S8E38: Future of Pimlico, Preakness and Maryland with Bill Knauf

This is the summer when old Pimlico is scheduled to be torn down with a new racecourse grandstand being built in time for Preakness 2027. How will that concept become a reality?

On this week’s Ron Flatter Racing Pod, new Maryland Jockey Club president and general manager Bill Knauf gets into the details as the episode’s sole guest.

Knauf discusses his more than quarter-century at Monmouth Park, where he worked hand in hand with a management team which brought sports betting and fixed-odds wagering to the Jersey Shore racetrack.

The move of the Preakness to Laurel Park in 2026 and whether the new Pimlico will be ready in time for the 2027 renewal also comes up. The conversation covers how the new Pimlico may look and when plans may be finalized for the rebuilding of the Baltimore racetrack. Knauf offers thoughts about whether the $400 million budgeted for the project will be enough to cover the cost.

Knauf also talks about the future of racing in the mid-Atlantic region, especially the relationship the new Maryland Jockey Club will have with its neighbors in Virginia.

Of course any discussion of Pimlico will lead to thoughts about the spacing of the three Triple Crown races and whether it should 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.

Check out this episode!

S8E37: Wolfendale, Shirreffs, Levitch talk Belmont Stakes

The Belmont Stakes rematch of this year’s classic winners Sovereignty and Journalism is the focus of this week’s Ron Flatter Racing Pod.

Maggie Wolfendale-Morley from New York Racing Association TV and Fox Sports is at Saratoga, where she paints the scene for this second year the  Belmont migrates to its home away from home. She offers a snapshot of the race with some angles that might not be so obvious to handicappers.

Trainer John Shirreffs discusses Baeza, who has all the makings of the wise-guy horse in this year’s Belmont field. He also extolls the virtues of Saratoga, particularly as a haven for horses.

Paddock Prince handicapper David Levitch has advice on how to bet an all-Grade 1 trio of races, namely the Woody Stephens, the Manhattan and the Belmont Stakes. The hard-core handicappers Johnny Avello, Ed DeRosa and Mark Midland have bonus picks for Saturday’s Saratoga undercard.

Co-host John Cherwa of the Los Angeles Times joins in the reading of audience feedback to last week’s column pining for a Kentucky Derby victor to win again, just as Mystik Dan did last Saturday in the Blame Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs.

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.

Check out this episode!

S8E36: Hard-core handicappers pop up for Belmont Stakes

Deep analysis of every horse in Belmont Stakes 2025 is ready to hear now from the hard-core handicappers in their latest pop-up episode of the Ron Flatter Racing Pod.

Horse Racing Nation handicappers Mark Midland and Ed DeRosa are joined by DraftKings Sportsbook director Johnny Avello. They go through the entire field, 1 through 8, including Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty and Preakness winner Journalism.

How will they play the two classic winners, and how short is too short to bet them to win or in exotics? How will the wise-guy status of Baeza or the presence of Bob Baffert with Rodríguez skew the odds? Who are the pretenders amid the contenders? Where is the value? How will the horses take to the track at Saratoga? The panel answers all those questions.

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.

Check out this episode!

S8E35: Mystik Dan, the Belmont & Monsieur Clément

A preliminary look at next week’s running of Belmont Stakes 2025 and a preview of this weekend’s return of Kentucky Derby 2024 winner Mystik Dan to Churchill Downs are the centers of attention on this week’s Ron Flatter Racing Pod.

From the New York Racing Association and Fox Sports, former jockey Richard Migliore offers his perspective on the Triple Crown and how the rematch of Sovereignty and Journalism might unfold next Saturday. He also offers his thoughts about Júnior Alvarado, Umberto Rispoli and their winning rides in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness and all the controversy that went with them.

Brian Hernandez Jr., who rode Mystik Dan and Thorpedo Anna to triumphs last year in the Kentucky Derby and Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, discusses both horses and their upcoming races. He focuses most of his attention on Saturday’s running of the Blame Stakes (G3), where Mystik Dan tries to get his first victory since last year’s Derby.

Super Screener creator Mike Shutty has some early thoughts about the Belmont Stakes and specific tips for the Arlington (G3), Blame and Regret (G3) on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Co-host John Cherwa from the Los Angeles Times joins in the feedback from listeners and readers reacting to the death of trainer Christophe Clément.

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

Check out this episode!

S8E34: How would you rule on Preakness 2025?

The Preakness 2025 hangover has not been cured yet, and why should it? One of the great races of all time is subject to review as the Belmont Stakes looms on the horizon on the Ron Flatter Racing Pod.

Two-time Eclipse Award-winning turf writer John Scheinman from Baltimore has his thoughts about the race, the Triple Crown schedule and the future of racing in Maryland with old Pimlico scheduled to be demolished this year.

Bernie Hettel, the former top steward in Kentucky and Arkansas, weighs in with his opinion about Journalism’s squeeze to victory in the Preakness and who should have been disqualified if anyone in one of the most physical stretch runs in Triple Crown history. He also has thoughts about the crop penalty assessed to jockey Júnior Alvarado in riding Sovereignty to a Kentucky Derby triumph.

Ed DeRosa looks ahead to the holiday weekend with handicapping of races at Santa Anita and Churchill Downs.

Co-host John Cherwa helps to go over some of the listener and reader feedback about Journalism’s Preakness victory.

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.

Check out this episode!

S8E33: Preakness one more time at old Pimlico

This weekend may be for the last time when Preakness 2025 is run at old Pimlico. It is the site for this week’s Ron Flatter Racing Pod.

Michael McCarthy, the trainer of Journalism, discusses the timeline since his colt finished second in the Kentucky Derby and how he looks at being the favorite for the Preakness. Trainer Jamie Osborne talks about the reasons he decided not to bring Heart of Honor from across the Atlantic to race in the Derby and why he chose the Preakness for this colt and his daughter Saffie to ride in the U.S.

From 1/ST Racing, the outgoing managers of the Preakness, TV host and analyst Ron Nicoletti and executive vice president Mike Rogers discuss not only Saturday’s classic but also the transition of the Preakness and the rest of the state’s racing to the new Maryland Jockey Club.

Paddock Prince handicapper David Levitch offers analysis of both the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan on Friday and the Preakness on Saturday, even offering advice based on the weather whether it is rain or shine.

Co-host John Cherwa from the Los Angeles Times discusses the big fine incurred by jockey Júnior Alvarado for overuse of the riding crop on Sovereignty to win the Kentucky Derby. They also look at listener and reader feedback about the idea to expand the Triple Crown by one week.

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.

Check out this episode!

S8E32: Preakness pop-up with hard-core handicappers

From Pimlico in Baltimore, deep analysis of every horse in Preakness 2025 is ready to hear now from the hard-core handicappers in their latest pop-up episode of the Ron Flatter Racing Pod.

Horse Racing Nation handicappers Mark Midland and Ed DeRosa are joined by DraftKings Sportsbook director Johnny Avello. They go through the entire field from 1 to 9, including morning-line favorite and Kentucky Derby runner-up Journalism.

How will they play Journalism, and how short is too short to bet him to win or even in exotics? Will the social-media popularity of Sandman skew his odds? How about Bob Baffert’s new shooter Goal Oriented and the almost forgotten graded-stakes winner Gosger? Who are the pretenders amid the contenders? Where is the value? The panel answers all those questions.

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.

Check out this episode!