Down the Stretch for September 1, 2020

The 33rd Down The Stretch Podcast is so full of thrilling horse racing stuff that the Pointer Sisters joined in with the background singing. A monster pacing machine named Tall Dark Stranger won the North America Cup at Mohawk. The following Sunday featured three Stakes races at Woodbine. We talked with NYRA’s Keith McCalmont about what it’s like to be at Saratoga without fans. Jockey Ed Walton’s amazing streak at Ajax Downs is still intact, so much so that novelty song performer Ray Stevens makes an appearance. Race caller Kenny Middleton gave another excellent rendition of the NA Cup, but what did he sound like when his own horse, She’s a Sassy Beach won a race as he was in the booth? You might be surprised. And bettors never agree with the judges’ decisions when a horse is DQ’d, and we have two races in which horses were taken down leaving us wondering, “Huh?”. Friend of the Down The Stretch Podcast, Jim McKenny got jammed out of a $1,200 score even though his horse never made contact. But six days later, he got it all back and more in three glorious races from Del Mar. Find out how by listening to this episode of the Down The Stretch Podcast.