

which will obviously be a bigger pool for the community, for the

bigger handle waging a hips for wagering.

And you know, I mean to me that's just one of the things

that should be Considered I smile when I get the form for

Turf way because so often it just says for Philly is a 3 and

up who have never won three races stop.

That's it like that. Yeah, it's so straightforward

and I only more. That's right.

And there's 14, you know? I mean, it just, it is what it

is, right? It's so for people who don't

know you, how did you get in a horse racing man?

Because I imagine or into training, I should say not in

the horse racing but rather into training and where did that

spark come from? And what do you?

I think it is that that you do that puts you over 23% winners

lifetime. So I first went to the racetrack

when I was a kid we had a family friend that owned a little

grocery store in the San Francisco area.

He invited us out to the races at Bay Meadows because he had a

horse running and literally since that day I was game over.

I was hooked. Yeah my mom and I we'd go to

races every weekend. I did homeschool if I fart

started home school during high school so I could.

The racetrack went to work at the racetrack.

When I was 16, I've worked for Archer main, Cristobal Hall

Lonnie Auburn Mi the what I work for last and the longest was

job. Martin John, McCain marinara?

Golden Gate Fields. Yep.

And I had a couple under Scott Herbert's in and David Cobb.

They asked me if I wanted to start to train on my own, what I

have to do. And we got it all taken care of,

and they were the ones who give my first start, you know.

So that's how it started, and it just me.

But very, very fortunate, very blessed.

I never imagined it was going to grow to this, this big, you

know, in such a short period of time.

I mean, you can't beat this job. I mean, you get to go play with

horses every day. Yeah, I mean, I don't know about

you but that said that doesn't sound like, you know, you're

gonna go play at the horses and hang out at the barn, all day.

I mean, that's pretty funny. I have a friend who say Floor

manager here at Kentucky and we stopped by his house yesterday

and they have 130 horses or something and he's got this

really cool 26 year old quarter horse, that all they pockets.

That always recognizes me. And always comes up and I always

think like that's it. And that's what it's all about

is freaking Pockets. Recognizes me and comes over

and, you know, I pick some long grass or whatever.

It's this. It's a it's cool.

I'm glad you get to do what you love and is he out the hours are

what they are. And you know, the lifestyle is

what it is. Um, sure.

Yeah, you know, Jonathan it's this is such an interesting

story as far as your move because, you know, you are such

a, you know, like you know, I mentioned it, a text message you

and I kind of went back and forth yesterday before I head of

this man, if I fill it out a pick for gold gate and I see

your name, like, I don't care if it's a 2-1 in the morning like a

punching your name. Like do you feel like, you know,

how big is your crew going to be that stays behind a Golden Gate?

And do you think that Wang name will still be, you know?

A big part of the form if someone's getting out of Golden

Gate. Yeah, I mean, definitely, like I

said, I have a great great assistant out there called a

gate Francisco. I mean he does an amazing job.

He's I've known him since he was like a little kid.

I mean, he's like family than myself.

So I mean, he doesn't like I said, he doesn't amazing job.

He's a huge part of our team and yeah, definitely think it was

still have a I said, we're still going to keep a presence in

California. We're we've got rid of like 20

horses already. We still have about 75 80 over

there. Golden Gate you right now I'd

like to see the number gets about 40 or 50 you know, ideally

40 50 between there would be a good number.

Yeah, I don't know how much have you read.

Do you read the media stuff? Do you see what people are

writing about you moving to Kentucky?

No. Oh okay.

Alright. Okay, there I would say, the

only thing I would share is there is concern about your

barn, shrinking in the Bay Area and therefore the number of

Runners at Golden Gate, for example going down, it sounds

like you're going to shrink it but not by any kind of measure

of. It's not going away, altogether,

nine, not in the that, at least in the not at least for the next

year, you know? I mean, look, I got to tell me

time they still have this year's two year olds coming up.

I still have some babies coming up.

So Pretty much, I mean, we'll be there for at least a couple 23

years, I would say at least I may, I'd like to, at least

always have like, at least a little barn and Golden Gate just

went home. You know, it's all we can't

never leave home. Do you have a favorite moment

that you've had in 2022, as we come up on the end of the year?

Yeah, 20:22 my favorite moment would have to be winning our

portrays the key with C's get degrees that was unbelievable.

I had gone to Keeneland with my wife.

We went to the sale a couple years back and we went over to

the races and what I'm not about the race because they weren't

running way over to the grandstand and I was like, we

were in The Paddock is like, man, I want to run a horse

responds to a dream and dream the rental car Sakina.

It's like the most beautiful truck I've ever seen.

Life. You know, the first Arts.

We ran we ran one Windy City right in the Breeders Cup.

Juvenile Services. Yeah, yeah.

He ran up the chocolate. That was still such an amazing

experience. So to actually be able to win a

race at Keeneland was ugly. Well, like I said, it goes with

those C's get degrees with Brent, wild shrimp yielded.

And like I said, I think been a him and his whole family been

amazing to me. So to win it with their horse

was extra special, is there, is there something so talk to me is

a guy. So I got in the horse racing as

an adult and it was in Kentucky. Okay, so my I'm very skewed

about where, you know, where I've got to hang out and and the

things that I've got to do experience.

Talk to me about that. That experience at Keeneland is

it is it just that the place is beautiful and you understand the

history? I mean, is it is there you know,

standing under the Twin Spires at Churchill?

Is that a dream? Is that is it, you know for guys

that are coming up like you are in markets like the Bay Area is

Kentucky more of like you know, Churchill Downs, Yankee Stadium,

and Keeneland is Fenway Park. And that kind of thing.

Is that what it is that mean? Yeah, that's how I feel.

I mean, to me. That's how I thought.

I mean, Santa Need Is Awesome. Beautiful gold.

Yeah. Right, sure.

I'm calling gate is closed right there by the water.

He is only a bridge but, I mean, I used to just the history and

how much everybody are in the city, especially Keeneland, just

Embrace racing. Like, we were in barn one and I

had never been to aquiline need, I had no idea what anyone was

about, right? So it's 8:00 in the morning, one

day, like, opening their races, and I just hear people start.

Like, there's a party going on. A music class of, like, what,

what's going on, right? I had.

Yes, I walk around. The bar and I looked outside.

There's like ten party buses, like, people are tailgating.

It's like, it's a big party before the race is like 8:00 in

the morning that way from this is amazing and it was every day

of the meat every day of the meat.

I mean, the races are packed and just people who enjoy racing and

love racing and just like I was like, wow, I mean, that was like

you said, just the history of it.

I mean, being able to go to Twin Churchill Downs.

Seeing the Twin Spires, I mean, it was just like, man, this is

This is amazing. Like this is where the Derby's

running. This is perfect myself.

I never been myself. I love racing, I love the

history of it. I just love everything about it.

So like to be there, like this is where the dirty this is, this

is awesome to be Aquila this year when for the Breeders Cup.

I mean it was just just amazing. Well, good Manuel is there, is

there a Parting Shot for you today?

About moving in? Kentucky other than getting to

be a highly prestigious podcasts, you know.

Is there anything else that you're especially looking

forward to the couple coming months?

When are you actually relocating yourself to Kentucky?

I've been out there since the beginning of the Keeneland mean.

I think I've been back to my home in Southern California for

like two weeks throughout the whole time.

I'm back here right now for Christmas with my family that's

the part. I'm looking forward to the Most

for, hopefully the beginning of January 23, the family will be

able to move out there and be all together.

I mean Kentucky, I mean that's just been the hardest part of

the whole situation being away from my wife, my kids, we

haven't told your kid, half month old 14 for three and two

and a half months. Whoo, that's a busy man right

there. Yeah, so I left, I left home.

Like when she was like, four week old, You know, so it's been

tough not being with my wife or my kids, you know, missed like

my daughter's concert, she does plays violin.

So I missed that. So I mean, bo be nice to have

everybody together and Obviously, have the whole family

together, we're cool. Hey, if anybody wanted to check

out your stuff, where could they find you?

We're on Twitter, Instagram, and just hit it up.

Awesome. Well, he's got us of Walkman.

Moving that bar to Kentucky. I am I for one am very, very

excited. I I see this as sort of a move

from you know Bay Area double lace anindita, AAA low major to

get into the major leagues here in Kentucky and I I'm excited to

see how it develops for you and don't be a stranger man we'd

love to have you back. Ah my pleasure hopefully I can't

wait. All right Jonathan thanks so

much. Thank you very much.

Have a good one you too. Alright welcome back in so low,

a horse racing, happy hour for the rear bow.

We thank Jonathan Wong for spending, I don't know 20 25

minutes with us this week again and I recorded with him

yesterday from his home. In Southern California me here

at our. Local ESPN, affiliate ESPN. 680

here in Louisville, really appreciate him jumping on and

giving us his perspective, you know, just some, some quick

reaction to him, you know, I have to say and I hope it never

comes across this way, you know, just We are we are spoiled in

Kentucky with the circuit we have and the purses and how the

historical racing is set up to feed purses and encourage you.

No good year-round racing here. And you forget what?

Other guys really what the grind is like in other places and the

others in the other circuits and talking about Northern

California, Golden Gate that middle, you know, that middle

Cog and the chain there. And then you have the fares that

people do really love man and it's It's interesting, but its

own its own. You know, it's 20 thousand

dollar allowance racism, you know, that kind of stuff.

And so it's it's own Challenge and you go from the synthetic a

GF 2 you know, dirt and turf at the, excuse me, at the out at

the fairs and just so the difference in turn surfaces and

those sorts of things, it's just an interesting challenge in

other places and then try to get those race dates in California.

If the condition book doesn't work out like he mentions that

when you're kind of stuck, you have to train differently and I

appreciated him explaining what that is and What we don't need

and we talked about it on this show is we don't just need to

three places that are great at racing and everyone else just

kind of Fades into the background because man we need

we need the Bay Area to have legitimate racing and be a

double a triple, a kind of circuit and we need Southern

California to be. If at worst AAA, you know, into

the, you know, the the minor, you know, the major leagues and

same with New York and South Florida.

And you know, that that that Maryland, Pennsylvania sort of

Parts, you know, to be at a high level, it matters, right?

And then you know, have the double a Triple, A in Ohio and

Indiana and Illinois and, you know, places like that.

So it's just interesting to watch a guy who's got, he's got

the numbers. I mean he, he put himself out

there this year, still winning it over 19 and a half percent.

It's not easy to do and, you know, over twenty three and a

half percent lifetime percentage for him.

So you know, young guy, early thirties, moving that family out

here II, wish him luck. I'm selfishly excited that he's

gonna be a Kentucky. I think we'll see him a lot

more. I think you'll hear him a lot

more on this podcast as he starts to build a, his operation

here and figures out what it is that they want to do.

You heard already that, you know, Finding stalls is has been

difficult for him, which is fascinating to me in, Kentucky,

sort of learning that, you know, you're going to be at Florence.

You're going to be in Louisville.

You're going to be like saying, you know, you're going to be

those different places and frankly, I imagine four guys in

Northern California, it's not that bad, just traffic and

whatever else, it's not not what it is in Northern California,

but It'll be really interesting to watch him here and I wish

them luck because he was easy to talk to and text with and

everything else about the show. And so he's got a fan in me.

Hopefully, hopefully it translates.

It's everything that he wants. Excuse me.

Once he does move his, this is Martin more full-time here.

I was also, you know, just sort of selfishly because I enjoy

watching the races out there, happy to hear that.

He really just wants to maintain a whole barn and Golden Gate,

which I which I really like, you know, it was interesting because

he when he first said, you know, yeah we're gonna have somebody

out there for a year and then he stopped.

I went oh no and I appreciate his Candor to when I say are you

reading what people are writing about?

Any kind of know, a little trepidation there.

I don't know. And I just, you know, there was,

you know, that concern about filling out those fields in

Northern California and he was like, no, no, that's my home Bay

Meadows. San Francisco.

That's, that's where I'm from. I'm not going to shut down shop

there altogether if I don't have to.

And I think that I think he needs it.

I think, you know, these guys that can have solid basis, good

assistants and guys that are doing good work in places for

them, especially For a guy who's got that kind of connection back

to that area, I take him at his word that he's going to have

some kind of connection to Golden Gate to the fair circuit

for a while at least. So it'll be interesting to watch

him. Move through the ranks here,

pick up, maybe some new ownership as he gets in here,

right? Other people noticing if he does

have success at, you know, Ataturk way, and then translate

that to Kentucky Downs, with Churchill to, you know, you

already want to Keeneland, you know, what does it look like at

Ellis Park in the summer for him?

Does he use Bell? Here on horseshoe and those

other tracks that are easy to get to from here as his other

training grounds, I made a place like horse.

You could really benefit from having him on their other

course, right? And so, you know, just a, an

interesting dichotomy with him and so on, it'll be fun to watch

him, make the transition. And, like I said, the shows

shows a fan. So, hopefully works out for him.

All right, we get to our handicapping section of the

show. Everything we do.

Of course sponsored by our friends at Green Street Racing,

Green Sheet racing.com. We will have a sheet on

Christmas Eve. So when you are Stuck with your

family, run over to Green Sheet racing.com.

Get your get your sheet there. And when you get your shoot,

you'll get my late pick three at Gulfstream Park.

We've hit our last to pick threes in the sheet, we just hit

last week for 100, he was about 110 bucks on a sixteen dollar

ticket at Turfway. So, that's a kind of return.

We're looking for, when we're using the singles, we got the

favorite in the, in the, in the future, in the, in the prairie

by you that I speak in, with, in love, with her article or Alice.

Actually want all three races, I'm the big tree.

And so, you know, just once in a while, you got to know who the

local guys are at your track turquoise, no question about it.

Got to look to Corrales to, to shore up those tickets and so

even with crawls winning all the races, you know, we still got

that solid, you know, seven eight to one kind of number back

on our ticket, which is really great.

So green tea racing.com will check it out.

Good little go pick it up at the store.

You're out getting wine for Christmas Eve dinner grabbing

you bourbon for the weekend whatever.

My look like crisis of the way. Her out here.

We're kind of, we're kind of getting ready to Bunker down.

So maybe maybe the websites, the best way to go greet, you

racing.com watch the racing there, they'll have both the

Gulf Stream. And the I'm trying to figure

out, who else? Try to remember, who else is

running that day, but 26 to go fishing at night, very cool.

And so, let's go to the seventh race right away.

It is amazing. Special wait for State bread,

Floridian two-year-old, Phillies fifty three grand on the line

here, six-and-a-half. Furlongs on the dirt.

I'm gonna try to beat the favorite with a lukewarm

Favorite here. So hi.

Hello how are you? Is the is the one horse here.

You get, I read Ortiz, you get Jose D'Angelo the trainer.

The two of them Absolute great numbers together.

D'Angelo hits it 20% with first-timers.

He's 20% with all the two-year-olds really, really

fine trainer. 20% in a maiden special weight is all those

numbers make sense. The two of them hitting together

31% just a Gulfstream Park. AB recently I read off to a

really good start. This meat coming into today at

26% and so No, it isn't as though that horse can't win

first time on asking. I don't love the rail for

first-timers because, you know, if they get stuck, they don't

break. Well, they might just get lost

in the pack. This horse know, just just

trained over for furlongs, over a wet fast course, at Palmettos

in 46 and change. And so before that 47 and

change, this is a fast horse. If she breaks well she might be

part of that early Pace, the daughter of awesome slew and so

you know we're going to include her.

The one I'm going to lean on for the storm for the four horses

name is Storm with Edgard zayas +. 1 /, Auto that combination

look right around 15. That for the two of them.

Second starters for 41 over out of though.

Do hit a 26%. He's he's good with what those

kinds of starters and Edgar's is off to a 20% this year at

Gulfstream Park. A real local expert, frankly and

so 39 wins and 197 races. So right on Pace for that, 20%

Mark. I mean it's got 48 seconds,

25/3, and that Mark as well. I mean, I could just hits the

board, he makes money at Gulfstream Park.

So we're going to 41 in this like weird.

Go skinny, but I think that you're going to get that second

timer, who ran really well on debut actually, just just ran

out of gas at the end that happens.

The first time you go, right? So they gave us horse a little

bit of time off. She's coming back here, a

daughter Brethren and we'll see if she can get the job done as

well. Well, the Janice is is race

eight listed Stakes here. Hundred thousand dollars real

quick five furlongs on the turf there they still run these very

very very short. Sprint's at Gulfstream Park,

interesting entry here with Scaramouche 21 Lionel Reyes and

uh Guadalupe preciado in the in the combination here.

We usually see them up say at parks, or in the Maryland

circuit together. This horse is never on October 4

is 64, 10, Lifetime on dirt. So, I'm wondering why the move

to Turf here. On the course here.

Must think something. Here Guadalupe goes, he's 1 for

his last egos, deter for 12% in his last 32, tries.

So it's not like he's never done it before, right?

But my sense is they just tried something out.

That's a little bit different with the source.

However, Scaramouche one. The gal, Bob great to, at parks,

just in September late, September frankly.

So it's like this horse hasn't had Good recent form.

That unknown though for this three year old gelding, trying

the grass. For the first time, you're going

to get a price on him. So that might be a long shot

play if you wanted to use in the late sequence here, look it

Scaramouche. The one I'm not including

because I'll go ahead and take a wait-and-see with Scaramouche,

but that's a horse that if you were looking for a longer price,

I think you can include cloudy's another horse.

You can include here comes out of a high-level, allow us for

three year, olds and up and down to lifers at Keeneland going

five-and-a-half furlongs had that's all show me know.

So in the in the irons that time you get Tyler here.

Tyler, of course a local Goldstream Legend used to be in

kind of that a girl's eye has kind of group and then you know

outgrew the the spring/summer part of Gold Stream you know, it

goes down there, of course in the championship meet right now

makes a lot of sense when it comes back up to Churchill. if

that horse can recreate that 10 to type time for the five and a

half, four alarms over the turf there, over the six and over the

five here, That horse can absolutely win.

Now, the good thing about Claudia could come from off the

pace a little bit, going to have to be really good with my for a

while to set to make that move late but nh-1, that's another

nice price in this in this race, I did land on the 10 know and

and look, I hate to do this but car Ataris in this race.

Brian Lynch trains. This is what he does.

Brian Lynch, a great perfs print.

Trainer 26% in Sprint's 27% on Terrence.

This is what he does, hook it up with Louis.

Sighs here. I love the move to Lois sighs.

Lois sighs already one. In this horse twice this year.

Excuse me, twice in the last calendar year in the first

printed Pimlico on Preakness date and then before that won

this race last year. And so the horse is already had

success 45 lifetime Ago Street park on this Turf course.

So I'm using the tent here and then I think he have to use.

I read again on nothing better the for for Jose Garza jr.

Has won. They won his last two.

She's me 50 going, son of Monies.

One, an allowance at Laurel going five-and-a-half, furlongs

goes up to Aqueduct of wins, the tournament Championship listed

650k on the line there with ratio kimonos.

And so that's of course. This is a get out front, stay

out front type breaking from the for, so it will have an

opportunity to do that. We'll be stuck on the rail that

kind of thing. So I think you go 10 and 4 here.

So I think our attire is going to be absolutely part of that

early speed. I think you get a speed dual

here between the 10 and the for, and whoever holds out longer

ends up, winning card, sorry again for R45 had been cultured

won. Second place finish in the five

runs. So the horse is absolutely built

for that 94 24th. The distance lifetime, tons of

experience, 102 buyer at that speed figure in, that was

actually at Saratoga and a great three Troy.

And so this is a great opportunity for that horse to

drop back into list of states company and pick up another win.

Like it did at the Laurel bash at Pimlico and so Going into

that last race that we're going to use the most horses.

We're going to use in a race which is 3.

We're going to use the two, three and four, not in that

order for me. I actually like Jose Ortiz has

entry here. The three, the best major King

coming in out of a maiden 16 win moves into the 12th, five

claimer level here for Barbosa. And for Jose Ortiz, the two of

them have already won twice in their nine runs at at Gulfstream

Park. Always interesting to me when

guys like Jose stick around for races that are 12, five

climbers. Versus a 24K.

I think it says something in the same way that I think it says

something that I read staying around for this race.

By the way, we're going five-and-a-half furlongs on the

synthetic there. And so this is for three year

olds and up which has never won two races.

It's 12:05 claim that you can get in there for every time that

you Drop on the claiming price, you're allowed to pounds.

And so there are some horses running in here for 10.

The horses that I've selected our and so 3 & 2 here so far,

Mogul do, of course, is the to horse ran third last time, but

only by two and a half lengths. And then before that ran second

in a 16 claimer at Laurel over five and a half and lost by a

neck and so to me we're picking up I read we're trying to

synthetic horses run on the synthetic before actually last

time out ran on the synthetic at Gulfstream Park.

I like that experience and I also like I read Because of

someone's gonna push the horse to the Finish Line, it's going

to be an I read Ortiz that's just I think that's just a fact

man. Dr. Ron is the is the four horse

here, one, on debut at the 16 main level at Gulfstream Park

over the dirt twice. Ran over the synthetic glass

time finish fourth, but only by three and a half lengths under

Figueroa who gets them out again?

Carlos Perez trains here. I only like this because I do

think the two of them their numbers together.

Make a ton of sense here and you get paid when they hit and so

they hit together at 31% in their last 16 rounds.

At Gulfstream Park and the return on investment is two

dollars and Seventeen cents per. And so to me, that speaks to, if

they're going to hit, and we're going to fill out this pic three

with any kind of longer shot that's going to be the horse

three-year-old cold, son of looking at Lucky in for 12:5,

you know, they brought him for 15 is his mom's by Animal

Kingdom and so you know this is a horse that's got an

interesting makeup. We know Animal Kingdom has been

good on the synthetic, right? So you got a shot here that this

horse will translate to the synthetic dropping from the 20

class. Are you finished three and a

half lengths off to the 12/5. Maybe we get a price there, and

that's how we figure this out. I put together the pic32 horses,

two horses, and then three horses.

I did a two dollar base for 24 bucks, that's what we did at

Turfway. Last weekend, to Dollar base and

that really worked out. First, it was a four dollar

ticket, we played it four times. It turned out to be 16 bucks.

I paid over $100. That's what we want to do with

these. Pick threes that, we think might

be a little chalky. In this case, we're going to try

to do the same thing to your. I think we have a chance if that

for can come in in the last race.

Dr. Brown and if we can be that I read in one of the other legs,

I think that we, you know, especially when I can, it goes

ideas with people from, maybe around the country watching,

because there isn't a lot of other racing going on.

People, maybe not knowing they'll string not knowing the

red guards. I is is maybe we can get some

money there and so that's where we're going to play it.

So again the sequence is 1 and 4 then 4 and 10.

That two, three, four, that's seven, eight nine races at

country. And so there is I think you know

a nice little fun day of racing appreciate that they're running

a couple of listed stakes in both French, by the way, on the

turf, once for Philly, mayor's earlier in the car and the

Janice, of course, later the card, I think any race, were you

get a horse like heart, sorry who's really fine, you know,

listed black type type of gelding six-year-old, son of

already Schiller, you know, you get that.

You know, that that Barian Lynch thing.

This is a horse that he trades. This is the kind of course that

he trains, I should say. And so to me it's a fun card for

For what is going to be a very light day of racing and then of

course, say I mean cool stuff. If you're out in Southern

California like so many of our listeners are you get back to

sanity, get back to those big days on the 26th and 27th back

into the state state races. And so look from from Mike for

me from, you know, from Zack, from everyone who works on the

show, we just want to say, happy holidays, to everybody, Merry

Christmas, Happy New Year. The playlist is to have a show

next week. I have to really start, you

know, I think after Monday, by the way, Way, we're going to

know a lot about some of those classes, finalizing it for the

eclipse Awards, which we will have a show about that next

week. If table wins the Malibu do we

have to put him in as the number one horse?

On the three-year-old side, he'll have three great ones.

I think it's an interesting question.

I think the fact that they were willing to run him, he runs a

good. Third in the Breeders Cup

Classic, he comes back and he can win the one, you know, the

grade 1 Malibu. That's a, that's a hell of a

close to the season. It's a hell of a closer to you.

And it'll be interesting to see what he does on Monday.

But I'm also interested. What are the votes look like for

baffert trainees right now? I think table stands out amongst

his trainees this year. Especially obviously for the

three year olds. But it'll put an interesting

wrench into things especially if he's impressive on Monday which

I think there's a very good chance that he is.

All right we're going to shut it down.

We're gonna get out of here, this has been the horse-racing.

Happy are presented by our friends at Green Street.

Racing Green Sheet, racing.com at sheet racing on on on Twitter

if you hadn't found us on Twitter yet and of course happy

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This is an audio only version, but we'll get back into Studio

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Like and I are actually building out a studio.

So we'll have that for you as well.

This has been the horse racing, happy hour.

I'm Louis, Robo, Merry Christmas, and to all a good

night.