Jennie Rees, Byron King and Vic Stauffer Guests on WinningPonies
February 10, 2022
Hosted by John Engelhardt
[Download MP3] [itunes] [Bookmark Episode]
Guest Information
Episode Description
This week’s show has so much information we had to bring in three guests. Billy Reed, a well-known, accomplished sportswriter in Kentucky and a three-time Eclipse Award-winning turf writer, died Feb. 5 in Louisville, Ky. He was 79. He served as president of the National Turf Writers Association (now the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters) from 1988-90. His three Eclipse Awards came when writing for the Louisville Courier-Journal (1979), Lexington Herald-Leader (1988), and Thoroughbred Times (2008). Multiple Eclipse Award winner Jennie Rees worked alongside Reed covering racing in Louisville for decades. She will join us to put Reed’s career in perspective. Leading up to the Kentucky Derby, Byron King updates his weekly “Derby Dozen” on bloodhorse.com every Tuesday. He will join us on a regular basis as the Derby Preps take more focus leading up to the 1st Saturday in May. According to King, “In years past, a 15-length score in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) from a horse like Messier (https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/thoroughbred/messier/2019?source=BHonline) would have vaulted such a 3-year-old toward the top of the Derby Dozen, but not in 2022 with Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert suspended by Churchill Downs Inc. Barring a change in the status of Baffert trainees (i.e. barn switch, legal action), no cracking the 'Dozen for such types for now.” His current top three are: Rattle N Roll, Smile Happy and Zandon. Vic Stauffer has a long resume in the world of racing. While familiar to most as the current voice of Oaklawn Park, he’s called races at Gulfstream Park, Hialeah Park, Hawthorne Race Course, and spent 13 years at Hollywood Park in California. He has also earned two Eclipse Awards for radio and broadcast. He’s also served stints as a jockey agent and is an accomplished handicapper. Stauffer will join us to discuss his “Life and Times” in the sport and of his new home base in Hot Springs. We’ll ask him for his opinion of the Derby preps thus far and his impression of Newgrange, who remained unbeaten in three starts, when he forged past the leaders late for a 1 1/2-length win over Barber Road in the Grade 3, $750,000 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park. There are two graded stakes carded for Saturday. Distaffers will match strides for $250,000 in the Bayakoa. Super Stock, the winner of last year’s Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn, is on pace to launch his 4-year-old season Feb. 12 in the Grade 3, $600,000 Razorback, said trainer Steve Asmussen. The Razorback will be run over 1 1/16 miles. Super Stock won the Zia Park Derby at the distance in November. The earner of $1.1 million races for Erv Woolsey and Asmussen’s parents, Keith and Marilyn Asmussen.
Winning Ponies
Thursday at 5 PM Pacific Time on VoiceAmerica Variety Channel
On the show we will talk about the Sport of Kings. We will delve into the different features of the WinningPonies.com website. John Engelhardt will talk about the issues of the day that affect horse racing, such as synthetic surfaces, medication rule changes, the fate of the industry as a whole, VLTs and Casinos, and human interest stories of triumph and defeat. You will also hear our spot play of the week, where John will handicap the feature races for the upcoming weekend, and will give out his best plays. We will keep you abreast racing’s big events. Featured on the show will be guests (trainers, jockeys, owners, celebrity handicappers and industry insiders). Promotional giveaways will be featured, such as brand merchandise and free WinningCredits.
"Winning Ponies" is broadcast live every Thursday at 8 PM Eastern/5 PM Pacific on the VoiceAmerica Variety Channel.
John Engelhardt
You may recognize him as "Racing's Regular Guy." For ten years, John Engelhardt hosted the informative and sometimes irreverent handicapping show from his base at River Downs in Cincinnati, Ohio. He developed a passion for thoroughbred racing as a youngster at Saratoga, and has been able to make his love of the sport his life's calling.
Engelhardt, a native of Syracuse, New York is a graduate of the University of Dayton. His professional career in racing began as the track photographer at Beulah Park in 1983 and he has worked in racing ever since. John produced "The Stretch Run" for eight years, which aired on the CBS affiliate WCPO-TV in Cincinnati. For four years Engelhardt co-hosted "The Regular Guy Handicapping Show on HOMER 1530-AM in Cincinnati with former "Winning Ponies" host Ed Meyer.
John served as the President of the Turf Publicists of America in 2009 and 2010, after serving several years as the Midwest Vice-President of that organization. He is currently a consultant for Pinnacle Entertainment handling publicity, public relations, marketing, advertising and special events for River Downs. Under the "nom-de-course" of Heart of an Angel Stable, he has bred and owned thoroughbreds for 18 years.
"Racing's Regular Guy" has been exposed to racing on many levels and greets the sport with enthusiasm and well-rounded knowledge. Tune in Thursdays at 5PM PT, as he welcomes nationally recognized guests, who will help you find those "Winning Ponies.”
