S9E12: Hot and other takes on Eclipse Awards
The Ron Flatter Racing Pod
Discussion and debate about the 2025 Eclipse Awards are featured on the first 2026 episode of the Ron Flatter Racing Pod. Sara Elbadwi of Fox Sports and the New York Racing Association, Steve Kornacki of NBC News and Sports, Jessica Paquette from Parx and two-time Eclipse Award-winning writer John Scheinman from Baltimore get together in a panel discussion going in-depth on every championship category. Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Sovereignty may be the leading candidate for horse of the year, but did Breeders’ Cup Classic victor Forever Young do enough in his one U.S....
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S9E11: Bicoastal auld lang 2025
The Ron Flatter Racing Pod
The postponed opening day at Santa Anita and a Pegasus preview at Gulfstream Park are the main points of discussion this week in the final 2025 episode of the Ron Flatter Racing Pod. Horse owner, player and handicapper Jon Lindo previews Sunday’s card at Santa Anita. That is where Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has five entrants in the $300,000 Malibu Stakes, the last Grade 1 race of the season for 3-year-olds. He also examines the latest developments in the future of racing in Southern California. Mark Cornett of C2 Racing Stable talks about White Abarrio, who is entered in the Mr....
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S9E10: A racing Christmas around the world
The Ron Flatter Racing Pod
A holiday celebration turns into a world tour with visits with friends from Japan, England and Australia this week on the Ron Flatter Racing Pod. Kate Hunter checks in from her home base in Japan, where Forever Young provided bookended highlights this year with his triumphs in the Group 1 Saudi Cup and the Breeders’ Cup Classic. The Nashville native who has been based for 17 years across the Pacific also looks ahead to Kentucky Derby 2026, a race Japan still has on its to-do list. Senior writer Lee Mottershead of Racing Post offers Europe’s year-end review from England. He highlights...
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S9E9: 3 TV guys & lots of stories
The Ron Flatter Racing Pod
Three people who have been involved with popular sports television shows also have horse racing in common. One more thing. They are on this week’s Ron Flatter Racing Pod. David Israel, the former chairperson of the California Horse Racing Board, takes time for a rare interview. He talks about what he would like to see change with the sport as well as his favorite races and his experience as a young sports writer covering the miracle on ice at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, N.Y. Sportscaster Kenny Mayne and TV producer Matt Doyle return for part 2 of a conversation which began...
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S9E8: Lighting last Cigar at Aqueduct
The Ron Flatter Racing Pod
With Belmont Park reopening to nearly year-round racing next fall, the Grade 2 Cigar Mile Handicap will be run at Aqueduct for the last time this weekend. The day’s top races are previewed on the Ron Flatter Racing Pod. NYRABets analyst and Gallop Out podcast co-host Kaylie Shapiro offers her thoughts about the feature race of the fall meet as well as the Remsen Stakes (G2), a points prep for Kentucky Derby 2026. Crazy Mason challenges the likes of Bishops Bay and Phileas Fogg in the Cigar Mile. His trainer Gregg Sacco offers his assessment of how the race will be run. Mike Shutty...
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S9E7: Gobble, gobble, Florida and Churchill
The Ron Flatter Racing Pod
The long holiday weekend of stakes action at Churchill Downs and what could be another long winter in the Florida decoupling drama are the main topics this week on the Ron Flatter Racing Pod. Former Kentucky state senator Damon Thayer provides his updated point of view from his role in the fight to keep Gulfstream Park from splitting its racing and gaming licenses. He also responds to what the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association said about who was most responsible for defeating a decoupling bill this year in the state legislature. Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen...
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S9E6: A racing podcast with podcasters
The Ron Flatter Racing Pod
What goes into making a successful podcast for horseplayers and fans? The answers are the subject of a roundtable discussion this week on the Ron Flatter Racing Pod. Hosts Pete Fornatale of the In the Money Players Podcast, Ryan Anderson and Jackson Muniz from the Gallop Out Podcast and Tatiana Ryann from the Business-y Podcast compare and contrast notes and strategies about their programs. Some of the topics include how they present racing content in unique ways, their attempts to find their own voices in a space crowded with listening choices, whether video will push audio aside and,...
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S9E5: Gone fishin’ with the Reeds
The Ron Flatter Racing Pod
Taking a new turn this week, the Ron Flatter Racing Pod is off on a fishing expedition at a pond in Scott County, Kentucky. Eric Reed, who trained Rich Strike to an 80-1 upset victory in Kentucky Derby 2022, is joined by his father Herbie Reed, who living with cancer. While fishing for crappie and bass and shellcrackers from the shore of Lake Tyson, the Reeds reminisce about their lives. Herbie Reed recalls how he and his wife became teenage parents and why he tried to steer Eric away from the horse business that had been his life the generation before. The Reeds also take a trip back...
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S9E4: Breeders’ Cup epilogue, if vets allow it
The Ron Flatter Racing Pod
Forever Young’s victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic will be celebrated by racing fans in Japan for generations to come. It will be reviewed in America one more time on this week’s Ron Flatter Racing Pod. Handicapper and workout analyst Bruno De Julio spent nearly two weeks at Del Mar covering the championships from the first morning workout to the final race last weekend. He offers his assessment of the strategy and quality of the standout performances and the biggest disappointments. There also is a lively debate about the 13 scratches made by veterinarians to remove horses like...
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S9E3: Creeders’ Bup, er, Breeders’ Cup with Biancone, Toffey, Levitch
The Ron Flatter Racing Pod
Breeders’ Cup 2025 brings together 14 divisions of racing into as many races this week at Del Mar. It also becomes common ground for the media, horsemen and handicappers, each of whom is represented on this week’s Friday episode of the Ron Flatter Racing Pod. FanDuel TV’s Andie Biancone provides her perspective not only as an analyst but also a morning exercise rider for the likes of her father, trainer Patrick Biancone. She has snapshot thoughts about both days of championship races. General manager Ned Toffey discusses Spendthrift Farm’s string of Breeders’ Cup horses,...
info_outlineDiscussion and debate about the 2025 Eclipse Awards are featured on the first 2026 episode of the Ron Flatter Racing Pod.
Sara Elbadwi of Fox Sports and the New York Racing Association, Steve Kornacki of NBC News and Sports, Jessica Paquette from Parx and two-time Eclipse Award-winning writer John Scheinman from Baltimore get together in a panel discussion going in-depth on every championship category.
Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Sovereignty may be the leading candidate for horse of the year, but did Breeders’ Cup Classic victor Forever Young do enough in his one U.S. appearance to change voters’ minds? The panel talks about that possibility and the potential backlash against connections for holding Sovereignty out of the Preakness Stakes.
There are plenty of clashing opinions and even a discussion about contentious abstentions from the votes for the steeplechase horse and apprentice jockey.
Co-hosts John Cherwa of the Los Angeles Times and Keith Nelson of Fairmount Park also weigh in with their overarching views of the Eclipse Awards, including ideas on how they ought to be changed.
The Ron Flatter Racing Pod via Horse Racing Nation is available via free subscription from Apple, Firefox, iHeart and Spotify as well as HorseRacingNation.com.