Down The Stretch Podcast

Woodbine introduced a tempting promotion on the Mohawk Pick 5 and Garnet Barnsdale explains why this is a good thing. When Sylvia Hanover’s groom, Natasha Steacy rises at the O’Briens to accept the trophy for Outstanding 3-Year-Old Pacing Filly, she will do so in her custom-made Sylvia Hanover sneakers...Horseowner Chris Nolan is from the U.S. but he tells us why he really likes Woodbine, Sam-Son...

Standardbred racing takes the stage this week – Woodbine’s Bill McLinchey tells us about 3 significant changes to the Mohawk Million and a few more bucks added to the Metro Pace. Phil Hudon was just as amazed as we were when he won 4 in one night recently, and he breaks down his most excellent night. Linday Rainey of the Canadian Horse Racing JHall of Fame explains how you can bid for a service fr...

In episode 207 – and the first for 2024 - props to Woodbine Entertainment, whose broadcast team won an Eclipse Award for their Secretariat – The Last Race. Honours to trainer Harold Ladouceur, inducted into the North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame. James MacDonald hit the 400-win mark at Mohawk; he was good to the very last drop. Jockey Fraser Aebly was golfing with his dad, Derek when...

Can you jam every memorable moment from horse racing into 30 minutes? No, you can’t, but this episode takes us on a journey through the most amazing results, the most intriguing stories and the most talented horses and people who made the headlines in 2023. Host Peter Gross points out that both the Canadian and U.S. Triple Crowns produced 3 winners. He also tells us that invaders took most of the...

In this episode we review the most outrageous, unpredictable and certifiably insane moments in horse racing. Included in this delicious buffet are: + 5 straight races in which the #1 was the winner + A night of harness racing where it seemed only the Millers could win + A horse that paid $1,000 to show + The night Ken Middleton teased Maple Leafs fans only to have it turn badly on him + The easies...

With the Thoroughbred racing season concluded, we officially identify the champion jockey, trainer and owner, which means references to Kazushi Kimura, Mark Casse and Bruno Schickedanz. Trainer Marty Drexler cracked the 100-win mark this year and he tells us how he became a major force at Woodbine. Doug McNair put on a show Saturday night at Mohawk. He had 4 winners, not that anyone got rich betti...

Starting with the La Prevoyante and Steady Growth Stakes from Woodbine, this episode has an interview with leading jockey Kazushi Kimura who talks about his compatriot Shohei Ohtani and why he’s looking forward to driving all the way to L.A. Friday was a big day at the track for newly arrived jockey Fraser Aebly. Writer Dave Briggs expands on his Harness Racing Update story called Only a dope woul...

Stakes races for 2-year-olds from Woodbine. Three jockeys – Emma-Jayne Wilson, Desean Bynoe and Rachel Slevinsky talk about their scary race-related accidents – all three injured in November. Owner Lou Tucci won the Queen’s Plate with Midnight Aria 10 year’s ago and has a chance to double up with a King’s Plate win after his Babbo won the Coronation Futurity. We had two longshots in the first 3 ra...

There were 2 important Stakes races from Woodbine on Saturday, but the story was Kevin, Steve and Sid Attard taking down 5 of the 10 races, including both features. Jockey agent Neal Wilson talks about how Desean Bynoe is the 2nd of his 2 jockeys to suffer a year-ending broken leg. Natasha Day had a Monday night to remember – a win at Western Fair then a win at Mohawk, then a horse doing gymnastic...

This week we feature the Kennedy Road Stakes from Woodbine and it was an Australian horse that won. Rafael Hernandez is in his 20th year as a jockey and he tells us how he won 4 races on the same card recently. Sofia Vives enhanced her apprentice jockey stats with an impressive 3-win Friday at Woodbine. We have a great betting story – trainer-owner-journalist Santino DiPaola breaks down the $48,00...

In episode 199, we have Stakes races at Woodbine on Friday and Saturday. Rafael Hernandez did not violate his wedding vows but he did score with 4 females on the same day. Tattoo Artist lost to Bythemissal and that probably affected his Dan Patch status. Cody Dorman died on the plane ride home from the Breeders’ Cup, but the story of Cody and Cody’s Wish will resonate forever. Race caller Frank Mi...

Santa Anita hosted 14 Breeders’ Cup races. This podcast has the stretch call of all of them; not many longshots and very modest returns for Canadian connections. There were 3 Stake races on the weekend at Woodbine – The Grey, the Mazarine and the Autumn and we have multiple harness racing angles: Driver Tyler Borth walks us through his 7-win night in London. James MacDonald won 6 last Friday at Mo...

We sent Garnet Barnsdale to Hoosier Park and he broke down the Breeders Crown races, emphasizing the Canadian Content – how did Sylvia Hanover, Tactical Approach, Scott Zeron and Tattoo Artist do? Amazing feats by horse racing athletes – Sylvain Filion hit the 10,000-win mark on Monday at Mohawk Park, then added 5 more on Friday on a night when Fort Erie race caller Doug McPherson described the ac...

We have the disputed outcome from the Ontario Derby at Woodbine. We chat with apprentice jockeys Cheyenne Kerr, Fraser Aebly and Pietro Moran about the thrill of winning for the first time at Woodbine. The country’s leading apprentice, Sofia Vives, had an unforgettable ride in Fort Erie’s final race. Doug McNair pushed his harness driving purse earnings past the $80 million mark then drove to Indi...

The $250,000 Cup and Saucer is one of 5 Stakes from Woodbine featured this week. There were 8 $300,000 OSS Golds at Mohawk. At Ajax Downs, 2 horses dead-heated for 2nd in a Stakes event, and both were elevated to the win spot. We got Scott Zeron on the phone. This year, Zeron won the North America Cup, the Hambletonian, the Jug, the Jugette and the Kentucky Futurity. Does that make him the Dan Pat...

It was another huge Sunday at Woodbine with the Grade l Canadian International, the E.P. Taylor, the Algonquin and the Nearctic Stakes and most of the big purses went to invaders Resilience, the filly won the Jimmy Freight Stakes and Jimmy Freight was resilient, coming off a 6-month layoff to win on the same night. It took another magical drive from, Scott Zeron as Tactical Approach won the Kentuc...

This podcast is full of great races – The Breeders’ Stakes, 3rd leg of the Canadian Triple Crown at Woodbine, 4 OSS Golds from Mohawk Park, Tattoo Artist crushing again, this time at the Dayton Raceway. Natural hattricks at Woodbine for jockeys Sahin Civaci and Sofia Vives. We check out the very close jockeys race at Ajax Downs; will it be Brian Bell, or Ramiro Castillo or J B Botello?.Promoter an...

We start with the Bull Page and Victorian Queen Stakes from Woodbine, go to Mohawk Park for the Mohawk Million, the Elegant Image, the She’s a Great Lady, the Canadian Trotting Classic, the Metro Pace and another stunning win by Tattoo Artist. Two ends of the jockey spectrum -55-year-old Gary Boulanger tells us why he’s retiring 36 years after his first ride and 21-year-old Sofia Vives, in her fir...

This podcast features the Ricoh Woodbine Mile, Justin Stein in the Prince of Wales, Kevin Attard on his champion Velocitor, Bob Tiller explaining how he missed his horse winning the Vigil Stakes and Doug McNair delivering Grace Hill in the Milton Stakes. Trainer Lauren Spada and jockey Rachel Isaacs each recorded their first Stakes win last Wednesday at Ajax Downs. Veteran jockey Helen Vanek ended...

This week’s episode is jammed with Thoroughbred and Standardbred Stakes races – from Woodbine – the Singspiel, Moira back in form in the Canadian Stakes, Sahin Civaci wining both the Zadracarta and the Wonder Where on Sunday. From Mohawk – Bob McClure taking down 3 of 4 OSS Golds to start the week. From the Meadowlands, another superb post-10 win with Tactical Mounds from Scott Zeron. Doug McNair...

This podcast has the Toronto Cup Stakes from Woodbine and both the Canadian Pacing Derby and Maple Leaf Trot from Mohawk. Louis-Philippe Roy with a candid moment. Had to Be Ivory, Canada’s greatest quarter horse won a Stakes race at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Trainer Carmen Auciello hit a major milestone. After witnessing too many horse deaths at Saratoga, Mark Casse says American tracks need to do w...

Lots of Stakes races this week - from Woodbine - the Muskoka, the Elgin, the Algoma and the Simcoe; from Mohawk - the William Wellwood, the Peaceful Way, 2 Nassagaweya finals and a pair of Eternal Camnation finals. We drop in to Saratoga for the Travers Stakes and we visit Ajax Downs and talk with the amazing Ed Walton, the 60-year-old jockey who is still bringing in winners. We’re on the phone wi...

The big story is, of course, the first King’s Plate since 1951, only somewhat overshadowing a brilliant day for trainer Mark Casse and jockey Patrick Husbands. This podcast also has the Catch a Glimpse, the Bold Venture, the Soaring Free and the Dance Smartly, as well as a huge upset on Saturday in the Sweet Briar Too. Mark Romeo of Terra Racing Stable looks back on the last time Queen Elizabeth a...

Amazing and historic moments in horse racing – Scotty Zeron won his 3rd Hambletonian, but his drive with Tactical Approach may very well be the greatest harness drive of all time. Louis-Philippe Roy broke out with 5 wins at Mohawk Saturday night. Jockey Katie Davis made history twice at Saratoga, each time doing something that had never been done before. We have the Vice Regent and Hamilton Stakes...

A week before the King’s Plate, this podcast features the Bison City Stakes from Woodbine. Scott Zeron breaks down his amazing Hambletonian day at the Meadowlands. From the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame Inductions, we chat with Gilles Gendron, Eurico Rosa da Silva, Jack Darling and Frank Salive. A harness race from last Tuesday whose poignancy greatly exceeded its purse - Ken Middleton talks...