S9E32: Hard-core handicappers pop up for Preakness
The Ron Flatter Racing Pod
With a 14-horse field to ponder and study, the hard-core handicappers are back to analyze every horse in Preakness 2026. They are on this special, pop-up episode of the Ron Flatter Racing Pod. FanDuel TV’s Caton Bredar joins Horse Racing Nation handicappers Ed DeRosa and Mark Midland as well as host Ron Flatter from Laurel Park. They consider whether Iron Honor is a worthy 9-2 favorite on the morning line. They also weigh the possibility that the shortest price come post time Saturday could be Incredibolt or Ocelli from the Kentucky Derby or perhaps new shooter Chip Honcho. The absence...
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S9E31: What do you mean he’s not going?
The Ron Flatter Racing Pod
Reaction to the decision not to send Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo to Preakness 2026 is the main topic of discussion this week on the Ron Flatter Racing Pod. Sports Illustrated writer Pat Forde talks about the choices he had to make in writing his story about Golden Tempo’s victory last week, especially balancing Cherie DeVaux being the first woman to train a Derby winner and the Ortiz brothers riding to a one-two finish. He also weighs in on the long-term future of when the Preakness should be run. From the National Horseplayers Championship in Las Vegas in March, the reigning...
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S9E30: Kentucky Derby stars & mystery guest
The Ron Flatter Racing Pod
The final preview of Kentucky Derby 152 brings together the best of TV personalities, trainers and handicappers on this week’s Ron Flatter Racing Pod. NBC’s Steve Kornacki spends some time talking about the field for this year’s Derby and how he will go about dispensing statistical trends that are his specialty on the national telecast. Trainers Brad Cox, Todd Pletcher and Mark Glatt chat about their contenders in the Derby. Cox discusses Grade 1 Florida Derby winner Commandment and Blue Grass (G1) victor Further Ado. Pletcher explains his outlook for morning-line favorite...
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S9E29: Kentucky Derby hard-core handicappers
The Ron Flatter Racing Pod
Deep analysis of every horse in Kentucky Derby 2026 from the main draw through the also-eligibles is ready to hear now with the hard-core handicappers pop-up episode of the Ron Flatter Racing Pod. Horse Racing Nation handicappers Ed DeRosa and Mark Midland and FanDuel TV’s Caton Bredar go through the entire field from the favorite Renegade to the longest of long shots. They evaluate every horse from 1 to 20 plus the four horses who were entered as also-eligibles. How do they think the rail draw may affect Renegade? Will the Brad Cox-trained trio of Commandment, Further Ado and Fulleffort...
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S9E28: ’Twas the week before Derby
The Ron Flatter Racing Pod
The field for Kentucky Derby 2026 will be drawn this weekend, when final breezes will show up on the Churchill Downs work tab. That is the setting for this episode of the Ron Flatter Racing Pod. Riley Mott, the son of Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, is preparing his first two Derby horses for next Saturday’s big date. He talks about Virginia Derby winner Incredibolt and Grade 2 Wood Memorial victor Albus as well as his relationship with their owner Pin Oak Stable. In a nod to bettors, National Thoroughbred Racing Association chief operating officer Keith Chamblin discusses the growth...
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S9E27: Sovereignty vs. Journalism 3.0
The Ron Flatter Racing Pod
A fortnight before Kentucky Derby 2026, a rematch between Sovereignty and Journalism highlights the weekend as well as the discussion this week on the Ron Flatter Racing Pod. Godolphin USA bloodstock director Michael Banahan about reigning horse of the year Sovereignty and his third meeting with Journalism, this time in Saturday’s Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap. Sovereignty won both their previous showdowns last year in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes to galvanize his championship case. Banahan discusses the Godolphin homebred colt’s return from a seven-month layoff and his strategy...
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S9E26: Talking Kentucky Derby & Apple Blossom
The Ron Flatter Racing Pod
The field is penciled into place for Kentucky Derby 2026 in three weeks at Churchill Downs. It also is set for Saturday’s Grade 1, $1.25 million Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn. Both races come into focus this week on the Ron Flatter Racing Pod. U.S. and Canada hall-of-fame trainer Mark Casse discusses Eclipse Award winner Nitrogen’s bid to win the Apple Blossom. He also has Oaklawn stakes winner Nerazurri in the race. Casse also discusses his Kentucky Derby contender Silent Tactic and Kentucky Oaks (G1) hopes Counting Stars and Search Party. Horseplayers advocate Chris Larmey...
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S9E25: Schrupp speaks
The Ron Flatter Racing Pod
For the first time since he left FanDuel TV in February, racing host and analyst Todd Schrupp breaks his silence, and the last of the major preps for Kentucky Derby 2026 are the focus this week of the Ron Flatter Racing Pod. Not only does he talk about his exit, but Schrupp also discusses last week’s announcement that FDTV will go out of existence by the end of next year. Super Screener creator Mike Shutty handicaps weekend stakes at Aqueduct and Keeneland, and he talks about the Blue Grass (G1), the Santa Anita Derby (G1) and the Wood Memorial (G2), the races that will shape the field...
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S9E24: Long and short of Triple Crown
The Ron Flatter Racing Pod
Two Grade 1 points preps for Kentucky Derby 2026 and a long-range view of the Triple Crown are on offer this week on the Ron Flatter Racing Pod. The $1.5 million Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn and the $1 million Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park will send their winners and probably their second-place finishers to run for the roses May 2. Gustavo Delgado Jr., a co-owner and assistant trainer of The Puma, talks about his colt’s chances in the Florida Derby and his return to the trail that got Mage into the winner’s circle three years ago at Churchill Downs. Handicapper David Levitch analyzes...
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S9E23: Baffert splits, DeVaux preps
The Ron Flatter Racing Pod
The news of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s decision to split his deep stable between two states is a dominant topic this week on the Ron Flatter Racing Pod. Co-hosts John Cherwa of the Los Angeles Times and Keith Nelson of Fairmount Park discuss the news that Baffert will have a string of horses during the entire spring meet at Churchill Downs. It will have repercussions in California, where Santa Anita scrambles to fill cards three days a week without an auxiliary gambling source of added revenue. Readers’ feedback about Baffert also is on this episode. The Grade 2 Louisiana...
info_outlineA fortnight before Kentucky Derby 2026, a rematch between Sovereignty and Journalism highlights the weekend as well as the discussion this week on the Ron Flatter Racing Pod.
Godolphin USA bloodstock director Michael Banahan about reigning horse of the year Sovereignty and his third meeting with Journalism, this time in Saturday’s Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap. Sovereignty won both their previous showdowns last year in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes to galvanize his championship case. Banahan discusses the Godolphin homebred colt’s return from a seven-month layoff and his strategy for the six-horse stakes this weekend in Arkansas. He also looks back on the decision to skip the Preakness after winning the Kentucky Derby.
Economics professor and Thoroughbred owner-player Marshall Gramm talks about the course in horse betting that he has been teaching this spring at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn.
Handicapper Ed DeRosa has Saturday tips for the Oaklawn Handicap in Arkansas and the Elkhorn (G2) and Ben Ali (G3) at Keeneland.
Co-hosts John Cherwa of the Los Angeles Times and Keith Nelson of Fairmount Park have their popular host chat and take part in a review of listener and reader feedback about the lawsuit filed by White Abarrio’s owners over the controversial vet scratch in the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.
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.