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At The Wire, April 17, 2026

Everything You Need to Know About the Kentucky Derby
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At The Wire
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Countdown to the 152nd Kentucky Derby

At The Wire with Scott Miller

At The Wire: Countdown to the 152nd Kentucky Derby

At The Wire: 152nd Kentucky Derby

Road to Churchill Downs: Contenders, Traditions, and Global Equine Logistics

#Derby2026
Countdown
15 Days
Field Size
20 Horses
Record Sale
$6.0M
Farm Output
24 Sent

🏆Top 5 Contenders (IEN Rating)

1. Commandment
Brad Cox / Flavin Pratt
2. Further Ado
Brad Cox / Ira Ortiz
3. Renegade
Todd Pletcher (Solid)
4. So Happy
Mark White / Mike Smith
*Note: International threat Wonderdean (Japan) also in the field.

📅 Schedule

  • Apr 25 Opening Night (Under Lights)
  • May 01 Kentucky Oaks (Pink Tradition)
  • May 02 152nd Kentucky Derby

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

Blacksmith Insights Hallway Feed Logistics Tack Shop Essentials Horse Transport (Vans/Planes)

🏇 Traditions & Lifestyle

Triple Crown Traditions: A new documentary & cook-off contest featuring Derby menus, Maryland crabs, and Kentucky BBQ.

Host: Scott Muller | International Equine Network (IEN)
Broadcast Date: April 17, 2026

 

This broadcast, hosted by Scott Muller from Delray Beach, Florida, serves as a comprehensive preview of the upcoming 152nd Kentucky Derby. The program explores the intricate logistics of the equine industry—from specialized blacksmithing and nutrition to high-stakes auctions—while profiling the top contenders for the 2026 "Run for the Roses."

Detailed Insights into the Equine World

The Road to Churchill Downs
With the Kentucky Derby only two weeks away, the industry is shifting its focus to Louisville for a series of high-profile events. Derby Week officially begins on April 25th with "Opening Night" under the lights, followed by specialized days such as "Champions Day," which focuses on elite breeding and statistics. A significant highlight is the Kentucky Oaks on May 1st, which features top three-year-old fillies and maintains a "pink tradition" to support breast cancer survivors. The week is designed to be accessible to the public, offering everything from fashion shows to community-themed days like "Thurby".

🏇 2026 Derby Week Schedule

APRIL 25Opening Night
MAY 1Kentucky Oaks
MAY 2The Derby

Celebrating the 152nd "Run for the Roses" at Churchill Downs.

Behind-the-Scenes Logistics and Horse Care
The broadcast highlights the essential but often overlooked roles that keep the racing industry moving. This includes the work of blacksmiths who must choose specific shoes based on track conditions (dry, muddy, or "in-between") and specialized nutritionists like Hallway Feed, who ship custom blends globally. Additionally, the "tack shop" is described as the grocery store for horses, providing everything from shampoos and vitamins to saddles and bridles. Transporting these elite athletes is equally complex, involving coordinated fleets of vans and planes moving horses between Florida, Kentucky, and New York.

High-Stakes Auctions and Breeding
The financial scale of the industry is underscored by recent sales at Keeneland and Ocala. A two-year-old horse recently sold for $6 million based on bloodline and conformation, while a brood mare named Puka fetched $5 million. However, the host notes that a high price tag does not guarantee success on the track, citing examples of expensive purchases that failed to meet expectations. The upcoming Friday night sale at Keeneland remains a major draw for fans and investors alike.

🏆 Top 5 Contenders

  • 1. Commandment: Trained by Brad Cox; won the Fountain of Youth.
  • 2. Further Ado: Powerhouse from Brad Cox; has track experience.
  • 3. Renegade: Todd Pletcher trainee; Arkansas Derby winner.
  • 4. So Happy: The "West Coast's best hope" with Mike Smith.
  • 5. Poll Forth: Strong distance runner; Jeff Ruby Stakes winner.

Evaluating the 2026 Field
The 2026 Derby is described as "wide open," with a 20-horse field that presents a unique challenge for young colts unaccustomed to such large groups. The leaderboard is currently topped by a trio of elite colts, including Commandment (trained by Brad Cox) and Renegade (trained by Todd Pletcher). Other notable entries include So Happy, representing the West Coast's best chance, and Wonderdean, a strong international contender from Japan. Factors such as weather and gate position are expected to play a decisive role in the final outcome.

Key Data

  • Event: 152nd Kentucky Derby.
  • Field Size: 20 horses.
  • Recent Top Sale: $6,000,000 for a two-year-old colt.
  • Countdown: 15 days, 3 hours, 2 minutes as of the broadcast.

To-Do / Next Steps

  • Visit msmequine.com or the International Equine Network to view the full roster of 24 horses heading to Churchill Downs.
  • Watch the "Morning Works" live show from Churchill Downs at 6:45 AM tomorrow morning.
  • Attend the Keeneland Sale next Friday night to watch elite horses go through the auction room.
  • Check the Churchill Downs official menu on the IEN website for Derby party inspiration.
  • Follow the "Triple Crown Traditions" documentary series featuring the upcoming jockey/trainer cook-off.

Conclusion

The 152nd Kentucky Derby promises to be an unpredictable and high-stakes event. As the industry descends on Louisville, the International Equine Network continues to provide a "behind-the-scenes" look at the athletes, the professionals, and the traditions that define the "Greatest Two Minutes in Sports."

At The Wire

At The Wire with Scott Miller
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Scott Miller

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Reporting on The Thoroughbred industry!

If you’re captivated by the power and grace of horses, there’s a thrilling world waiting for you—horse racing like you’ve never seen it before.

Step into the heart-pounding excitement of equestrian sports with Scott Miller, your ultimate guide to everything from the latest international racing headlines to the untold stories behind the track. Whether you're new to the sport or a lifelong fan, this program dives deep into the magic and mystery that makes horse racing one of the most exhilarating spectacles on Earth.

Discover what truly sets a champion horse apart, explore the secrets behind elite training for both standardbreds and thoroughbreds, and meet the legendary handlers and jockeys shaping the sport. Uncover the rich history, the art and science of breeding, and insider tips that could turn you into a savvy bettor.

With behind-the-scenes access and expert insight, this show brings you closer to the action than ever before. Curious? Saddle up—because this ride is just getting started.

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Show Transcript (automatic text, but it is not 100 percent accurate)

[00:05] Speaker 1: Yeah. This is where it begins (echoes) . From the starting gate to the final stride, feel the rush as the champions arrive. Every heartbeat's a derben call. One shot glory, winner takes all. From the dirt to the lights, hear the crowd roar higher. Every second burning, closer to the wire. At the wire, where the fastest hearts collide. At the wire, feel the thunder come alive. You're riding at the wire.

[00:59] Speaker 2: Good afternoon, horsemen. This is Scott Muller coming to you live from Delray Beach, Florida. Derby time, two weeks to derby. Two weeks, uh, exactly to the day to the Kentucky Oaks, and we're getting ready to go. Uh, we're gonna have a good, good meet there. Uh, horses have done good here at Gulfstream and Tampa, and we're looking forward to having a good meet at, uh, Churchill Downs this year. Got a bunch going up there. I think we got, like, 24 going up there from our farm here in Delray, so we're gonna see what it's all about, uh, you know, taking to the derby. Uh, if you go to the website, uh, our website, msmequine.com, or International Equine Network, one of the two, uh, you can see what all we got on there. Uh, the one thing I really like and enjoy every day, even though it's an early, early day for us, is the Morning Works, uh, show. Uh, live from Churchill Downs, presented by Twin Spires Farm.

[01:57] Speaker 2: Um, it's a great piece, you get to see the back side of the racetrack, and you get to see all the horses that are gonna be in the derby, what- how they train, and what they're doing, and you get to talk to the, the trainers and the jockeys and the owners, and, you know, the general public, and it's really a good thing to go to. Especially if you can get up into Louisville, where you can see, um, uh, you know, go to the track and see Morning Works live, you know, on hand. It's, it's pretty good. Yeah, that's really a great show, if you go up and see that. That's 6:45 AM tomorrow morning. Then we have the greatest two minutes in sports. Greatest thing in the world. I tell you, WHAS-TV and Louisville put together a piece here a few years ago, and I tell you what, it, it takes you right, right to the derby, right to the start meet. Um, and, and it is, it's the greatest two minutes in sports, you'll see.

[02:50] Speaker 2: Once you see it, you'll be, you'll be buying tickets, you'll be headed to Churchill Downs, or wherever you're heading, it- it's really a good program that we have there. The, the one thing that I really do like i- is, uh, we have the most behind the scenes, uh, this year, from, uh, the Kentucky Derby, uh, Society. It's Run for the Roses behind the scenes, you know, of the derby. And, um, so th- that's a real nice program to see, that'll get you wound up, get you into it, uh, you know, the whole nine yards, it's really good. Um, then you gotta eat when you're there, we have Churchill Downs unveils its 2026 Kentucky Derby menu. Uh, it's really good. Now, your derby menus vary, you know, to the way you want it, but this kind of gives you some ideas of, of, you know, what's, what they're having, you know, at, at Churchill, as an official, uh, dinner.

[03:43] Speaker 2: And I, I'm telling you, I've been around this world a lot for the last 50 years racing, and the best food that I've ever had is the food that the horsemen cook themselves. From different parts in the country, from Louisiana and the Cajun food, to, um, you know, New York and, and the steaks, and Maryland and the Maryland crabs, and, uh, you know, and the barbecue in Kentucky, seafood in Florida. You know, it's all good, you just kind of do your own derby thing, you know, that, that, that's the best way to go, uh, you know, with it, you know, and it can change from year to year, but you'll get into your tradition sooner or later. Probably already h- already have. Um, then we have, uh, At The Wire, which we're doing now, um, we're just trying to give people the information that they need to know, you know, about the Kentucky Derby and horseracing. And then, uh, my good friends at VBS, they, they kind of put together some stuff for me, and, um, we're gonna take a look at this.

[04:44] Speaker 2: Uh, the International Equine Network is a global platform, uh, connecting equestrian enthusiasts through, uh, live events, educational, uh, content, podcasts, and media coverage of horse racing and equine sports. The International Equine Network is designed to bring together the worldwide equestrian community. And that's what we try to do here, we try to get everybody that we can, uh, you know, i- into our, our programming here. Um, it, it's really a good thing that we're trying to do here. I'm, I'm really having fun with it. Uh, I'm not that real, I'm not a real pro, pro at announcing or anything like that, but, um, my experience on the track has taken me all over the world, and, and I really do like, like to see, uh, you know, people take a look at it. Um, we, we were thinking the other day about, um, uh, you know, life a- as it goes. Uh, let me tell you, life in, in today's society is a struggle in all phases of it.

[05:52] Speaker 2: From politics to religion to, you know, where you work at, where you live, it's always something. But one thing that we do here at the Inter- International Equine Network is we keep it all to the horse industry.And that's why we would like for you to join us and see what we're doing here at the International Equine Network. Uh, whether it's show horses, standardbreds, um, horse sales, um, you know, o- on here you're gonna see how they fly horses all over the world, how they transport the horses all throughout the states and Europe. Uh, you're gonna see everything that you can think about. And you don't have to be a horse person to watch our network. Um, for example, a lot of people don't know how horses get their shoes, and, uh, you know, we're going, gonna interview and talk with a blacksmith who had, uh, shod derby horses in all over the world. And, and you're gonna see how and why they get the shoes that they get.

[06:48] Speaker 2: That's very important and especially when it's coming up like to the derby. If it's a dry track, they're gonna have a certain type of shoe. If it's a muddy track, they're gonna have a certain type of shoe. If it's in between, uh, mud and dirt, uh, dry, you're gonna have a m- you know, a certain type of shoe. Uh, there's just all kinds of things that they do, and you'll be amazed to see how, uh, the blacksmith puts these hor- uh, shoes on these horses and, and how they make the decision to do that. Um, we're gonna s- see how, um, horses, uh, are being fed, um, the feed that they get. Uh, Hallway Feed in Lexington, Kentucky, they, they feed a lot of horses all over the world. And, and you can come in there and it's like going to a restaurant, you, you get a special blend for your horse and, uh, uh, you know, hopefully that keeps him, you know, happy and satisfied and healthy. And, and the great part about Hallway Feed is the fact that they can ship anywhere in the world.

[07:52] Speaker 2: That means that your horse food that you're getting out of your horse, when, if you go to Japan or wherever you go, you can get that horse feed sent right to you right there. And, um, that, that's the kind of things that we do. We'll go behind the scenes and we'll see how they make the horse feed. Uh, you know, it's one of the things that we do. Um, then, you know, now with derby year, and today we had 160 horses, uh, in, in the last few days. We'd love to show it to you here in Delray Beach, our show horses and our standardbreds and our thoroughbreds to go back up north and go back out west into Canada. Um, so y- we're gonna take a look and see how they're transported. Um, we've sent a couple planes out that, that left South Florida here and flew up to Kentucky. Um, you know, we've had, uh, a multitude of vans leave.

[08:42] Speaker 2: Uh, we've had, uh, four vans leaving tomorrow morning to go, go to New York and Maryland and Connecticut, um, that'll be shipping up, so you know, we'll show you how that's done. Um, and you know, all the other stuff that goes on with the horse business. Uh, you know, we're gonna talk to, uh, people in tack shops, and a tack shop is, is like a grocery store for the horse. Uh, and they go in if they need, um, brushes or if they need, uh, any kind of equipment, any kind of salve, lotions, um, you know, vitamins, uh, whatever they have. Whatever you need for your horse, a tack shop has it. And it's quite interesting to go in and see because, uh, you can literally go in and get everything that you need for a horse, uh, from, uh, saddles, uh, to bridles, uh, shanks to walk them with, uh, you know, the brushes, hoof picks. Uh, it's quite, quite an interesting thing.

[09:42] Speaker 2: And I tell you, you know, if you're looking for something to do and, and take the kids out and get them interested, you know, in horses, take them to a tack shop, because at a tack shop you can get helmets, you can get, uh, uh, saddles, you can get boots, bridles. You can get it all. And it's kind of a nice thing to go through and, and look at, and you'd be surprised at, uh, some of the things that you could, you could get in there. They got all kinds of things like jewelry and cards and, and, uh, you name it, they got shampoos for the horse, uh. I tell you, I, you, you never seen this many shampoos, um, in one space as you do in a tack shop. And they all have their special shampoo and, uh, you know, you, you name it, they, they got it. And so that, that's another interesting thing that, that, you know, we deal with. And, and here at International Equine Network, um, what we're doing is we're trying to get people to come out to see the horses.

[10:44] Speaker 2: Now, for example, in, uh, in Lexington, uh, the three-day Rolex is, is, is here. And, uh, when I say three-day Rolex, what it is is they, they have, uh, Dressage, they have, um, jumping, and they have cross country. It's called the three-day Rolex, and they got people from all over the world in Lexington. You'll see thousands of people there, uh, this week, um, you know, to see the three-day Rolex. And when you go to the Kentucky Horse Park, you know what I like about it is you can walk right up to the course. You can walk right up to the venues where they're jumping and doing Dressage. You know, it's really a great place to take the family. You will not get bored. I, I guarantee you that. And the other thing is, is when you're at the Rolex or you're in Lexington this week, uh, they have a big sale coming up here on Friday night, a week from tonight. And it's all free to go to, uh, you can go in and you can see some of the best horses in the world being sold.

[11:44] Speaker 2: So, um, yesterday, uh, they had a $6 million horse that was sold. He's a two-year-old, hadn't even started racing yet, but the bloodline and the conformation on him is so spectacular that, uh, he brought $6 million. You know, I mean, that, that's amazing to have that happen, you know, to see that. You don't see that that often anymore, uh, you know, in a young horse. Now, older horses you do see, see, uh, that. Um-I, I, I'm a part owner in a horse from myracehorse.com. Um, her name was Puka, and, uh, she bred ... uh, she threw two, uh, really nice horses, um, that, that had won, won one in the Derby with Maj, and the other one had won the Belmont, which, which was Doorknock. And, um, so she ... We put her in a sale and she sold for $5 million. You know, so it, it just goes to show you, you know, we have all ... Broodmares, racehorses, uh, you know, horses of racing age that go to the sales. But that's for sale at Keeneland on, uh, Friday night, uh, a week from tonight.

[12:54] Speaker 2: And, uh, you know, you can go out there and you, you can pick you up, uh, a sales book and they're all free, and you can go into the arena and you can watch them go through the auction room. And what's fun to do is ... Now you don't really have to know anything about horses. But, uh, you know, if you take the family or take some friends with you or whatever, and you look at the pages, you can, uh, you know, guess with each other how much he's gonna sell for or she's gonna sell for. Uh, you know, is it gonna be 100,000 or is it gonna be, uh, you know, 5 million? Um, Secretary, uh, the greatest, one of the greatest racehorses of all time, sold for $17,500 and then ended up being one of the greatest horses of all time.

[13:37] Speaker 3: Mm-hmm.

[13:38] Speaker 2: And, and let me tell you, if you get a $5 million horse, 6 million like, like they did with this two-year-old, that's not guaranteeing he's gonna run. That's not gonna guarantee he's gonna win. You know, that, that's the whole long and short of that. Um, there's a horse that, uh, uh, Bob Baffert had gotten a $3 million horse a few, uh, you know, a couple of years ago. And the horse is a good horse, he's a nice horse, but, you know, he's not running up to his expectations. And, and when I say expectations, I mean the $3 million expectation, uh, you know, so that, that makes it tough, you know. Um, and then, um, also on the website, we got ca- a thing called Triple Crown Traditions that we're putting together. It's a documentary on the foods of the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, uh, the Belmont and the Breeders' Cup.

[14:29] Speaker 2: And we're putting together a group of people that are gonna have a contest, a cook-off like, uh, you see on, uh, Top Chef and, and, uh, you know, all these shows and everything. And we're taking one jockey, one trainer, and one owner from the Derby. They're gonna have a cook-off. The winner of that will go to the Breeders' Cup to compete against the winners of the Preakness and the Belmont cook-offs. Uh, you know, so we're gonna have ev-e-eventually, uh, uh, and it's gonna be at Keeneland this year, um, which, um, will, will be interesting to see. Um, and we'll see who, who's the winner. We might have three jockeys that have the best recipes, we might have two owners and a trainer. Uh, you know, we've got three, three-way combination there. We don't know who it's gonna be, but you know, it'll, it'll be one of the things we're gonna see who's got the best, uh, you know, uh, stove to cook on, uh, with ... So, you know, we're looking forward to that too.

[15:30] Speaker 3: Mm-hmm.

[15:30] Speaker 2: But there's just so many things in the horse business that we're, you know, that we're doing, uh, that we would like to get people into. Uh, you know, there's so much excitement going on, uh, now. Like, for example, uh, this Derby week, uh, it runs April 25th through May 2nd. It's the 152nd Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Um, Derby week racing begins April 25th to May 26th and includes Derby Day, Saturday, the 28th, 26th, coming up at Churchill Downs. Opening night and official kickoff of derby, uh, week featuring evening, uh, racing under the lights and start of the festivity. So, uh, when they start derby week it'll be a nighttime, um, uh, send off and, and then it goes over, reverts back onto the days. Um, Champions Day is focused on the top thoroughbred racing and breeding, uh, leading up to the derby.

[16:31] Speaker 2: Uh, idea for the curious fans, and if you wanna go see something good and really get into the statistics and the who could and who couldn't and, you know, long shots and things like that, uh, then that's the Champions Day, uh, you know, at the Kentucky Oaks. Uh, the Kentucky Oaks is Friday, May 1st. Uh, showcase the top three-year-old fillies. It includes the pink tradition supporting breast cancer. Uh, what I like about that is they, uh, get sponsors and they, and they have all these, uh, uh, women that have, uh, had breast cancer and they walk, they walk down on the track, down the stretch, stretch of the track, and they're all supported and have donations being made in their name, you know, as, as breast cancer survivors. Uh, that's really, really a nice one to do. That's on Friday, May the 1st. Um, the 502 days.

[17:26] Speaker 2: Uh, this is, it's on Wednesday, and it's called WenDay, WenDay, not Wed- Wednesday, WenDay, um, and Thurby special themed days celebrating Louisville's community, um, spon- uh, sponsored organizations, uh, that makes the Kentucky Derby the Kentucky Derby. Um, it's really, it's really good, you know, to go see. Um, they have their, uh, their off luncheon. It's scheduled for Friday, April 18th, uh, which is today. Uh, no, (laughs) it'll, it'll be tomorrow, um, out there. Uh, it's a, it's just a real nice dinner that they have, luncheon that they have and they go to. You know, wound up getting ahead of myself there thinking about derby. Um-I tell you, there's just so much here, uh, to know, that you can go to at the Derby that kinda gets you there. Um, that's what we're looking at and, I mean, what there is to do and you can go and you don't have to have a lot of money to go to it, but, you know, money always helps, you know, when you go to it.

[18:34] Speaker 2: So, but it, uh, it's kind of an exciting week here. Uh, they got fashion shows, um, they got all kinds of things that they have, uh, that you can go to and things about Kentucky and the city of Louisville, uh, is really good, so there's so many things there. I get all excited about it and I, I've been to the Derby just about, oh, I'm going to the Derby probably 40 years. I've gone to the Derby. And, uh, it was exciting. I was lucky, I worked with five Kentucky Derby winners over the years. Um, a lot of good people, a lot of great people. Wayne Lucas was one of them, Shug McGaughey, uh, was another one. Um, Warner Jones from Hermitage Farm. Uh, I mean, it was just, it was a, a great ride for me, uh, to get out and get, uh, uh, you know, all these things. And the final destination is the Kentucky Derby. Uh, so that- that's, that's exciting. That's on May 2nd of this year. Um, I tell you, you know, when you're trying to analyze the Kentucky Derby, uh, leaders, it's very difficult.

[19:45] Speaker 2: Um, the current leader board is topped by a trio, uh, of elite colts that have, have separated themselves from the rest of them. Uh, you know, it's, uh, it's just unbelievable when you look at them, but this year the Derby is so wide open. And just because, uh, you know, you, you got more points or more money and, you know, won bigger races than, uh, uh, most of the other horses have, doesn't mean you're a lock in. You know, not at all. Not at all. Um, the top five contenders that we have here at, uh, International Equine Network is, uh, Commandment. Um, this horse is, is really a nice horse. Trained by Brad Cox, uh, the jockey's Flavin Pratt on it, and they make, make a good, good together, uh, you know, team. Um, this horse won the Fountain of Youth in Florida over the winter, and, uh, he's just, can go. He can, he can run. But, uh, you know, like I said before, it's a 20-horse field. These horses have never seen a 20-horse field before. Never.

[20:58] Speaker 2: Uh, if they've seen 12 or 14 horses, that's a lot, you know, for them to be running in. So when you get into that, uh, Derby gate, you're looking at, uh, 20 horses that are going in, takes quite a while to vote them in, and we'll be showing that here on, on IEN. And then, the thing that you gotta look at is weather. Is it gonna be hot, cold, rainy, muddy? You know, that, that adds into it, too, so that's a whole new ball game for all these horses. You know, especially in the 20-horse field. And Commandment, uh, he, he's trained by Brad Cox, Flavin Pratt is, is a great jockey, and it's gonna be interesting to see what happens with him. Um, this is another horse that, that I was really surprised. He just jumped in here real quick. Uh, it's Further Ado. Another powerhouse from the Brad Cox barn. Um, winner, uh, winner of the Kentucky Jockey Club, so he's already had a race over the track.

[21:59] Speaker 2: So that, that's a big difference, and it was stakes competition, so that's a, that's a big, big difference there. Uh, Ira Ortiz is the jockey, uh, the bloodline is tremendous. Now, uh, he's gonna be interesting to see. Uh, this is a horse that I really like, and the reason I like him is because I'm prejudiced. (laughs) I'm flat out prejudiced, uh, on this horse. Uh, he, he's a, a good horse. Uh, his name's Renegade and he's trained by Todd Pletcher, and, uh, this horse is solid as the day is long. Uh, no telling what's gonna happen with him. Um, he, he's the kind of horse that can get out and he can really, uh, knock ends with you. Uh, he, he can get in there and, and he can run. Um, he, he's just a, an amazing horse. Uh, I think. But like I said, I'm probably prejudiced because he's been here with us all winter long. And he's traveled a lot, so he's seasoned and, and, um, you know, if he gets a good break, no telling what could happen, you know, with this horse.

[23:06] Speaker 2: We also have, um, in number four, um, his name is So Happy. The West Coast is, is, uh, the West Coast's best hope. Trained, uh, by Mark White and ridden by, um, Mike Smith, and this, this horse has probably got it all together. He's got everything that, that, uh, you, you could need and want in a horse, in going into the Derby when you're going in the gate. You got a great trainer, you got a, you know, you got the good jockey, uh, you got the breeding. This horse is as solid as the day is long. And, um, it, it's gonna be interesting to see. Uh, he might try to wire this field. Um, go wi- uh, you know, from the gate to the wire. He might do that. Highly unlikely, but, you know, he's got, he... If any horse could do it in this group of horses, it- it's gonna be him. And then, um, this horse, I just don't know, uh, Poll Forth. Um, he's rounding out the top five that we have here. He's a great horse, uh, he won a Jeff, Jeff Ruby Stakes on synthetic turf up at, uh, uh, Turfway.

[24:18] Speaker 2: Um, he, he should handle the distance.... uh, the trainer is Brad Cox. He's a good trainer, good, good global guy. Um, I tell you, it's gonna be interesting to see what happens, you know, w- with this horse. But again, you know, we're looking at 20 horse fields and you get a 20 horse field out there and, you know, you might not have an easy go of it. You might have an off day, you know, trying to get down the stretch, especially if the trot's muddy or if it's hot, you know, there's all kinds of things. Um, the sixth horse that we rated was called the Puma. Um, this chestnut colt i- is, is trained by Gustavo Delgado. Um, he won the Tampa Bay Derby in a photo finish, showing the heart of a champion by pressing to the wire. He's really good. He's really good at what he does. Um, there's just so many here, you know, that we try to look at and, and try to figure out, and I wish I could wave a magic wand and tell you, you know, this is the one that's gonna be, uh, you know, doing it.

[25:26] Speaker 2: Um, we've got an international group coming this year and it includes, uh, strong international representation. Uh, Wonder- Wonderdean from Japan, um, uh, h- he's a nice horse. Uh, you know, I mean, he- he's really a nice one. And we'll see, uh, you know, what happens with him. Um, but, you know what, as far as the derby goes and everything else that, you know, that we're doing here, uh, at International Equine Network, we're just trying to make this website nice for people to look at. And believe you me, now, now that I've got you confused in my expertise in broadcasting, um, you can take a look at the website and, and it's really nice. Uh, it's, it's got a lot of video to it. Um, it's got a lot of things with, um ... You don't need to be a horseman to see, you know, to watch and we've got a real nice, uh, international, uh, show horse, um, uh, video on there today. Live from, uh, Europe. Um, we've got, we had sales live from, uh, Ocala, uh, which were the $6 million horse sold at.

[26:37] Speaker 2: Uh, so, you know, we've got a lot of things there that, you know, you'd be interested in looking at. Um, the Churchill Downs, uh, uh, official menu is, is right there on the top of the webpage and you look at that and, you know, that might give you some ideas for, you know, for a derby week or for a party that you're having. You can take a look at that, you know, and, and see what all they have. You know, to, uh, but it, it's kind of interesting, you know, to see, uh, about the horses. We're 15 days, three hours, two minutes and 56 seconds away from the Kentucky Derby. So we're getting there close. We're getting there, guys and, and, uh, and girls. Like for you to take a look at the website, you know, and see what all we got there. Got live racing from Cayman. We got live racing from across America. The Americans day at the races is live. You know, of course, and Oaklawn Park, they're live and see what they do.

[27:33] Speaker 2: Uh, we got a, a, a connection to Santa Anita Park live, which their racing's coming up tonight or this afternoon. We've got Tampa Bay Downs, uh, which is live. Uh, they're getting c- ready to close out their program. Um, let me tell you, it's, it's, it's really good. We've got a nice thing in, on there on the Kentucky Derby. Uh, it's really derby ... it's named Derbyologist. He handicaps in Kentucky, who he thinks is gonna win. Uh, you know, so that, that's pretty good, good. Uh, and of course, we've got all of our, all of our, uh, sponsors that, that we're thanking today. Thebloodhorsemagazine.com, brookledge.com, they transport all the big horses. If you need to know anything statistically about the horses, it's equibase.com. Um, feed, the feed, official feed is always feed.com. Um, thejockeyclub.com, that's an interesting one, 'cause you can get on their website and they tell you all about the horse racing business.

[28:34] Speaker 2: How they get their names and how they get their tattoos and identifying. It's really good. Um, then we have the Weather Channel. If you're a horseman and you're going anywhere, if you need to know what the weather is and when you get there and whenever you get where you're going, you need a hotel, go to Trivago. Um, they're really good. Uh, they can get... Let me tell you, I used them 100 times over in the last two years and, and they've always got the best rate for wherever I was at, you know. But then, this is the thing that I really like about some of the people that I, uh, you know, deal with. FanDuel Racing. Um, they've got a real nice, uh, piece on here and it's called Take a Nap With Arkansas Derby, uh, Renegade. He, he was the Arkansas Derby winner, Renegade. And it, it, it's really a nice piece. The kids would like it. Uh, you know, it's really nice. And, uh, so if you go to that, see that, that's pretty good.

[29:33] Speaker 2: Um, and if you want to know where all these horses and all the big time, you know, derby winners and Triple Crowns come from, they come from a lot of places. Um, Legends of the Light, it's called Claiborne Farm. And I'm telling you, it's something else there. And then, uh, you can see Mike Repole, he's an owner. Uh, you can see how he got started into, um, horse racing from up in New York. And it's kind of good to let the kids watch it because he skipped school, climbed over the fence and went into Belmont to watch the races and all. And then, uh, you can see also what a, a derby trainer goes through, how he starts his day off. Um, Todd Pletcher, he, he's at, uh, we film this at, uh, uh, Palm Beach Downs. That's a place that, uh, one of our three farms that we manage here, uh, that, uh, Brandon Mills managing. Um, it's called Behind the Scenes with Todd Pletcher and it shows you what he does and when he starts his day off, so that's pretty good. So folks, that's it for me for today.

[30:37] Speaker 2: Now that I've confused you a lot, see, it's a, it's a ploy that I do. Uh, I'm really an expert announcer and broadcaster, but I don't let it show. I confuse you. I try to get your mind going, try to get you into watching the website and watching the derby. So that's my, that's my game right there. So, you guys have a great weekend. Start watching the website. Two weeks till derby and next, next week, we'll have, we'll be actually, we'll be live, uh, with the Kentucky Oaks next week on, on this, uh, on our website. So have a great weekend and may the s- as they say, may the horse be with you.

[31:34] Speaker 1: From the stories told to the races won. Every journey ends where it all begun. Legends run but the track remains. Echoes of glory in the rains. Through the dust and the dreams. Through the fire and flame. Every finish line remembers your name. At the wire. Where the spirit never died. At the wire. See the truth in every stride. We'll see you at the wire.