Turfway Synthetic Championships | Tony Calo

But we welcome in Tony Kalo. I I don't want to call this a

regular Friday spot, but Tony, it's becoming a regular Friday

spot. You're a good guy.

We appreciate it. How are you today?

I'm all right, Louis. How you doing buddy?

I'm doing great, getting ready for a fun day up your place.

I was very happy to see the the number 5 at the beginning of the

high temperature for tomorrow in Florence.

So that's good. That's that I can do.

I can do 50. We're good.

It's this 25, Tony. It's killing me, I got to tell

you. Yeah, no, I, it's been killing

me too, Louis. It's, as I said, I'm like, jeez,

it's cold. And you know, people that don't

know about the turfway booth situation, there's a there's a

little balcony outside of the booth and it's got an enclosed

glass area, but it is still cold.

And that's where I've got to call the races.

I've got to keep the door open when the post parade hits.

And no, I look aboard to some 50s as well.

These guys like Travis, you know, the Travis Stone that are

calling in the spring and fall, don't understand the sacrifice

that you put in calling in the dead of winter and the dead of

summer in Henderson, KY. They don't understand.

The sacrifice that Tony Calo puts up for the great

Commonwealth in Kentucky, Do they?

Yeah, I know. Tell that to the tell that to

the guys digging the ditches and and doing the construction jobs

and this type of weather, they're like settle down, boys,

settle down. Yeah, I.

I shared the Bill Burr joke from this week.

Man, I thought, I thought a tough job was roofing in July as

a redhead, you know, that's kind of sitting in a sitting in a

radio studio doing this thing. He's Tony Kalo.

Find him on the calls of all of the races tomorrow at Turfway

Park. A fun quartet of races there,

Tony. And frankly, I think it's one of

the reasons I've talked to trainers and and different

things and one of the things they love about, you know,

entering horses at Turfway and they're convinced it's part of

the reason the field sizes are so big.

It's just how simple the condition book is.

In other words, you know, you're a lot of horses can qualify to

run in lots of different spots. And so just having 2 routes and

two sprints for three and up, I mean, it's, it's you know, and

on the Philly and Mare side and then on the open side, it's a

pretty straightforward way, but it sets up for a nice card.

Yeah. No, we've got a real nice card

tomorrow. The four stakes races, as you

mentioned, I do believe we're going to have an all stakes pick

four. That's going to be pretty cool,

yeah. Low 15% take out on the pick

fours up there in Florence as well, so it's very playable.

Sequence. Yeah, you have.

You have to like that. You do.

All it takes is a couple little crazy ones to come in and who

knows? We know that can happen up here,

yeah. We've seen Stranger Things that

Turfway for sure. Any track biases we should know

about? Maybe outside horses in in

Sprint races or you know, are we seeing, you know, dirt to dirt

to synth translate better? What anything going on the first

couple weeks there? I haven't you know what I I

haven't noticed anything too, too intense.

I, I have to admit with 12 horse fields, Louis, it's just life

and death trying to call races, trying to figure out biases and

all that. That's for all you guys that

don't have to memorize 12 every race.

I do not have to do, that's true.

Tony Kalo does. He'll be on the calls there at

Turfway tomorrow. I know.

Speed has been speed has played very well.

You know, speed has played pretty good here so far to

start. I don't know if that's due to

the the frigid temperatures, but for what that's worth.

But I think it's a it's a very fair racetrack.

And anytime I try to think, OK, cool, here's speed, let's get on

speed then they come from absolutely nowhere.

So. The first of the quarter

$1,000,000 races tomorrow is the race for that'll start that pick

for the all stakes that you mentioned.

Quarter million bucks in the My Charmer going a mile in a 16th.

This is for the Phillies and Mayors that are three and up

forever Dixie and here the two horse from Mark Cassie comes in

out of graded stakes at Woodbine.

We've actually seen Woodbine shippers performing a bit better

this year than we have in other years, Tony.

And so that's been a real positive.

But you're going to have everybody up there, Luis Saez,

Floral Giroux. I mean, when you put quarter

million bucks on the table four times, you're going to have them

there. Luis Saez on Dana's Beauty here.

Are you are? Are you generally when you

handicap before you call these, are you looking for horses that

have synthetic, you know, experience or do you think, Oh

no, if they're great on turf, they got a shot here too?

Well, I, I think if they, if they're good on turf, they have

a shot. That's that's for sure.

What I do like is when I see some value in a horse that I

know has success over the past over at Turfway.

So but you know, I'm looking for turf horses as well.

So you know, we just kind of open up the forum and look for

pace scenarios and see who has a shot to improve.

This is a cool race. I mean, obviously Dana's beauty

I think deserves top building. She's the one to beat.

I thought last time she was the best and ghostly gal just got to

her. Maybe Jose Ortiz moved a tad too

soon. So now we get Luis Saez aboard

and and she likes it here at Turfway.

She ran big last year on a couple of occasions.

But then you get the three-year old sensation Everland, who was

just awesome on this racetrack last year.

Boy her anybody who loves to watch rate plays, go watch her

graduation score on the 30th of December.

You want to talk about in a fleet Alex type of trip.

That was that particular night. She she almost fell through the

turn and somehow for her to come rallying and still win was

awesome. And she put it all together in

the Bourbonette Oaks and which got her a trip in the Kentucky

Oaks. There's cozy rags who just

defeated or not cozy rags. Excuse me, there's ghostly gal

who defeated Dana's beauty, so she's worth the look.

You mentioned the the Woodbine horse, so I'm going to give you

a horse that I think is fairly intriguing at a price, and

that's the 8 Take a stand. Take a stand really likes it

here at Turfway. She ran some huge races.

In fact, you go back to the last time she was on this race track,

she was actually favored versus Dana's Beauty and she had

somewhat of a a rough trip. I remember she came closing like

just a freight train. And in fact, she impressed me so

much that I made such a such a fool of myself that when she

appeared in the Shawnee, I actually made her my top

selection. And Joe Kristoffeck's neck

almost snapped off, like, what are you thinking?

And I'm like, hey, look at this last run, that is.

But anyway, at a price, I know she doesn't win a lot.

She's got those 33 victories versus the 26 starts.

That's concerning. But Luis Contreras, you know,

Luis Contreras used to be a top jockey at Golden Gate Field.

So he he's had plenty of success in the past.

And he's been a great jockey at Woodbine.

So he knows how to ride on synthetic race tracks.

He is. He is one very, very good race

jockey. I'll go take a stand.

A little bit of an upsitter here at 6:00 to 1:00.

Nice. I'd like Everland, who's also

six to one, speaking to Golden Gay Fields.

Able Sedillo really got his teeth cut up there in the Bay

Area as well. Bay Area native Tony Calo joins

us here on Rabo and Co on ESPN 681057.

He'll be on the calls at Turfway Park tomorrow as part of their

synthetic championships. The first of those, those, those

sprints there. Excuse me, 6 furlonger.

The holiday inaugural for Phillies and Mares 3 and up go

in the six furlongs. Quarter million bucks in this

one as well. I think Uppercase is the

favorite here, if I'm reading this correctly, for Paulo Lobo,

who does run a fair amount of Turfway these days.

Another guy coming out of Goldgate Fields in the recent

past is Evan Roman. Who gets the The Who gets them

out there? How are you looking at these

races, for example, for a horse like Nice as Pie, a guy like

Luis Saeus who could not miss at at Churchill in November?

Are you hoping that form is going to translate as well to

the synthetic? Which one is this?

For Luis Saez, just in general, just how well he's been riding

and seeing the course or is it like, hey, no.

No, I mean, I don't think I don't I think he's AI think he's

an excellent jockey and I don't think that's going to be a

trouble with, you know, whatsoever.

If he can ride on turf, I think you can ride on synthetic.

You just have to you just have to be patient and and I will say

this. So, you know, perhaps maybe he's

at a tad of a disadvantage not knowing this racetrack, not

being on it that much. And but still, I think he's he

he's never been better. He can you know, he'll he'll

gauge the pace in the race and I think nice and pie is a perfect

fit for him. She's got foundation in her

corner with those longer races and she's going to be finishing

like a freight trade. She absolutely loves this race

track and she'll get some pace to chase anytime BG Warriors in

a race, you're going to get plenty of pace to chase.

So I think nice as pie. Even though she is just that

three-year old she she's going to be my top pick Sunday shoes.

I have a soft spot in my heart in my heart for her.

I I remember when she she graduated in the middle of

February and then she was able to win the Serena song

thereafter. I've been following her ever

since she looked sensational last year.

So she's another one who likes this racetrack.

Uppercase is going in pretty good form, but I'll go nice as

pie and I'll also give a little look to Sunday shoes.

There you go, he's Tony Kalo calling the races at Turfway

Park, going through those, the Pick 4 middle stakes races

there. Quarter million bucks in the

Prairie by you Kitty Mile and a 16th.

This is for Open Company 3 and up Tony some horses that you

know people have probably remember hush of a storm in here

has been running in that New York State bred program last

couple of times out there Saratoga and at Aqueduct exalted

in here money supply hidden stash stiletto boy.

I mean, this is the the old what could have been race, if you

will. Yeah, I mean, Wadsworth.

How about Wadsworth? He's a horse that comes with a

good reputation for the dolphin like this.

Hasn't been able to to to get it all the pan out, you know,

right. Running in the Jeff Ruby states

a ladder a couple of years ago now against 2 fields runs a

fourth and he's a very talented horse and he needed that race on

the 7th of November. I'm going to be very, very

pumped up to be watching him noises off as a horse that I

that I absolutely love. I don't know if he's quite good

enough for this group, but he he's a pretty cool race horse.

He likes it here at Turfway. A little bit shy with the

camera, but he usually seems to run a pretty good race.

Now this is a cool one. Stiletto Boy.

I don't know what's up with Stiletto Boy these days, but

hey, you know when you've made $1.8 million, you can pretty

much do what you want to do. If I made $1.8 million, I

wouldn't be on the phone with you right now, Louis.

So with all due respect my friend.

I also would not expect you to be on the on the phone with me.

I don't think, I don't think you would.

I think you'd be like, hey, you know what, can you Take Me Out

to lunch or something? That'd be all right.

But you know, Exalted. I don't know what's going on

with Exalted. He was a cool racehorse in 2023,

but he hasn't really run much in 2024.

His wise Dan was anything but flattering.

His three subsequent starts and pretty poor.

I don't know what to make of him, but Wadsworth, the horse

that I'm probably keying on, but I've got an intriguing horse

that I that I think's been that's really coming into his

own. Here's Mike Maker doing his

magic once again claiming a horse for $40,000 in July.

Pop rose this horse. This horse looked awesome on the

1st of September, storming home with a big turn afoot.

I've loved his victory at Keeneland.

That's a good racehorse time 141 in change and you know, I like

horses who who love to win races 7 for 16.

I think he's an up and Comer. Those are the two that I'm going

to use. I'm going to use Wodsworth and

Paros for this all stakes pick for.

Paros might be my single in this area actually.

I just love the form recently, like you mentioned, both in

Saratoga and a Keeneland and that 22 and change and 46 and

change. I think that might be the kind

of P pace that someone's going to have to put up.

And certainly we've seen Mike Maker do plenty of moves from a

turf to synthetic at 18% hitting in his last 100 attempts there

as well. We get one.

Go ahead. Another positive is, is the

workout, you know, we talked about talked about getting

getting familiar with this racetrack.

How about that move a minute flat and a second best of 45.

I mean this horses all systems go right now.

Yeah, fair enough. Yeah, Race 7, we'll close out

that all stakes. Pick four there in Florence

tomorrow, the Holiday cheer, Turfway Park Synthetic

Championship. Easy for me to say, 6 furlongs

on the synthetic quarter million bucks and the Kitty Open Company

3 and up. I hear moustache in here.

You can hear from Vicki Oliver tonight on the Kentucky Racing

Spotlight with me at 6:00. That ended up being a really,

really fun interview, Tony. She'll have a one in each race

on the 4th synthetic championships tomorrow, which I

thought was very cool. Howard Wolowitz comes in as the

favorite. Do you like horses?

So, you know, a trend I've seen, you know, with people as they

name their dogs you don't like, like this is our, this is our

Beagle Howard, right? And now we get a Howard Wolowitz

as a horse. You like this kind of name or do

you perform more of like a like a moustache?

Yeah, I mean, I understand. I get what This is a character

from The Big Bang Theory. Yes, it is.

Correct. Yeah, that's right.

Yeah. So I mean, I guess if you're a

big fan of the show, Gold square.

Gold square, I think. What's that, Al Gold, I believe,

or Al? Al something.

I can't think of AL's last name, but he, you know, hey, if he

wants the name as Ray source that, that's fine with me.

But you know, this race, this race is the one that given me

the most trouble. I really don't have a definitive

selection in this race, to be honest.

I'm I'm still trying to scramble.

Obviously the one horse has a lot of ability if he's good

enough to run in the Breeders Cup Turf Sprint 5 furlongs

probably a little too short for him.

So you know mustache, I don't know what to make of him.

He he knocks, but he doesn't enter a lot run Carson, I

thought looks sensational winning.

I'm picking Luis Saez a lot does more Luis Saez.

But boy, I'll tell you what go watch that replay.

And this is a versatile individual.

I thought he was going to be a little more forward and Joe

Scheist. He's a pretty cool racehorse and

it took a run Carson to put in just a huge run.

If he repeats anything like that, he's got a, he's got a big

look. And the more I'm looking at this

guy, he's a, he's been kind of working out here pretty

consistently since, since August.

So maybe at 9:00 to 2:00, he's my horse.

I'm, I'm always, you know, I have, I'm always looking for

somewhat of a horse that can finish races.

And maybe that's a reason why I run second a lot because my

horses come with big runs and they just don't quite get there.

But and intriguing long shot is a horse that I thought was

always a nice, nice horse and just hasn't had a lot of races

with dream shake. Dream shake Once Upon a time was

a was was was a cool horse. He you know, he runs against

Life is Good when he's early on in the San Felipe Rock Your

World. There's Jackie's Warrior in his

running lines when he was a three-year old.

He's a nice horse and on his best day at 15 to 1, you could

do a lot worse. No doubt about it did win the

Van Cleef at Colonial this year. Another horse in here of course

I think many will be including is the 12 patches of Houlihan

who is 9 for 11. And he might scratch.

Oh man. Off.

Yeah, no, there's a there's a rumor.

I think the trainer wasn't happy with the post position draw and

I think he's just decided that he's going to put them away for

the rest of the year. But that's that's a rumor.

So we shall see him. You're just giving everybody a

heads up. You rumor mill Tony Kane.

I know you. I'm Kevin Curtis.

Well, I'm happy to do that. Nevermind withdrawing.

Yes, I know we like Tony Kalo, Kevin Kirstein.

Very mixed emotions about that guy.

How about that? There you go.

Well, he's he's. You created quite the

controversy with my man. Kristen.

Poor Kristen. He thought.

That's like, is there a beef? I'm like, we would have to

interact Joe for that to be a thing.

Like that's not, you know, we're we're in different circles.

It's all right, all right, Well, he's Tony Kalo.

He'll be up there on the calls at Turfway Park tomorrow.

A bunch of safe trips and a bunch of great Tony have a

wonderful time. I will try to pop by and say

hello. Yeah, do that, Louis.

Yeah, no question. All right, brother.

Cool man. See you, Tony.

There you go. Poor Tony having to deal with

me. Poor.

I can't believe people come on this show.