Show #10 – Friday, January 25 (Pegasus Preview with Acacia Courtney)

***Please note this was done with AI and likely contains errors and inaccuracies. ***

[00:00:00] Your listening to the, in the money players podcast. Hello and welcome to the, in the money players podcast. It is show number 10. It is Friday, January 25th, 2019. I am your host, Peter Thomas foreign Italian. Very far from the Brooklyn bunker today, 3000 miles away, or so, a little more than that. I think in London, West London, to be specific at the Ibis budget Hounslow, which is a hotel that reminds me very much of the youth hostels.

I stayed in back after my college days, traveling around Europe with the notable exception that there’s only one person to a room and the. Bedrooms are on suite, meaning you don’t have to go out in the hallway to take a pee. So that’s an improvement. Cool place. I’m totally digging it. [00:01:00] Dig and being back in London, really just about my first pure business trip to London got in here yesterday.

Did get to go out to a pub last night, but basically just crashed three nights in a row as part of the sky racing coverage of Pegasus weekend. That’s going to be a lot of fun. And then I fly right back, probably going to do this a few times this year, if all goes well. And maybe I found my new home away from home here in Hounslow.

I am joined by a man who’s not in Hounslow. He’s not on the planet, Texas. He is in Florida. He was at the eclipse awards last night. He’s sticking around for the Pegasus. And of course the Pegasus tournament this weekend, he is still the people’s champion. He’s Jonathan kitchen. What’s up Jake. Yeah. And he’s also never going to stay in a hostel.

I don’t know if you’ve seen that movie. Where they like cut that lady toes off or whatever. Those I’m not never staying in a hostel, not staying in a hostel and not staying in your basement. I can keep going, keep going. If you want me to Eli Roth, right? It wasn’t Eli Roth. The director of [00:02:00] a hostel, my buddy, a friend of a friend.

He’s one of Chris Jericho’s buddies who was also in the Quentin Tarantino movie. Uh, if I have my horror masters, correct. You’re you’re afraid he cat JK. I don’t know what to tell you. Yeah, and I don’t ride roller coasters. I, like I said, I can keep going. Um, I can definitely keep going. So you told me something very interesting as I was struggling here without a no DJ unstable assistance today to get the show up and running.

Hopefully it doesn’t sound too bad. I did something weird to get it going at all. It doesn’t look exactly right. In the levels, but I think it’s close enough for rock and roll. But as I was wrestling with the equipment, you told me this interesting trick you have whilst on the road to prepare for a handicapping contest, share it with the listeners.

What were you up to this year? I went and got a pedicure. Um, it’s, it’s a, it’s a very relaxing thing to do that still allows you to handicap. You know, usually the. Uh, the pedicures, I think that’s the correct term. Doesn’t speak to you [00:03:00] all it’s happening. Uh, sometimes they do, but you can usually just kind of one word, answer them until they stop.

And that’s your strength in numbers when you’re studying and whatnot. One word answer until they stop drinking Uber’s as well. Okay. And then you can handicap while you’re there. It’s nice and relaxing. And then, uh, I I’ve, I’ve got ugly feet. Oh, I can’t believe that’s true. From a shape standpoint. They’re fine.

I just like don’t ever put like lotion on, so they’re always like extra dry, you know? So anyways, I, uh, I went and sorted it out. They pulled out for the first time today. I’m not joking. They pulled out, you know, those things, those automatic things that you mix cake batter with with those little to spinny things.

Yeah. The little mixer, the mixture. Yeah. I know. I’m sure it has a proper name, but I know exactly what you mean. The things that actually do the, the mixing, it looks sort of like a, a poorly constructed birdcage. He pulled out one of those things and put on a put on like a, like a sander. And like with sanding my heels [00:04:00] and I took a video of it, sent it to the Prince of, uh, Prince of Caitlin and he said, uh, I said, this is a little aggressive.

Isn’t it? And the Prince, the Prince responded not for your gross ass.

Maybe a case of TMI may be a case of too hot for DRF already on the show. We were supposed to get that later in a bit. Acacia Courtney will be joining with a live report. From not really a report. I interviewed her a couple of days ago about the buzz surrounding the Pegasus a little bit about her background as well.

What she looks for when looking at horses in the paddock, that’s coming up a little bit later, but yeah, now we’ve learned about your feet, so that’s exciting. Um, tell us about that. Oh, you go ahead. W, yeah, that was, that’s what I was gonna tell you about it. We haven’t talked so sometimes it’s fun when we have our first column conversation on the show rather than having it before.

So, um, last night I went to the eclipse awards. I just went to the cocktail hour. Right. I didn’t have like a. Whatever. And, uh, I didn’t have like a situation and I didn’t not to be, I mean, the eclipse awards is great, but I don’t want to sit there for two hours. It wasn’t winning anything. [00:05:00] I wasn’t, you know, I just, there was no reason to sit there for two hours.

So here’s what I, here’s what I did last night. You’ll love my evening. Um, I, well, first of all, I didn’t wear a tie to the black tie optional. I thought there was black tie optional. I just thought it not to wear a black it’s it’s it’s right. It’s black tie, optional other words. He needs a tie. It doesn’t have to be a black tie.

You just went with no, no title. So there’s, there was two people without black ties. Uh, one of them received an award for horse of the year. So I don’t feel that bad. That was Jack Wolf, right from Starlight racing. He didn’t have a tie on, we joked his wife had knee surgery. And so he’s telling everyone that he didn’t know how to tie his tie.

That’s why he didn’t wear a warning when in reality that wasn’t the truth. Um, so I hung out there for a little while it was fun. Um, uh, just seeing all the, the, uh, racing elite. And then I. I, I invited myself to a dinner. I, I texted Nate newbie and I said, Nate, I don’t have anything to do. What are you doing?

And he said, meet me, TQ, Leo and fluorine are going to, to SAR [00:06:00] delis. It’s just like a Italian restaurant that looks like it’s in a house down. Uh, not too far from, from, uh, from Gulf stream. It’s really delicious. And so I was like, well, can I come? And they’re like, yeah, eight o’clock. Well, The eclipse will started at seven.

So I had an hour to kill between seven and eight. So what did I do? I got a hundred dollars worth of chips. And I went and sat down and played one to no limit and went all in until I lost. Oh my God. I just kept going all in. And they were not very happy with me. They were very upset. You’re the jerk at the poker table.

Aren’t you? I could see you in that role jerk at the poker table, but here’s the best thing, right? Here’s the best part I’m sitting across from a guy. I went all in. I actually had a hand. I went all in. And he, um, he was deciding if he was gonna call me and I looked across the table and he was on his phone, scrolling through PPS.

And I said, look, man, Um, I’m going to beat you here, but if you, if you call me, I will, I will bet you all the money that you lose to me, that city of light will win the Pegasus. [00:07:00] And he folded. So then I went to dinner with TQ at Nate and fluorine and Leo, and you know, all four of those guys. And those were really fun night.

And, and, uh, that was it for me. The MVPs of the Eddie Logan suite. I had no idea that, uh, Leo and fluorine were making the trip. Had they won entries to the Pegasus or were they just so interested in it and in the winner’s bonus for playing live, that they decided to make the trip. Uh, I believe it was a winner’s bonus probably, uh, drew them out here.

And then also just their relationship with, with Santa Nita in the Stronach group, by being some of their biggest players that they have on track there. Uh, I’d imagine that, that, uh, Nate and TQ probably, uh, Pressured them to come hang out with, uh, out here in South Florida for the week. Fluorine is great.

Of course, he’s won contests out there before. I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing him, hanging out with him. You got to make sure you got to always leave his seat open at that big table there in Logan. But Leo, really one of my absolute favorites, one of my [00:08:00] most requested pieces. I don’t know if that’s the right way of saying it, but one of the most popular things I wrote.

In my time at DRF was the piece I wrote about Leo, which was titled something like everything I needed to know about business. I learned booking horses in the bars of the San Gabriel mountains. It’s, uh, a fun piece. I’ll link to it on the blog at some point. And then one of the best days of Saratoga was the surprise visit from Leo.

When he came in to go to Duke Matisse’s birthday party, seriously, good crew. You were hanging out with that. You’re very lucky. They let you join. Oh, it was, Oh, it was a lot of fun. I’ve had a lot of fun. I got to see Paul Matisse. Um, yesterday I saw the Ms. Story. Uh, father, son duo yesterday. Got to see Joel Applebaum yesterday.

I got to see us and it was a lot of fun. Got to see a lot of, a lot of people. It’s it’s happening now. The MVPs of the contest world, all descending upon South Florida for this Pegasus contest, I presume you’ll be participating. [00:09:00] Yeah, , we’re about to blast at these races so I can go all in. And the first I am betting, I’m betting the first one.

I’m not going all in production meeting in the middle of the show. It’s just so I know how long to let these discussions go for how many tangents to go on. How much time do you have for us today? 10 minute Uber ride to do. I could probably do 20 minutes. I already took showers, got through the clothes on.

So I think right, we can. We’re good. We are going to have to roll through races, but we can make that happen. Let’s start off with a little rematch, JK rematch of the breeders’ cup turf sprint. We’ve got stormy liberal, the champion stormy liberal. I might add. Along with world of trouble back in pay any price, not excluded this time, welcome open arms he was welcomed with.

And he’s an interesting presence in this race from a pace point of view. Certainly. W do you think, uh, that’s going to make the difference a little bit of extra pace in [00:10:00] here. How do you think this one’s going to turn out? I’ll tell you this. I sat with, with Paul and the team the other day. Oh, well, two days in a row.

I’ve, I’ve talked to Duke, I’ve talked to a ogre, who’s a Mattise clan member. Uh, and, and I saw the trainer, Georgina, Baxter, all four of them have a different idea of how pay any price. So I don’t know what to tell you. I mean, look, he’s got one way of going. Um, I, I sounds like somebody is telling you stories to me.

I mean, just looking at the PPS. Well, he’s got one way of going, but here’s the truth of the matter is if he duels with one of those two horses, they’re just better than him. He’s a really cool horse. He’s one of the coolest claims I’ve ever seen. Um, very cool horse, but he goes, if he goes a ding-dong with world of trouble, he’s got to get buried.

If he ding-dongs with stormy liberal, he’s going to get buried. His only chance I, you know, to their point is, is that he tucks in and hopes that something goes wrong with one of them. They missed the break or they just don’t fire. They’re not ready to dah, dah, dah, dah, whatever. And then he can kind of pick up the [00:11:00] pieces.

Um, I want world of trouble. Uh, and, and the spot I, I, you know, he’s outside a store and be a liberal, which I think is an advantageous position. Um, I think world of trouble, Um, is, is probably, you know, got a little bit more of an improvement. He’ll probably be a better price. Stormy liberal, like you said, it was champion turf turf, male last night.

Uh, the rider switch. I, I don’t want to say it’s a positive switch. It’s just a switch back and, you know, Joel used to ride them now it’s Drayton. Uh, now Joel again, so a world of trouble for me, but I’ll be rooting for pay any price and hopefully he’ll give us a nice little a thrill. When he, when he turns for home on the front end or, or sitting in behind, we’ll go head to head here.

I’ll bet you a pedicure and I’ll take stormy liberal against your world of trouble. Just thinking that it’s going to set up a little bit for him. And it’s an interesting question about the prices. I would have said that you were probably right in your prediction of the bedding, but interestingly, on the morning line, I do see world of trouble, six to five, stormy liberal, eight to five, but another one of the comments we [00:12:00] got from our survey was people loved the head to heads.

They love seeing you beat me the way the Harlem globe Trotters beat the Washington generals JK. Really, I, I need to be sure about just to be clear, just because we’ve started, uh, Quote, unquote new show does not mean the record. You are still losing 87. Well, we’ll see if I can’t get the first one on the board, in the new stadium as it were.

All right. Where should we go? Next racing wise, should we skip ahead to race seven, the hurricane birdie, a grade three seven for longs on the dirt. I do think so. Um, I like one horse here. There’s two horses that, that, that I have, uh, that I think will take money. And I don’t really like either one of them, Nick tomorrow, our buddy Nick tomorrow, uh, at, in Tam 1215, if you don’t already follow him on Twitter, you should.

Uh, Nick made a comment on paraphrasing that the horse he’s most excited to bet against this weekend, a Shamrock Rose, uh, off of the Breeder’s cup. Uh, filly and mare, uh, sprint, and also [00:13:00] she’s a champion as well. So I think that she’ll probably be over bet considering that she got a great setup that day and, and, uh, and really was, you know, she was one 25 to one that day.

Uh, Sean Borman did like her. I will give him that. He’s the only human I knew that liked her. I don’t like drum dream Pauline either. She was kind of a, kind of got a nice trip and that’s not a sloppy race. The horse that I’m interested in bedding is stormy embrace. Who’s a little bit further back in that race, uh, trying to close.

And I think that she’ll offer a little bit more value. She’s drawn outside. I’ll be able to see what’s going on there. And, uh, hopefully we’ll be able to get four or five, six to one on stormy embrace with the other two Phillies taking money. And we can’t go head to head here. Cause I like the same one. I did notice those time form U S coded blue fractions in the last run for stormy embrace.

So two votes there for number eight in re seven stormy embrace. And with that JK, we can move on to the eighth race. The LA . Is that it? Did I get that right? Or do we, do we have [00:14:00] another, uh, LCB IDs on our hands? I’m going to have to call Nick luck. He’s like a French major. Maybe he could help you out with that one.

I don’t, I don’t know. So I’ll Nick lucky last night too, by the way. Oh, very cool. Santa Monica is a horse that I was kind of a wise guy, horse for me, a horse that I used in the, uh, priests cup filium here turf. She was 30 to one that day. Obviously it was beat by her a stable mate and. Champion’s sister.

Charlie. I think that Santa Monica is probably the most classy of the horses in here. The fact that she’s still in training is a good sign. I would imagine that she has some worth just based on some of her races. She has some worse in the breeding shed. So the fact that she shows up here. Um, unfortunately you don’t get to see the workout reports from pacing.

Uh, there’s not a clock or at pace in the last three works are on the turf. I think she’ll be ready to rock and roll on a big day. Uh, she, you know, and, and, and you know, this mile and a half is kind of exactly what she wants. I’ll be trying to build things around Santa Monica, outside of her. They all can kind of when these mile and a half to her phrases.

Uh, but that’s the one I think is the most likely winner I was going to put in a [00:15:00] little bit of vote for number three, English fair in here, JK the Calumet farms, runner English channel, uh, is the sire. I really liked the race to back, even though the wind wasn’t there going the longer distance, that was a coded red time for them, us race early, she attacked maybe a little bit too early causing a little bit of a flat out flatten out late.

But I think that race was maybe. A little bit better than it looked, got the job done. Last time, going shorter seemed like a square price to me in a race where I see your case for Santa Monica. I’m not eager to head to head or take you on in that one, but I’m not as convinced at a short price that that’s where I want to go.

My gut is that wholly Halena can be beaten. Who’s the morning line. Favorite? Do you agree with that? Is she one you’d use protectively or, or are you against. Uh, no, I think she definitely could when I like English affairs as well, uh, the last two trips were, were, uh, weren’t the best of, of trips. And I [00:16:00] think I’m pretty sure.

And I, and I think our, our buddy John paint, I got what I would agree. I think he’s a rider upgrade from Brian Hernandez and Corey Landry to Javier, especially in South Florida. So I, I would, I, you know, that was the one I almost picked if I, if I didn’t have a little bit of a crush on Santa Monica. Gotcha.

Fair enough. Well, we’ll give you two there to take a shot with Holy Helaina defensive use for JK sounds like, and one that I’m willing to get knocked out by. Maybe I’m just wrong, but it feels like a race. Where we can get a nice mid price in, and that’s the way that I’m going to play it. Let’s talk about the Hooper.

We moved back to the dirt for this grade three cold front is in here installed as the nine to five morning line. Favorite. I know he’s a horse you’ve liked in the past. JK, does the race go through him or do you have another idea? This is not an official statement. Cause it’s just racetrack rumor. I heard cold fronts going to scratch and run somewhere else.

Interesting. Okay. So, so if you’re handicapping this race, don’t please don’t scratch them out until that’s official, but at least take that into consideration when [00:17:00] you’re making your decisions. If you started know tonight looking at it, um, with that said, I’m going to pretend he’s not in the race. Okay. Uh, breaking lucky as a horse that I remember in his last race in Gulf stream, George Weaver was excited to get him back.

He’s excited to see him run and he ran huge that day one by eight. Um, and so I, my attention is always going to kind of go to him. I’m looking forward to watching him run, uh, but I’m going to give copper town another shot. He was so bad in that race. Uh, at aqueduct I’m, I’m hoping that that he’s going back in the right direction.

The workout report seems to be leaning back in his, in his favor. I was going to ask you about that. Cause I know the Clockers were nuts about him before the good race too. Back at Keeneland. Right. Yeah, no, I I’ve. I’ve uh, you know, he’s on SBTV and look, the good Javier. He worked, he worked, you know, he worked good and I think he’s just a really, really talented, talented horse.

And I know they have, uh, they had high hopes for him to get them to the cigar mile. And, [00:18:00] and now I think that this could hit them right between the eyes and the idea that they’re going to. Scratch cold front and run him. I, I, I, I feel like that’s a, a confidence booster. It was like they’re, they’re believing in the horse.

Uh, the price will tell you the truth of South Florida. He’s bet he’ll win. Um, if he’s 61, four to one, five to one, maybe you want to look elsewhere for it with a horse, like breaking lucky for the record. I’ll take copper down. Uh, apologies for my ignorance. What’s the connection between copper town and cold front that I’m not seeing that you they’re both.

They’re both. They’re both Todds. Of course. Yeah. I was thinking about the ownership that was ignorant, but I’ll leave it in. I’m not insecure. I’m secure enough that I’ll leave in a silly mistake like that. In fact, we haven’t hit the mistake jar in a while and I just found out today J K. We now know the identity of the charity.

That’s going to be getting all of the good funds from the mistake jar. When we finally crack it open and distribute payment. And it’s the thoroughbred retirement foundation coming on board as the first official [00:19:00] sponsor of the, in the money Claire’s podcast. How cool is that? I like it. I like it. That’s great.

That’s, uh, that’s exciting. You know, anytime we can give back these, these animals give us a lot and give us a lot of entertainment. And, uh, and, and some of us, they make us some money. So, um, any, any opportunity we can to, to kind of help them along in their careers and their lives after their careers. I like it.

We’re going to be talking to folks from there, not just about the work they do with equines, but also the work they’ve done in prisons. Rehabilitating humans through horses, their second chances program, some great stories to come out of there. We’ll be telling them on the podcast in short order, just got to get some paperwork done, but it’s a, I’m confident enough that it’s a done deal that will, that I’m talking about it.

So that’s, that’s a good sign. All right. The McKnight. We’re back to a mile and a half on the turf. Had we time, I would do a whole tale from the track about Hunter O’Reilly and how during his big win in Saratoga, [00:20:00] hurricane Anthony had backed the horse and was a sore winner. Have you ever heard that story?

Uh, no, but I can, I, if I close my eyes, I can picture exactly how it went down strange because you understand somebody cussing and yelling when they lose it. I mean, it’s not a great thing to do, but it happens to all of us, but he won and was cussing and yelling at a crowd of people, including paren and also his son max who’s also parent’s age.

The best part of the story. I was going to draw this out for five minutes, but you’re getting the quick version was his wife is so great. Uh, Laura, she made him come by the next day and individually apologized to all of us who were sitting at the, at the table in the paddock part of that day. Very entertaining stuff from hurricane Anthony, who is a great guy.

I don’t know what got into him that day. And I shouldn’t embarrass him by telling the story on the show, but, you know, Those are the breaks when you act like a goofball? I, I don’t expect people to not make fun of me for rooting home, you know, Mayweather the one to 10 shot. So hurricane [00:21:00] Anthony doesn’t get spared either.

Okay. Yeah. I realized that was one. We really spared me when we did the Christmas quiz. We spared me embarrassment. File that one away for this year as Christmas quiz, there has to be a Floyd Mayweather question. You know, Pete horribly embarrassed himself rooting for which long odds on shot. Was it a American Pharaoh be justify, see Floyd Mayweather.

The answer of course is, see who do you like him? And, uh, and at what hall of fame jockey, that was the worst part, half the jockey colonies there. And they’re just thinking who is this idiot? But anyway, it happens to all of us. It happens to all of us, your thoughts. Me you Matt Bernier horse suit. Who’s our trainer here.

That could be another one. I’m going to go with, I’m going to go with Mike maker and this one, the mile and a half race. I, I, I, I liked, uh, I always have a trouble with this horse is named so solely, solely Oh, Sonya solely. Oh yeah. The horse ran well last night, I think it was a two, a two mile race, but was closing [00:22:00] into tepid fractions from way back out of it.

I think he’ll probably be a little bit more in this race going a mile and a half. He’s obviously got the. The, uh, the stamina, uh, to do so. And so, uh, I I’ll, I’ll definitely, I’m going to, I’m going to go with him there. Highland. Sky’s a horse that I’ve tried to bet probably 75,000 times. How many times do you run 20?

I’ve met him probably 19 times. And at the time that he won, I never bet. I bet him so many times in the, not the time that he won, but I’ve stayed away since and that’s worked out well. Yeah, I’m going to, I’m going to do the same here. Stay away from, from him here. And, uh, take a look at the black roulette.

Since, since I’m a black, I’m a roulette player now, um, that we have, we are going to have to now tell that story. So you, so these roulette, I thought the pools for roulette in Santa Nita were small. Then I saw the pools at Gulf stream. We, they literally the hundreds of dollars, right? The first one had $113.

How much of that was yours? No, I didn’t bet that one. So we were all sitting around and yeah, uh, Paul mentees [00:23:00] and we’re just, just so I can be clear, I’m just, I’m sure. I’m surprised I haven’t gotten attacked on Twitter yet, but I made a joke that like I was like, I wonder, cause you couldn’t, it’s hard to find the pool size.

And I said, I wonder what the price will do if I bet 20 bucks. So I just jumped on and I just bet $20 as a joke just to see what happened. And it went from like, it went from one to two to one to five, but then someone in the building or in the world, but the other color, and I went up to even money and I paid more than I got to the two horses that I liked the first and second choice.

I got even money for when the winter paid three 80 or three 60. So like, this is why you’re proclaiming yourself a roulette genius on Twitter. I made three more roulette, batch joking when I hit all of them. I mean, it’s, it’s the greatest bet ever invented in the box. You got to take on some of our friends and I use that term loosely on Twitter, making those kinds of statements.

I love it. I will give a pick [00:24:00] here. I, I thought it’s not anything that clever, but, uh, Cain Asar is that may be how you pronounce the name of the number seven for Arno Della Corp with Castillano up again, look like there was some pace here. Looked like the best closer. Just keep it simple and offer a selection for me in the McKnight.

And with that, let’s move on. To the 11th race. It is the Pegasus turf and one of the podcast all-stars Yoshida makes his return to the races. I did not pick him. I did a whole write-up for. At the races website, you’ll see a link to that on the blog. I think he’s got every chance. He’s a little bit interesting at the prices he is over here for sure.

At seven to two boy, if this morning line guests though JK is right about number four airlines, that would be a very large wager. She looks terrific to me. Very handy. Suited for USA racing just from watching the videos and how good she is. Left-handed getting all that weight. [00:25:00] Um, Sean Tougaloo was mad at me.

He read my piece and he taunted me via text when I picked against Yoshida, but I didn’t really pick against Yoshida. I picked the potential price of airline. Now, granted, they might wind up being a lot closer, uh, in the bedding than five to two and eight to one. So keep that in mind. But in terms of selection, handicapping, a few days out it’s airline for me.

Where are you? That horse is going to be favored. I mean, everyone in the world is like picking the horse. Really everyone. I mean, yeah. I mean, I’ve heard one person say something negative and that was it. And I respect his opinion a lot. And he’s given me some really good international information in the past.

He’s one of my go-tos and that’s Pat Cummings and he’s like head over heels over this feeling like he can’t. He, he can’t even, he can’t wait for tomorrow. The opportunity to we’ll cut in line. We always say you wouldn’t cut in line. He’ll cut in line bat. He’ll cut in line. And he’s a forceful figure. You don’t want to get in Pat’s way.

He’ll [00:26:00] knock you right over. Yeah, no, I look, I love Yoshida. I really do do think he’s a talented, talented animal. Um, based on, you know, obviously his turf classic wind in the yielding ground and then his, his performance in, uh, in the, in one of the best mile races in the world. And it asks it. And like real good in that race this year, by the way, if he does, if they decide to do it and come back, it doesn’t look like the queen and shaping up that strong year.

She did look, he’d be a single digit price in there just saying. Yeah. So I like him a lot. I think that that’s obviously, we’re all trying to, you know, I’ll use the, the Japanese Philly as well. Um, if things are going well in the contest, I could see some doubles with Yoshida, uh, and Aero life into some, into some, uh, Into a horse or maybe two in the, in the Pegasus itself.

I do have one question though hit me and I don’t want to pick on this person because I like him, but, but Luke tweeted the other day, like said there’ll be no easy leads in the Pegasus turf race Pako will ride WW with one instruction. So I always thought that like he was using WWE as a. As [00:27:00] a cause they said handicap accordingly as if he was warning people that that horse is going to be used as a rabbit.

That’s the only horse he has in the race. So I went a little bit confused by that, but at least we know the pace will be honest. So the other thing that’s crazy. The other thing that’s crazy is it’s not like Fahan has some favorite who people are concerned about getting an easy lead. I mean, There’s your, there’s your leader right there.

I mean, our life is not a need. The lead. Our lights is a push button horse. You watch on the tape. She’s happy to sit in stock. I’m just concerned that the way the race was written with the weight break for the no Lasix, it’s written, it’s really written for horse like airlines to take advantage. And I think that’s probably why Pat is so gung ho about bedding her and, and it’s written not at all to suit Yoshida.

Um, having to carry the extra weight against talented opposition. But, uh, as I was texting with Sean to the really terrific horses, they overcome the [00:28:00] weight and maybe Yoshida will do just that. I’m excited. I would love to be alive to both of them. The other one, I think is a little bit interesting from a wagering point of view.

I’m curious what you think is bricks and mortar. I’ve never liked that horse. So. I’m probably the wrong person to ask. I’ve always just thought he was, uh, you know, just kind of an over bet. Chad horse, right? Um, especially back when he beat Yoshida, it’s probably why I hate them so much. All the famous cost me a lot of money that day.

I just, I mean, when you, when you think about Chad, okay. When you think about Chad in his, in his career and what he’s done in the last five years, three, four or five years, and you think, Ooh, there’s going to be a grade one race, and it’s going to be in Florida and they’re going to give away $7 million.

Right. You think Chad had six and they’d all be animals like freaks. And he shows up with this allowance, horse, bricks and mortar. I know. Thank you. I like here just to give you the handicap in case of why, like, I feel like that comeback, or I love the fact that the comebacker was the best figure. When I doubt the screws were tightened, I [00:29:00] feel like he does have that on over your sheet, on the form book.

Granted Yoshida came back and beat him twice subsequently. But if that was a new level of ability and he’s going to improve second off the layoff, he might take a lot of beating. If he’s forgotten, he’s another to, to consider. I’m just throwing it out there. Of course he probably will not be forgotten.

He’ll probably be five to two vying for favoritism the way they bet some of these Chad animals. Yeah. I mean, God bless him. I, I just, not, for me, not for me, not in this spot, not, you know, not a, not in a $7 million race where, which, I mean, it looks more like a $700,000 race if I’m being honest, but. Uh, whatever happens is it’ll be, it’ll be fun, probably would have gotten the same field for the, for the price that you said, which is interesting to think about, but a conversation for another day, not one where you’re rushing to get out the door, not a word from either of us about catapult.

What a great story. This one ran so big in the Breeder’s cup mile, [00:30:00] looking to give Sadler a huge double on the day, or start a huge double on the day. Um, I legitimately am opposed, I think at the likely odds. What about you? Completely mile mile 16th mile, mile, mile, 16th, mile, 16th mile mile, 16th mile mile, mile mile, like he’s a mile or he’s not a mile and three 16 tours.

If you was, they would have tried this before. No, thank you. Fair enough. I should’ve made that point in my article, but it’s too late because it’s already up on@theraces.com. Again, you can find it in the blog post in the money podcast.com apologies folks for not going deeper into this race. And we’re really going to give a very quick look at the Pegasus.

However, if you want more, I have runner by runner notes. There’ll be posted a link on the blog. You can find them on the after races website. So I’m not going to say too much about the Pegasus. I will let you though, JK at least give us your pick. You sorta showed your hand earlier in the week with your affection for city of light.

I agree with you. City of light is my [00:31:00] official top pick here. I don’t see much between him and accelerate and you’re going to get twice the price on city of light. Again, for my full thoughts, check out my article, but why don’t you give us a few sentences more on this one? And then we will let you go bet some horses.

Insider info. He weighs five pounds more than he did before the breeders’ cup, dirt mile. He hasn’t lost a, a, an ounce of weight. He’s thriving. He’s eating all of his food. In fact, I even scooped. A scoop of his food for him. So when he wins, I’ll feel like I really had a part part in it. I was like the room, Jonathan Kimmy.

You know what I mean? We’ll, we’ll be in the winter circle together. No, I’m joking about that. No, but from a handicapping standpoint, I really do believe that if he’s written in the aggressive, I’m glad he drew the one in the third mile. Right. Because, you know, Mike and Javier acknowledge that from down there, they had no, no other option, but to go.

And I think they learned not that they didn’t already [00:32:00] know, but they really learned what they had to have a freakishly talented horse that can go really fast and can really put it to other horses in the race. And I think he’ll be written the same way from the three, especially on this racetrack. Uh, that’s a speed favoring racetrack, and Mike’s obviously no, no stranger to that with his time with Todd here in South Florida.

So I think he’ll break from the inside. Um, obviously pattern recognition is, is one that could, could keep it interesting, but, but, but Chad Brown horses don’t. They don’t don’t duel with other horses. They sometimes they find the lead, but they’re horses that shut off. They always work in company, you know, kind of recognition is going to sit right off of city of light.

And as long as Javier and city of light, don’t make the mistake of going too slow. Um, you know, we talked about the other night. If you go 49 or 48 to the half, you’re not going to win. You’re going to get beat. If you go 46, you’re going to gut the other horse and you’ve got a great chance of winning. Um, I think accelerate is more of a mile and a quarter horse.

I think if you look at his performances in a mile and an eighth, he was either beating no one, or he was, he was helped by the race track. [00:33:00] I just don’t think he gets going until these mile and a quarter, uh, type situations. And I think he’s in a, it’s going to be tough. And I also think that Joelle has a really good chance of making a mistake and letting not letting city of light get away from him and getting sucked into city of lights.

Vortex and being in some trouble with, with going too quick, I really do like the horse. Um, I think if I was looking for a price in here, the price would probably be audible, uh, or Gunawirra, um, audible, I think ran too bad to be true. And that sloppy race last time was kind of a weird ride. They went slow.

He was wide at that. The da. Um, I, I think that he could be, um, dangerous based on how well he ran at seven furlongs on, on, on, uh, on a breeders’ cup day and I didn’t expect him to do so. I think that he, he’s probably going to get going back in the right direction at which should be a pretty fair price. So good in the paddock that day, like fall over.

Good. Um, in, on the breeders cup undercard as I was there doing some stuff for, uh, for, at the races, it was just one of those horses. You put [00:34:00] down what you’re doing and you say, who is that? I thought the comebacker for audible was underwhelming enough that I did not leave him in my mix here. I want to see him prove it, but it wouldn’t surprise me for all the reasons you’re saying.

So tactically, you think they’re going to send with city of light, huh? Absolutely. No, I definitely think that, I mean, I don’t think they’re going to like, you know, quarter-horse the horse, but I think that when they, when they approach that first turn, I guess I think it’s a seven, eight pole. I’m trying to get better at my polls when they approached the seven eights poll into the first turn.

I would imagine that they’re going to be. On the lead. And I won’t put anyone, I won’t throw anyone under the bus, but, um, you could probably figure out who I’m talking about. One of the small artist handicappers I’ve ever been around and probably my handicapping idle. If it’s not him, it’s the other guy.

He predicts. If he’s on the lead, when they turn, when they, when they go to the backstretch, if he’s on the lead and he’s clear, it’s over, it’s over as in he’ll win. Yeah, it’s interesting. I just was imagining them wanting the Oaklawn trip again. And I figured that pattern recognition has no choice, but to [00:35:00] go from the far outside post.

So I was imagining a pattern recognition on the lead and city of like Justin behind pressing. Oh, yeah, I think, I mean, I’m not saying that won’t happen, but I think that would be on, I, I don’t, I don’t, I think city of light kind of, yeah, it’s a little bit of that. And please don’t get me wrong here. He’s got a little bit of that American Pharaoh games.

Come on, dude. Fields, diversify field to him where come on, let’s go. Let’s go with the faster he goes, the better he is and, and, and inviting horses into the race is not what’s going to help him out. Um, we’ll see what happens and see what Javier decides to do, but I think a forward position. Uh, and, and, and from that, from that spot, uh, on, you know, I think you want to go if he was in the 12, if the, if you flip the post positions and it was the 12 and the three.

Okay. Maybe that makes a little bit of sense to me, but, but yeah. And I’m going to completely turn, right. Cause I, I forgot that I haven’t told you this shit, but it’s very exciting news. Um, do you know who got diversified? Yes, Jonathan Thomas ended up with diversify, which is really cool. Yes. And I think he [00:36:00] really took it as a, as an honor to, to be the one to get, to take over the training from the late Rick violet, who was somebody who was admired throughout the industry and particularly by his fellow horsemen.

So th that was a great story and something. And something really cool to see. I know you said you were going to go, but I just have to push back about the point about city of light being best on the lead. I just, I look at his PPS. I think the Oaklawn race was his best race and the figures would tend to agree at least the time form figures that I’m looking at in my face.

So I guess we can agree to disagree about the tactics, but really from a city of light point of view, I think the way to look at it is he’s got multiple ways to win. Well, the thing about that race is two things. One, he was drawn outside and it was the first time and he was drawn outside of the horse. He had to be, and it was the first time they had gone to two turns.

So there was that question, Mark, you know, w when you’re stretching, we’re sad. When people wonder, is he going to stretch out your answer is not, let’s blitz them on the lead. Like it’s like, let’s, let’s rate them and see if he’ll get the [00:37:00] distance, but now they know what they have. And he just won the, the, the, the best mile dirt race in America.

Going one Oh eight to six furlongs as he was flying on the lead from the inside. So I think they learned more about the horse and I don’t think that you want to get into a stamina Quicken, closing type of race with them, with the breeders cup classic winner and accelerate. I feel like you bring stamina more into it by going fast early.

Well, it’s not like he doesn’t have any stamina, right? I don’t know. I mean, I guess this is, I guess this is why it’s a fun game, isn’t it? Yeah. It’s cool. We both liked the horse. We both liked the horse. I think we both think the horse is gonna win. You think he’s gonna win one way? I think he’s the one the other way.

So, so maybe he’s maybe he’s the lock of the century, so it doesn’t matter what. I don’t know, accelerate, certainly not out of it. Um, he’s proved you and me wrong before many times. I just think there are going to be such similar prices. You go with the longer price. I just don’t see that much between them try to get gunna to Vera on the [00:38:00] board.

And I would try to get. Pattern recognition out of the number and that’s how I would play around. Folks want us to do much more with bedding strategy. This would have been a fun race to talk about tickets. We don’t really unfortunately have time to do that, but I will ask you one final question. You know, you have to bet this race, obviously pretty big for the Pegasus contest.

Any thought about how you might approach it. Would you be willing to stone-cold fate accelerate? I think I probably will. And it’s probably, I probably will stone cold fatal, just cause I feel like that’s where the most value is going to lie. I mean, he’s going to be the favorite. He’s going to be bet. Um, especially, you know, he’s the classic winner, right?

I I’m going to try to beat him. And I would rather use city of light gun to Vera and an audible and hope that he doesn’t show up and have a ton of meat on the bone rather than have to bet a whole lot of money if I use him as well. You know what I mean? Absolutely. We’ve talked about that before in Dutch terms, [00:39:00] adding a horse like accelerate, adding a big favorite, just cost so much money.

Adding a live long shot percentage wise of the money you’re spending can be almost nothing depending on how big we’re talking about. Here’s the thing though, right? Don’t be stupid about it. I just don’t like the horse. If I liked him and he was the favorite, then that’s, that’s the, that’s the hand I’m dealt all I’ll work with it, but I don’t like them.

So I’m not going to use a six to five shot. I don’t like defensively when I’m trying to win a contest. You know, I just think that’s a, it that’s a, that’s a losing proposition in the longterm. I like it. All right. We gotta let you go. JK. Thank you so much. I kinda messed around with you busy day to day meeting with the folks that ask it this morning.

Hey, someday, I’ll just tease this now way too early to be talking about, but you know, listeners are like family. We’ll just keep it between us for now. Trying to talk about maybe having. Uh, not this year, but next year, alive bankroll contest at the Royal Ascott meeting, hoping that maybe we can bring over some podcast listeners and contest players to do that.

Would [00:40:00] you play, dude? Are you kidding? Me? And I get fish and shit for them over there. You’ll hear a lot of English accents too. I know you love those English accents, huge fan huge fan of, of the English accident. Um, Especially the one from like Manchester and liberal. You like those Northern girls? Huh?

Right. It’s like, it’s like another language.

There’s that great. ESPN ad. Have you ever seen the ESPN ad with the, uh, the Manchester city and Manchester United fans? Phenomenal. So great. Maybe I’ll maybe I’ll put that in the blog too, but the point was not to go on another five minute tangent we’re on fire today. JK, I’m supposed to let you go, go win this contest, make the podcast listeners proud.

Okay. Do my thing. I’ll see you later. See you later. And now we will bring in my chat from earlier this week with Acacia Courtney. And now I’d like to welcome to the, in the money players podcast for her debut appearance, [00:41:00] long overdue Acacia Courtney, Acacia. How are you tonight? I’m doing great, Pete, thanks so much for having me on.

Definitely since they we’ve, uh, been planning for a while. I want to start out with the obvious, a little bit of scene setting. We’re talking now in the middle of the week of Pegasus week. What’s the atmosphere like I know there have been industry types and betting types, descending on Gulf stream. Does it feel any different down there at the moment?

Oh, yeah. You might hear the chaos in the office behind me a little bit right now. It’s the end of the day on Wednesday, but I’m in the media office, which is great because we get to see people coming in, getting ready to cover the Pegasus and all excited about what’s going to happen on Saturday. Um, you really feel the, not only just the atmosphere of the people that are coming in, but just even some, um, some, uh, Entertainment opportunities this weekend and, and structures being built, signs being put up.

I mean, everything just [00:42:00] looks great and I’m, and you can really tell that something is about to happen. I like it. Very cool. I want to back up a little bit and ask you one of the questions we ask people during their first appearance on this show. How did you get involved in racing in the first place? Did you grow up as a fan or did you come to it later in life?

I guess I kind of came to racing a little bit later in life. Um, I’ve, I’ve told this story before and it’s kind of funny how things work out because my background was in horses, not in horse racing, but I grew up riding. I started riding around age eight and I did Hunter jumper and dressage. And when I.

Graduated high school because during high school dancing had really taken over my life. And, um, when I graduated, uh, high school, I started to end up going back to horses. And at that time I didn’t think I could make a career out of horses at all, but I started working with x-ray sources and ended up starting my own nonprofit.

I was 17 at the time when I started racing for home and [00:43:00] we got five Oh one C3 status, then I would get horses off the track and try to get them a new home. Um, And it really, I felt very inadequate, not being able to speak to people on the backside and to know anything about racing. So I started to teach myself to read the form and I would literally go on and Google, like what the symbols meant, what kind of things, because at first it can be very intimidating if you don’t know anything about racing when you open up the racing forum for the first time.

So I taught myself a lot and then I was lucky along the road to have some people that, um, helped me and gave me the opportunity to ask questions. But. From there. I kind of got sucked into racing as I started to learn more about it. And I’ve been really lucky with the opportunities that I’ve been given.

How much of the information you learned about equine physicality, but just being around horses growing up has helped you in your current role as an analyst. Oh, that’s huge because I’m familiar with horses. [00:44:00] Um, physically, if you say I understand injuries and equipment and, um, just overall attitude and mentality of courses, because I’ve had the experience being with them and working hands-on and I think that that’s been.

So helpful. And then especially now being in the paddock at Gulf stream park, I always say I try to give people information that they can’t necessarily find on paper. So I take extensive notes on all of the horses that I see in the flesh. And, um, that’s helpful if, if I see them mentored in a turf race in a couple of weeks, I can look back on my notes and say, Oh wow.

I made a note that I would like to see this horse on the turf. So sometimes that helps me get a good price. And, um, for that it’s been, it’s been huge because I am a very visual person. When people ask you as I’m sure they do me as somebody who dabbles in, uh, attempting to discern paddock information, what are you looking for?

How do you explain that to the novice? I think the very basic thing is that you want to see a horse that’s fit [00:45:00] and healthy looking. Sometimes you might see first time starters or maybe a horse off of a layoff that it looks like maybe they just need a little bit more muscle tone. They need a little bit more definition.

Maybe they’re getting a little bit hot and that’s that’s sometimes could be very normal, but especially in those kinds of situations, if you see a horse that just looks like they are really fit, they have a healthy, shiny coat. They look like they’re. Not showing any sort of nervous energy. That really is a plus.

Now of course, courses are like people and they’re going to have their own personalities and their own different kinds of attitudes. So some horses, for instance, like Preakness, winter, Shackleford, it was normal for him to get really sweaty before the race. And a lot of his offspring are like that too. So that’s something that you start to take into account, but at the basis, I look for a fit and healthy looking horse.

Sounds perfect. Now you’re no stranger to competition yourself in terms of the, uh, the beauty pageant stuff that you’ve been doing now [00:46:00] for a number of years. Has there been anything from that arena that you’ve been able to apply in looking at horses? Strange question, but I, that maybe there’s something here.

I think so, honestly. Um, you know, sometimes that’s the very basic level, I guess, in the paddock early is a little bit of a, of a beauty pageant. Well, it’s kind of a similar thing. You only have a few minutes to make a good impression. Um, and I get somebody to bet on you. So there are a few parallels in that respect, but more than anything, I think my involvement in pageantry is really just, it’s opened so many doors for me.

And it’s made me a much more. I think it’s really helped me in, in speaking abilities and, um, interview and speaking on camera and in front of people, it’s really given me a lot of experience in that respect, but it’s really made me a much more, I think, confident and well-rounded woman, which is. Which has helped me in my career in general and just in daily life [00:47:00] and all the things that pageantry given me, I’ve been able to bring into my involvement in horse racing, uh, and pretty much everything that I do.

It’s still something that you’re obviously active in. And it sounds like it’s been enriching in your life. Give us a little bit of an update as far as what’s been going on in that realm. Well, just a couple of weeks ago, I won the title of miss Connecticut USA, which is incredibly exciting. Thank you. So next step for me is I’ll copy at the miss USA pageant.

They haven’t announced yet when or where it will be, but I’ll certainly keep everybody updated because I’ve just gotten a tremendous amount of support from the entire racing community, which I’m so grateful for. Um, and if I win with USA, which is the, you had a dream. Then I would go on to miss universe.

So it’s really the big time if you will. Very, very cool. Let’s talk a little bit about the specifics of what’s coming up this weekend. We’ve got a host of stakes races highlighted of course, [00:48:00] by the Pegasus world cup itself. Is there a particular horse you’re looking forward to see run this weekend? Well, of course, I’m looking for both of them, Pegasus races in the Pegasus world, cup, dirt, and turf.

Um, I’ve always been a big sheet of fan, so I’m really looking forward to seeing him in the turf. He’ll likely be the favorite, but I think one of the undercard races that’s really going to be interesting is the Gulf stream park, her friend, we have world of trouble and stormy liberal going to rematch alter what I think.

Was one of the races of the year, for sure. In the breeders’ cup turf sprint, they both come back and run once since then, world of trouble, just monumental win on the dirt on the wet track at Tampa and stormy liberal second into grade three last time out. But these are two horses that they’ve just been in such good form.

And just the show that they put on embryos cup weekend, I’m really looking forward to seeing them. And then you’ve got a couple of other good horses in there too. You’ve got paying any price. You had a disappointing effort last year. Hi, I’m out, but you’ve [00:49:00] got a ton of backlash as well. Um, and recruiting, ready a little bit of the wild card on the outside, trying the turf.

I mean, it’s a really interesting race, but that rematch between those two horses, I’m really looking forward to it is cool. You know, the turf sprint division, not a historically strong division in the United States, and it’s nice to see. It getting a little bit more of its due and to be able to renew a rivalry like that a couple of months after, uh, certainly something that I think a lot of racing fans and HorsePlayers are gonna have their eyes peel bond, even with all that quality at the top of the card, you mentioned Yoshida, he’s been a horse, of course, that we’ve talked about on this show V since his very first race, can’t wait to see how he’s doing.

Have you had a chance to see him in the. Flash over the last few days, or are you, is that something you’re looking forward to doing this weekend? No, I haven’t gotten a chance to see him. I took a trip up to pace and park just the other day to speak to trainer Belmont. [00:50:00] Um, but out many morning, if we can, uh, averaging not that much sleep, but it’s certainly worth it and getting ready.

I think everybody that’s ever covered a big racing event, whether it’s Pegasus for Derby breeders cup. Triple crown races, whatever it is, knows that feeling and it’s definitely worth it. So it took a trip up to pacing and got a chance to see Yoshida. And I learned a little bit more about him as a horse too, which is always interesting to me, especially as we talked about being visual and knowing horses on a physical level, um, that he, he can’t be a little bit mouthy.

He, it gets you biased. So thankfully, uh, Bill’s assistant trainer, Cody kind of brought them out for us and I mean, he looks great and the good horses you can tell, they, they know, they know that they’re good. They have that level of confidence to them and just kind of a self-assuredness. And I remember, um, Steve asked us in saying this last year about gun runner and comparing Yoshi.

She did a gun [00:51:00] runner of course is a huge thing, but, but I, I just think that’s a trait of the really good horses. And I think Yoshida really has that too. Um, but it’s a, it’s an interesting race. I’m really intrigued in fact, by the two Japanese horses in there because she is Japanese bread. And we also have arrow lists the mayor coming in from Japan and she just looked great.

This, these last couple of days, since she shipped in. Got a chance to see her in person go over the track. She’s carried her condition really well. She’s a sucker lovely movement quality, uh, and she’s, she’s done some really good things in Japan as well. Absolutely big form coming over and getting a lot of weight as well.

Right. Yeah, it be very interesting to see how the betting market reacts there. Obviously with our parimutuel system, we’ll see, I had seen them overseas as co favorites at around seven to two, but we’ll, we’ll see what the actual betting does when it comes down to this time for the inaugural Pegasus turf, going to be very [00:52:00] exciting.

So I’ve got to hold your feet to the fire. Now about the big race. Have you, uh, I assume you’ve had time to look over the form. Have you, do you have a strong opinion when it comes to the big one on Saturday? Well, it’s, it’s a race. I said I really stressed about and accelerate. I have to say, prove me dead wrong in the breeders cup classic last time out.

Um, as I was going through those breeders cup races, and I had a great breeders cup weekend and it was really happy with it. Well, some of the prices that I got and some of the picks that I had, but accelerate was one that I was dead wrong about from that outside post, I was really concerned about the trip that he was going to get.

I thought he was running against a really good field, and again, he proved me dead wrong. Now that doesn’t mean that I’m not going to, um, I don’t know how smart this makes me basically look, but I’m. Not going to try to beat him again, because I am going to try to beat him. And I’m going to try to beat him with city of light, because I thought a city of light paddock school [00:53:00] the other day.

And he is just a physically imposing, impressive looking horse. And I have no qualms with him going a distance of ground. I think that he is the type of force that he’s one for one at the nine for a long. And in fact, that’s. The distance in the Oakland at which he beat accelerate in the past and accelerates coming off of four grade one victories take absolutely nothing away from him.

He the incredible horse and had done some great things for good people in his connection. Um, but city of light, I don’t think he’s a need the lead type. And I see this race as potentially having a very quick pace. There’s definitely speed to the outside with pattern recognition and that tough outside draw.

He’s going to have to go. And it’s a very short run into the first turn at the myelin and eighth distance at golf stream. So I see city of light getting a good break, getting into a good spot heavier Castillano knows this horse, and he knows this track very well and the importance, the importance of trying to get a good trip and to save some ground and he can stalk if need be.

And he’s been [00:54:00] so game, um, I think he’s a horse that’s really coming into his own and he’s going to be my cockpit. And I think he’s going to get a good trip here in the Pegasus woke up dirt. I like it. It is going to come down, I think, to a bit of a cat and mouse game with accelerate and city of light, both wanting that same kind of trip.

Yeah. I see it as a coin toss. And if you’re going to give me a coin toss and one of the horses is going to be, uh, almost twice the price in the, in the coin toss, which I imagine is how it will be between those two. Give me the longer price I’m with you. City of light for me in the Pegasus, but it’s a fun race from a sporting point of view, going to be interesting also to see the, how it works out in the contest, the Pegasus contest, all those folks descending, and it’s going to probably be decided on this race.

That looks rather straightforward on paper for you as an analyst, would you, do you prefer a situation where you can bring a strong opinion to a big race like the Pegasus, or would you prefer a more wide [00:55:00] open race as an analyst where you maybe get to try to pick something clever at a longer price point?

Well, sometimes those races are really fun. I mean, you look at a race last year, like the package distance and gun runner. I mean, he just what he had accomplished and how he had performed. Um, and I think the year before that it was, it was of course between California Chrome and irrigate, and I stressed over that performance do and ended up.

Picking aggregate then, um, the post position draw made that a little bit easier too, but sometimes you have these races that look so straight forward on paper, and then they’re, they’re a little bit more fun to try to figure out what’s going to happen underneath. I mean, you’ve got a horse, like Gunawirra, who’s going to be closing late.

Uh, he loves this track here at Gulf stream. He’ll be a bit of a price, but I think people are starting to catch on to him a little bit now because he keeps hitting the board in these big races. Um, But for me, the wide open betting races, I think are probably the more, the more fun ones. So [00:56:00] the undercard races are really good too.

I think there’s a lot of value opportunities. Yeah. There, we have some big fields on the turf, which always makes for some good value. And, um, like I said, in the turf, I’m all in on Yoshida, but I’m looking for some prices underneath in there as well. And it’s the big two and the dirt, but I’m going to try to take the one.

That’s going to be a little bit of a bigger price. Sounds fair to me. All right. I’ve kept you about as long as I said I was going to, but I can’t let you get out of here without turning the tables on you from a lot of people have commented, uh, on the very fun bit we did at the breeders’ cup where you read the line.

And we had to guess whether it was from 50 shades of gray. Or the comment lines in the daily racing forum. I have racked my brains to come up with a very difficult one to throw at you. I hope you’ll forgive me this also, uh, this also fulfills the goal of a new segment we’re doing on this new independent podcast.

It’s called too hot for DRF. We want to do a couple of things that we [00:57:00] probably couldn’t have gotten away with. On the old show. I think this bit, which we alluded to on the old show, but didn’t go into too much detail falls into that category. It’s very simple. Acacia, it’s one word you have to guess if it’s from 50 shades of gray or from the pages of daily racing forum.

I’m tryna kiss, uh, daily racing forum. Right. I actually saw that in a comment line a few days after we did our bit, and I said, I’m going to keep this one in my back pocket, but that is great. That is great. Now I thought good one. Um, it’s in the 10th race tomorrow, actually. Um, it’s not a 50 shades, perhaps half breasts.

Perhaps the reference, but it is a very clever short comment. And it’s a horse that won by 11 lengths last time out for Jason service named my big Italian friend. And the short comment is just multiples. I love it. When the chart callers are having fun, we’re [00:58:00] all having fun. Exactly. Exactly. Acacia. Thank you so much.

I know it’s an insane week. Really appreciate you taking time out to check in with us. Let’s do it again soon when we can talk a little bit longer, but, uh, thanks for coming on the show and have a great weekend out there. Thanks so much. And that’s going to do it for this episode of the, in the money players podcast.

I’d like to thank Acacia Courtney. One more time. I’d like to thank Jonathan. Kenshin squeezing us in, in the midst of his busy travel schedule. Shout out to DJ on stable, even though he wasn’t there. When I needed him today, I think I got it figured out. You will be the judge of that. Most of all. I want to thank all of you, the listeners for your ongoing support.

Check us out in the money podcast.com. Go ahead and follow us on iTunes. Leave us a review. If you’re feeling particularly generous, subscribe wherever you can, let’s keep this thing rocking and rolling for eons to come. [00:59:00] And we’ll have a big party. When we get to more shows on this feed than we had on the old one.

We’ve got a few to go, but I think we just might get there. That’s it for me, we will be back early next week to recap the weekend. I’m Peter Thomas Fornatale. May you win all your photos.