S7E18: From Mardi Gras to Risen Star

This weekend’s Risen Star Stakes is the first win-and-you’re-in prep for Kentucky Derby 2024, and it is the main subject of this week’s Ron Flatter Racing Pod.

FanDuel TV racing analyst Caton Bredar offers a preview of the race and some highlights from the rest of the stakes-laden card at Fair Grounds in New Orleans.

Hall of Fame and Sierra Leone are among the Risen Star favorites not to mention top contenders for the Derby. They will be discussed by Robyn Murray, who handles sales, racehorses and marketing for their lead owner Coolmore America.

Horse Racing Nation handicapper Ed DeRosa has tips for the Risen Star and the other races this weekend as well as some thoughts about futures wagering on the Derby.

John Cherwa and Ron sample listener and reader feedback about how racing and the Super Bowl have gone opposite directions in the past half-century when it comes to betting handle.

The Ron Flatter Racing Pod via Horse Racing Nation is available via free subscription from Apple, Firefox, Google, iHeart and Spotify as well as HorseRacingNation.com.

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S7E17: We know Shug, but who is this Randy Moss?

The next Kentucky Derby 2024 points prep and Super Bowl LVIII are the focus of this week’s Ron Flatter Racing Pod.

Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey talks about Change of Command, the morning-line favorite for this weekend’s Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. He also discusses some other Derby and Kentucky Oaks prospects in his stable.

From Las Vegas, NBC Sports racing analyst and longtime NFL reporter Randy Moss provides insight into the Derby trail as well as Sunday’s championship between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers.

Super Screener creator Mike Shutty handicaps the Sam F. Davis and two other weekend stakes at Tampa Bay Downs and Gulfstream Park.

Ron also samples the feedback about his column that declared the absence of Bob Baffert’s horses would make America’s biggest race nothing more than Kentucky Derby 149 1/2.

The Ron Flatter Racing Pod via Horse Racing Nation is available via free subscription from Apple, Firefox, Google, iHeart and Spotify as well as HorseRacingNation.com.

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S7E16: ‘I didn’t recognize Camila Cabello’

This week’s Ron Flatter Racing Pod has three main subjects, five races to handicap and one embarrassing admission.

Eclipse Award winner Fierceness headlines Saturday’s four Kentucky Derby points preps. Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher talks about the champion colt’s 2024 debut in the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park. Todd also discusses two of his other prominent 3-year-olds who are Derby contenders.

Bob Baffert’s announcement that he will not have any of his horses in the Derby gets the once-over. Co-host John Cherwa of the Los Angeles Times had an exclusive interview with Baffert that was the focal point of his report this week. He and Ron discuss what the absence of the Baffert horses will mean to his year’s Derby.

The tenuous future of Turf Paradise in Phoenix is discussed by Arizona Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association executive director Leroy Gessmann. How California’s uncertain racing picture affects his state is also grist for the conversation.

Paddock Prince David Levitch has tips for the Holy Bull, the Withers (G3) at Aqueduct, the Southwest (G3) at Oaklawn and the Robert B. Lewis (G3) at Santa Anita plus an allowance race that caught his attention.

Ron confesses that he completely missed Camila Cabello in the paddock last weekend on Pegasus day, even though he walked right past her three times.

The Ron Flatter Racing Pod via Horse Racing Nation is available via free subscription from Apple, Firefox, Google, iHeart and Spotify as well as HorseRacingNation.com.

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S7E15: The sun, fun capital of winter racing world

A trip to Florida for big races and yearly awards is the focus of this week’s Ron Flatter Racing Pod.

The Grade 1, $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park has trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. and TV analyst and morning-line writer Brian Nadeau talking. They discuss their views of the big three races on the card.

Horse Racing Nation handicapper Mark Midland focuses not only on big stakes on Saturday’s card at Gulfstream Park but also on one early offering on the undercard that could yield some strong value for bettors.

From The Breakers in Palm Beach, Fla., Ron has a recap of Thursday night’s Eclipse Awards, which were dominated by the emotional story of horse of the year Cody’s Wish.

Also, John Cherwa joins Ron to discuss Bob Baffert’s decision to drop his appeal to restore Medina Spirit as the winner of the 2021 Kentucky Derby and Churchill Down Inc.’s decision to keep Baffert under suspension through at least the end of this year.

The Ron Flatter Racing Pod via Horse Racing Nation is available via free subscription from Apple, Firefox, Google, iHeart and Spotify as well as HorseRacingNation.com.

It is sponsored by the Pegasus World Cup Betting Championship.

https://www.xpressbet.com/pegasus-world-cup-betting-championship?utm_source=hrn&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=pwcbc

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S7E14: Itching the scratches from the next Kentucky Derby prep

More qualifying points are on the line for Kentucky Derby 2024 with the Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds, the centerpiece this week on the Ron Flatter Racing Pod.

FanDuel TV’s Michael Joyce checks in from New Orleans to offer his insights on the Derby trail and with some predictions about next week’s Eclipse Awards.

Trainer Mark Casse talks about his Lecomte colt Can Group and his Colonel E. L. Bradley Stakes starter Strong Quality.

Handicapper Ed DeRosa has tips for weekend races, including the Lecomte, more stakes at Fair Grounds and one at Gulfstream Park to start the coast-to-coast Pick 5.

Listeners and readers join the Los Angeles Times’ John Cherwa to offer their feedback about last week’s visit to Old Friends retirement farm in Kentucky and the future of Maryland racing.

The Ron Flatter Racing Pod via Horse Racing Nation is available via free subscription from Apple, Firefox, Google, iHeart and Spotify as well as HorseRacingNation.com. It is sponsored by the Pegasus World Cup Betting Championship.

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S7E13: Say hello to Silver Charm at Old Friends

How great does it sound to spend a day at Old Friends retirement farm in Georgetown, Ky.? That is exactly what happens on this week’s episode of the Ron Flatter Racing Pod.

Michael Blowen, who started the program 20 years ago, is handing over the reins as president next month, but not before he takes listeners on an audio tour of the farm, providing his thoughts about how it has gone and how it will be going after he leaves. He also introduces listeners to 1997 Kentucky Derby winner Silver Charm, who looks great at age 30.

Super Screener creator Mike Shutty handicaps weekend races, including the Pasco at Tampa Bay Downs and two turf stakes at Santa Anita.

Listener and reader feedback centers on the decline of Southern California racing and Ron’s column about underperforming winter preps for Kentucky Derby 2024.

The Ron Flatter Racing Pod via Horse Racing Nation is available via free subscription from Apple, Google and Spotify as well as HorseRacingNation.com.

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S7E12: Maryland, California, New York, Florida ... and Shecky

It is a coast-to-coast episode to start the new year on the Ron Flatter Racing Pod.

From the east, Brittany Russell talks about being the first woman to train the most winners in a calendar year in Maryland. She also looks at Regalo’s bid to win the Jerome Stakes, a Kentucky Derby 2024 prep Saturday at Aqueduct.

Racing insider Bob Ike looks at some early returns on the winter-spring meet at Santa Anita, where the handle is down, and the San Vicente Stakes (G2) will be run Saturday.

Paddock Prince handicapper David Levitch has tips for weekend races, including the Jerome at Aqueduct and the all-stakes late Pick 3 at Gulfstream Park.

There also will be listener and reader feedback and a tribute to the late comic and horseplayer Shecky Greene.

The Ron Flatter Racing Pod via Horse Racing Nation is available via free subscription from Apple, Google and Spotify as well as HorseRacingNation.com.

The Sept. 13, 2019, episode of the Ron Flatter Racing Pod featuring the late Shecky Greene:

https://content.libsyn.com/p/b/6/3/b636abe52b19b496/HSW6226440037.mp3?c_id=118786664&cs_id=118786664&response-content-type=audio%2Fmpeg&Expires=1704367542&Signature=JyfzUnURNfIu~06lsgYcjryXlxGoPGqToWfwRPLcLcBLLT4N0Gv-qonyv9sdCiUny3V4oHGoq1S0joBwcZCPSlIi7hWPg4fHhasnqz45f~7kz9ZRSRAL8-BvOGG5BMzJMfkBQAqmEIZ6iQtd1zaUdL5uUDC7uj~FjziVmkGi19HKe-74jyiqamFU6b0uscN-IKAhCtmTO~CdJLZHxyrlkjjBfxi2PJ5vKJEiIgAmpIRCmMyqIhE2lOoQ~VacxV6pKQ6kfMlGw7ZszqWbIPaTQK2iSQg5XL03hR-UfixjkDeeNu~rkIiclOMMNkQF04LPQXGcoPnmPjz-HRuEUcv-8g__&Key-Pair-Id=K1YS7LZGUP96OI

The story Ron wrote Sunday on the death of Shecky Greene:

https://www.horseracingnation.com/news/Flatter_Remembering_comic_and_horseplayer_Shecky_Greene_123

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