Down the Stretch for February 23, 2026

Kentucky Derby preps take us to Turfway Park in Kentucky and to Tokyo. We have Canadians winning at Gulfstream – Melanie Giddings, Kevin Attard and Marty Drexler in the winners’ circle. We followed James MacDonald to Brisbane, Australia to see how he did in the Ultimate Driving Championship, and we also have a story about older brother Mark Macdonald, who has overcome some major health problems and is now ready to drive permanently at Mohawk. If you had to choose between an overweight senior citizen podcaster or a slimmed down professional jockey, who would you predict could do the most pushups? We talk fitness with retired rider now racing judge Justin stein and you just might be surprised. Are the slots at racetracks a deal with Satan? Trainer Mark Casse talks about the likelihood that Gulfstream’s casino will mean the end of Gulfstream’s horse racing. And how did basketball superstar Nicola Jokic respond when asked what he would prefer – to be the MVP each year or to see his harness horses win?