Apprentice Jockey Francisco Martinez / Woodbine Broadcast Analyst and Handicapper Jeff Bratt / Mark McKelvie, Woodbine’s Senior Manager, Communications

Ponies 24-7 The Radio Magazine

Larry and Ann are joined by Francisco Martinez, an Apprentice Jockey who just won his first race as a rider last week at Monmouth Park and at 30-years-old and discusses how he felt winning his first race and that he actually also won the next race on the card to complete the Daily Double. Francisco also discusses why it took awhile to become a Jockey and the steps he took to get to where he is today. He also mentions a couple of people who have helped him along over the years and pushed him to become a Jockey. Woodbine Broadcast Analyst and Handicapper Jeff Bratt, who discusses todays Thoroughbred race card, and particularly the two stakes’ races, the Bison City, and the Canadian Stakes. Jeff also talks about the upcoming King’s Plate and who he believes is the horse to beat and mentions how he originally became involved in horse racing which eventually led to a career with Woodbine. Mark McKelvie, Woodbine’s Senior Manager, Communications, who talks about the upcoming King’s Plate next Saturday and why the day is just as much an event, as a horse race and some of the ticket options that remain available. Mark also talks about the television coverage on King’s Plate Day and why he is looking forward to watching it, then discusses the current meet at Woodbine Mohawk Park and lists some of the major stake’s events that will be forthcoming over the next several weeks there. In our feature, ‘In Case You Missed It’ A Look At The Way It Was In Horse Racing News, Larry talks about the recent Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and mentions who the Inductees were and their major accomplishments in horse racing, that qualified them for a place in the Hall of Fame. In our new regular feature, ‘Road Trip,’ Larry talks about this afternoon’s $250,000 Bison City Stakes at Woodbine and mentions about some of the history behind the race itself and who he believes the race ‘goes through’ today. He also provides his ‘Ponies Picks of the Day’ selections for several North American Racetracks today, later in the show.

Key Points:

• Francisco talks initially about his first win as a Jockey and why he was 30 years-old, when he won his first race as an Apprentice. He also talks about how he became interested in horse racing through his father and how Trainers Scott Lake and Jason Servis, were both major supporters of him and encouraged him to become a Jockey. Francisco also explains how he was able to bring his weight down from 120 pounds to riding weight earlier this year and mentions whether he has any goals set for himself for the remainder of the 2024 racing season. He also mentions a person in the Horse Racing industry, who encouraged him to become a Jockey and how it all started for him at Suffolk Downs in Boston.

• Jeff discusses todays Woodbine Stakes races and in particular the Bison City Stakes for three-year-old fillies and mentions some horses that he believes have an excellent chance of racing well in this stakes event. Jeff also discusses the upcoming King’s Plate and reflects on the Plate Trial and whether its winner My Boy Prince will be the horse to beat in next Saturday’s race and discusses how he became part of the Woodbine Broadcast team and where the initial interest in horse racing took place. He also shares which Queen’s Plate was his all-time favourite and why and mentions a horse that helped ‘sell’ him on the sport of Thoroughbred racing initially.

• Mark discusses why he believes that the upcoming King’s Plate is not only a race, but it has now reached event status and talks about some of the ticket options that are still available for King’s Plate Day and how people can purchase them. He also mentions who he believes is the horse to beat in next weeks Plate and why he thinks that the King’s Plate should still have a full field this year despite the presence of horses like My Boy Prince. He also adds why he is looking forward to the King’s Plate television broadcast next week and why and then discusses the current Woodbine Mohawk Park race meet and the upcoming few weeks where they are ‘deep’ into their Grand Circuit Stakes events. He also adds why these Grand Circuit Stakes races offer fans the opportunity to see some of the top performers in North American Harness Racing race on Canadian soil and talks about the Mohawk Million and why it is such a special race and so significant to Canadian Harness Racing.