Down The Stretch Podcast

Garnet Barndale, now the Bo Derek of harness racing, defied the odds by picking all 10 winners on a card at Western Fair. Canadians Jim and Susan Hill sent out the winner of the $200,000 Mac Diarmida Stakes at Gulfstream. Two heavy favourites won Kentucky Derby Preps in the States and when Gretzky The Great came 3rd at Turfway at even money, trainer Mark Casse was surprisingly pleased. Scott Zeron scored a double at the Meadowlands. Jockey Tony Phillips raps for us about Quarter Horse of the...

Pari-mutuel harness racing has recommenced in Ontario. Host Peter Gross drops in on Mohawk Park, Rideau Carleton and the Raceway at Western Fair. Woodbine CEO Jim Lawson has been fighting for single sports betting at racetracks and he tells us how that project is getting closer to reality. Greg Gangle and Shannon ‘Sugar‘ Doyle express how happy they are that racing is back in London. There was an upset in the $20 Million Saudi Cup and O’Brien Award winning writer Garnet Barnsdale made a dumb...

Harness racing resumes this week at Mohawk. Woodbine’s CEO Jim Lawson gives us the good news and he also talks about the battle to implement historical horse racing in Ontario. Mark McKelvie brings us up to speed on the second Mohawk Million. We talk with Michelle Gibson after she found out she’s the Sovereign Award winner as Groom of the year and the flamboyantly charismatic Will Wong tells us how excited he is to be nominated for Outstanding Photograph. This podcast looks back on great...

Trainers Josie Carroll, Kevin Attard and Bob Tiller talk about their Sovereign Award nominations as does Nikki Alderson, up for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey. Dr. Ian Moore had a great night at the O’Briens, so he provides an upbeat interview. The only horse racing in Canada took place in Prince Edward Island. Track manager Lee Drake explains how their harness racing was conducted safely. Scott Zeron is winning at the Meadowlands and we have two of his victories. Find out what happens when a...

This podcast has all the results from the O’Brien Awards with special props to Garnet Barnsdale, winner in the Written Work Category and Dr. Ian Moore, owner-trainer of horses that prevailed in 4 categories, including Horse of the Year. Jason Portuondo co-hosted with Ken Middleton and Portuondo is also half the equation (with Chad Rozema) of the new Horse Racin’ Around the World on HPI. We have coverage of the Eclipse Awards in which the best horses in the U.S. got their silverware. Ontario...

Trouble on the high seas for the Down The Stretch Podcast. Are we going to be sued by famous race caller Dave Johnson who has trademarked his iconic phrase And Down The Stretch They Come? Peter’s toe-to-toe with Johnson’s lawyer, Andrew Mollica is epic! So was Knicks Go in the $3 million Pegasus at Gulfstream. We have wins by horses with Canadian connections in Florida and at the Meadowlands, and Marvin Katz, talks about the thrill he got when his Tall Dark Stranger won the Dan Patch Award...

This podcast has 5 storylines. Danny Vella explains why lasix is not a bad thing. Ray Paulick tells us about the Ray Paulick Report and why the Ontario government made a mistake with the horse racing file. Harness horse owner, Mike Tanev has a unique point of view on the stoppage of racing. We meet Ferrin Peterson who is both a jockey and a veterinarian. The groom is the foundation of the entire industry and two of them – Tanya Mitchell and Brady Jackson tell us what it feels like to be...

In the first podcast of 2021, Peter Gross has a wide-ranging series of stories. There’s Jon Stettin, whose podcast is called After the Wire and not only does he comment on some of the best racing stories of 2020, he tells Down The Stretch how he hit a Pick-6 that paid over half a million dollars. Thanks to Joe Tilley Sports, we have clips from Eurico Rosa da Silva and writer Bruce McDougall; the latter talking about Riding For Freedom, the wonderful book he wrote with da Silva, who walks us...

This is the 50th and last Down The Stretch podcast of 2020. Woodbine CEO Jim Lawson defends his controversial tweet that challenged the government’s stoppage of horse racing. Sam-Son Farm is selling off many of its broodmare, all of them in foal and David Whitford identifies some great ones. Sylvain Filion won the final race at Mohawk...and many others during the season. Looking back on the year in racing, several industry players picked out their favourite races. And there’s one race at Los...

Besides races from Mohawk, Woodbine, Churchill Downs, Mahoning Valley and Tampa Bay Downs, this Down The Stretch podcast has 5 fascinating features: 1) The Passing of the great Awesome Again 2) Horsewoman Heather Young re-united with a wonderful horse named Pieceoftherock after 8 years 3) Jody Jamieson gives harness driving tips 4) A chat with Eurico Rosa da Silva about his gut-wrenching book 5) ...and how do you cheer for your horse?

This podcast presents a wide range of horse racing stories. There was a huge Pick-5 payoff at Mohawk as well as two legs of the Valedictory Series and two more of the Niagara series. Ever wonder what a track announcer does when he can’t see any of the horses? We’ve got a minimalist race call from the Meadowlands. Shannon Henry tells us how her husband Trevor and seven other thoughtful drivers will be donating all their winnings so that children can get gifts for Christmas. Get ready to sing...

Did it take us 47 podcasts to discover the horse racing story of the year? Garnet Barnsdale tells us about Brandon Campbell who won two big Stakes races at Century Mile after breaking both wrists in a wild accident. Host Peter Gross wonders why jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson never gets serious consideration for the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award as Canada’s best female athlete and we hear from Wilson on this. Jody Jamieson scored a four-bagger at Mohawk Saturday night, but he probably wasn’t quite as...

This week’s Down The Stretch Podcast will certainly give you something to think about. Make sure you listen to the end for Peter Gross’ show stopping parody of the Grinch That Stole Chistmas. Before that, Jim Lawson, Jennifer Morrison, Sue Leslie, Justin Stein Steve Buffery and Tia Menard comment on the government’s abrupt stoppage of thoroughbred racing at Woodbine. How did Jose Bautista get in this podcast? In fact, why are we thanking Elton John and Kiki Dee? And Monomoy Girl fetched HOW...

Thoroughbred racing at Woodbine came to an abrupt end. Was it Rafael Hernandez or Justin Stein who won the jockeys’ race? There were multiple Stakes races at Woodbine, milestone wins for Mark Casse and driver Trevor Henry. There was a Crossover Pick 5 that no one could figure out. What did harness horse guy Adriano Sorella do when he discovered a horse he once owned was in a kill pen? Your horse finishes 7th, 40 lengths behind the winner and they pay you off – yes, that happened. And how...

A full cast of players in Down The Stretch Episode 44 – Woodbine CEO Jim Lawson talks about a casino takeover, single sports betting and fixed odds betting. Harness horse owner, Marvin Katz rhapsodizes about his great pacer, Tall Dark Stranger. Racing Analyst Jeff Bratt tells us why next weekend’s Stakes races at Woodbine could determine the Horse of the Year. On Friday the 13th, one horse player won over $17,000 for a 20 cent bet. County music start Buck Owens makes a guest appearance and...

Host Peter Gross loved all the Breeders’ Cup races, even if there wasn’t a single Canadian horse winning. How did trainer Kevin Attard feel when his wonderful mare, Starship Jubilee tossed her jockey right out of the gate in the Filly and Mare Turf? This podcast has the call of all 9 races from Saturday. You will also hear how badlu Mark Casse did at Keeneland on the weekend, but how great he did at Woodbine. On the harness racing side, a spectacular milestone for driver Trevor Henry and a...

Host Peter Gross says the Three Year-Old Breeders Crown race at Hoosier Park was the greatest harness race ever. Is he right? And how did a horse driven by Scott Zeron pay so much? This podcast has all the Canadian connections from the Breeders’ Crown, including Bob McClure’s first Crown trophy. Woodbine’s CEO Jim Lawson is in this podcast telling sports fans that even though there is no hockey or basketball this fall, there is plenty of horse racing. Sunday was a huge day at Woodbine for...

It is very hard to sweep the Triple Crown. Even though Mighty Heart, trained by Josie Carroll was unable to take the Breeders’ Stakes, Carroll gets credit for sending out the winning horse in all three legs. Find out why. The third leg of the fillies’ Triple Tiara produced the third of three winners in the series. Owner Marvin Katz of Toronto had two winners at Hoosier Park in the eliminations for the upcoming Breeders’ Crown. Chantal Sutherland is still winning at Keeneland. We have an...

It’s just a few days until Mighty Heart runs in the Breeders’ Stakes as he shoots for a sweep of the Triple Crown and host Peter Gross talks with trainer Josie Carroll and Mighty Heart’s jockey Daisuke Fukumoto. Peter reminisces about being at Monmouth Park 40 years ago when Glorious Song raced against Spectacular Bid. Last Saturday at Mohawk they had 8 OSS Super Finals, each worth $250,000 and we have the stretch call of every one of them. Country Boy 123 is the greatest quarter horse in...

Woodbine and TSN have agreed to extend Racing Night Live through to December. Christina Litz is the woman who struck the deal and she tells us just how good this is for horse racing. True to our promise to cover thoroughbred, standardbred and quarter horse racing in Ontario, this podcast has two Stakes races from Woodbine, both won by Patrick Husbands and Mark Casse, all kinds of Stakes races from the harness side and the Alex Picov Memorial Futurity from Ajax Downs. Driver Bob McClure...