Preakness Stakes: Can Mystik Dan Countinue His Magic Run?

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Emery Sucker back here with you NewsRadio eleven ten kfa B. We are
Nebraska's news weather in traffic station.We always are giving you all the things
that are happening, and not justhere and not just in the world of
news or politics, but I alsocare about the things that are happening in
culture and sports. And the middlejewel of the horse racing triple Crown is

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tomorrow in Baltimore the Preakness Stakes.And joining us is somebody you'll be seeing
on the live broadcast for NBC forthe Preakness, and her name is Brittany
Rton. And Brittany, first ofall, great to talk to you once
again. Oh, it's so greatbeing with you again. I feel like
we've made this a tradition. Wehave we have we you know, I
used to have a horse racing podcastfull Disclosure, and I got to meet

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so many awesome people in the horseracing industry. You were a person that
I was always super fascinated with becauseyou were so young when you got interested
in the business, because your dadis a very successful trainer, and the
way that you're able to tell storiesand interview people is so really, I
mean, you make such great humanconnections to everything that we see, and

(01:03):
I applaud you for that. That'sreally sweet of you. I mean,
this is why I feel so blessedto be working with NBC, because the
priority for them is to make surethat those watching at home can really feel
everything that's put into a race dayand share with them all of the characters
and incredible people and great stories thatthe sport has to offer. So I

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feel really lucky. It shouldn't becalled a job because it's not well well.
The reason I bring this up isbecause every year it's a little bit
different, and I feel like thePreakness a lot of times gets lost in
the shuffle a bit a quick twoweek turnaround from the Kentucky Derby, which
is the race everyone watches, andsome people just don't understand. I guess

(01:46):
what is at stake? Knowing thatthere are going to be some new horses.
Sometimes the Derby winner isn't even inthe Preakness. This year he is
in the Preakness, even though thatwasn't a slam dunk at first. What
is the big story that we're bringinginto this Preakness that will get that average
fan that might not always be watchingthis race. I love the Preakness for
so many reasons, and I'm withyou. I wish more people would know

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how phenomenal of the race and howmuch Baltimore loves and puts forth their best
for this day. Because what's sointriguing about the Preakness. Not only is
it one of the most prestigious racesin all of American racing. Yes,
you have the Kentucky Derby, butthere are two million dollars on the line.
It is a greade one in theevent, and it is an American

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Classic, so from that alone,it's an important race. Secondly, something
about the energy when you get toBaltimore's been lucky to be here for about
a week as I did the postposition draw, but it's a very different
vibe. It's more relaxed, andmy favorite part when the Kentucky Derby winner
is here, there is hope ofa triple crown. That is the best

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part of a Preakness, and forme, I can't wait to see what
Misstic Dan does on Saturday. Butthere's so much about the Preakness that is
unique to Baltimore, more to Pimlico, which has just so many years of
history that I hope people fall inlove with it as much as I have.
Yeah, the Preaknans happening tomorrow.We're talking to Britney Rton, who's

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a reporter, analyst, really justan incredible storyteller with the sport for NBC.
And you guys have been doing thesegiant race days and it's not even
just these race days. You alsodo allowful lot throughout the year. And
I feel like in recent years,last decade or so, since really the
point system became a thing for theKentucky Derby, it's been harder to identify

(03:35):
a real long shot that actually wins. I think of Country House, I
think of this year's Mystic Dan,who again was not on my radar at
all heading into the race. It'salways generally, you know, the favorites
win. What was it about MysticDan and the ride that he got?
You know, this was a littlebit different than Rich Strike was a couple

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of years back. That was anotherhuge upset. But for your perspective,
what made the Mystic Dan win sosurprising, or if it was surprising to
you, you know, what's funnyis that Mystic Dan was my live long
shot the entire lead up to theweek, but I had the disclaimer on
a wet track, so I'm kickingmyself for not giving him the credit that

(04:17):
he deserved on any track. SoMystic Dan had a great race to go
back. It was previous to theArkansas Derby when he ran at Oakland Park
in the Southwest. He was soimpressive that day. He jumped onto a
lot of people's radar that afternoon whenhe won by eight lengths over a muddy
track. But then he put awho hum effort together into Arkansas Derby.

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So I think that's how he wasoverlooked. And also many people were saying,
Okay, well maybe he just movedup on a track that saw a
ton of rain hit it. Sofor me, I thought, oh,
if it rains, yeah, he'sgoing to be my big long shot at
thirty to one. No, heneeds it. He deserved a lot more
credit than I gave him, andI think people are giving him more credit
now. You cannot underscore the ridethat Brian Hernandez gave him though he saved

(05:06):
every inch of ground, and atthe end of the day that made all
of the difference. When we sawone of the closest finishes in Derby history,
three noses on the wire, sohe deserved a ton of credit.
Turning back in distance lightly in thePreakness, they're running a mile in three
sixteenth that will only benefit Mystic Dan. So rain or Shine, you got

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to give him credit. And Idon't think after the result I was all
that surprised. I just should haveknown he can run on anything. Mystic
Dan winning the Kentucky Derby, itwasn't a foregone conclusion he would be here
in Baltimore. Trainer Kenny McPeak,who I'm a big fan of. I
had a chance to talk to hima bunch of times, and he's run
a lot of horses over in Iowaat Prairie Meadows. He you know,

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is pretty noncommittal to taking him toothe Second Jewel, just to see how
the horse was going to kind ofreact. And I know that that as
horse people, we want to seethat the health of the horse coming first.
But he did last week and sayhe's going to be there, and
he's going to be there. Whatabout that was Did you ever have any
doubts that he was going to takehim to the Preakness. No, because

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Kenny McPeek, he's so sporting,right, but I love that he took
his time. He made us allweight on pins and needles and said,
I'm going to see how my horseis doing. Did he jump back into
his speed toe, which is asign of a healthy, happy horse.
How's he feeling over the racetrack.He's going to ask his exercise rider,
Robbie Albarado that and keep an eyeon him. So I'm not surprised in

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the slightest that he chose to comebecause he's not afraid of a two week
turnaround. He's not afraid of competition. This is just the way that Kenny
McPeak runs his barn. But thehorse had to come first and always does,
and so I appreciate him taking histime. It made it a little
bit more dramatic for all of usin media following whether or not he was
going to run. I'm so happythat they've decided to and from all accounts

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since he's been here at him lookh he's loved it. Robbie Albarado has
said that he feels just as good, if not better than he did prior
to the Kentucky Derby, So thatmakes it really exciting, not racing fans,
but general fans as well, thatknow what the Triple Crown is.
They have something to tune in,they have a horse to root on.
Yeah, and Mystic Dan might havegot a little bit of a gift.

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Indirectly. We're speaking with Brittany Rton, who's going to be one of the
reporters in one of the voices andfaces you see on the NBC broadcast tomorrow
for the Preakness. But the morningline favorite was a horse named Mouth who's
trained by Bob Baffert. Bob Baffortstill unable to compete in the Kentucky Derby
because of a band there, butMouth a fever and is scratched out of

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this race, and now Mystic Danis the morning line favorite. For the
non horse racing fans, What doesthat fever mean and why was that?
How did that prevent Mouth from beingable to run in this race this weekend.
A temperature is much like a humanwould get a temperature. Horses range
anywhere like ninety nine to one hundredand one degrees. One oh three was

(08:03):
the tempt that Moose experienced after traveling. There were delays in travel, much
like people experience as well, andso it's just really unfortunate timing. We
look forward to the horse bouncing back, but with a temperature of one to
three. Again with putting the horsefirst, not going to run, they
didn't even question it. The horsewas scratched immediately the next day. It

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just really comes down to bad timing. They were very much so looking forward
to running this horse and seeing arematch between Moose and Mystic Dan, because
they did face off in the ArkansasDerby. So it's unfortunate, of course
for the connections. It's unfortunate forfans that we're looking forward to seeing that
horse run, but it is somethingthat often happens. Much like people getting

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a temperature getting sick, they needtime to bounce back. Moose is going
to need the same thing and BrittanyBob still got another horse in here.
Imagination is going to be on theoutside, and Frankie to toy in Town
in Baltimore riding in He's one ofthe most successful jockeys ever. Generally competing
in Europe, a lot of bignames as far as the trainers go,

(09:09):
but outside of Mystic Dan, nobodyis better on the board than six to
one. So who are you lookingat in this race? How do you
think this thing is going to playout and will we have a chance for
a triple crown going into Belmont.It's a really interesting race still, even
with the scratch of moves, Ithink it's very competitive. There are a
lot of horses that you could makea case for. Mystic Dan, of
course, is one you have tolook at. It's set terrain, so

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you got to look at him evenfurther on. Tuesting Gold would be my
interesting one here eight to one onthe morning line for trainer Chad Brown,
who has already won the Preakness twicewith horses very similar to tucting Gold.
They did not run in the KentuckyDerby, so they came in fresh and
they were lightly raced as well.This is the type of force that I
think could sit close to the pacewhich is likely going to be set by

(09:54):
the horse who is outside imagination.So for me, there's going to be
an upset. I'm really looking atTusk and Gold though, with the scratch
and with the buzz that I'm hearingaround the track, I'm not sure we'll
get it to one. Yeah,eight to one might be generous at this
point. Last thing for you,I want to make that local connection catching

(10:15):
Freedom is back. Catching Freedom wetalked about for the Kentucky Derby owned by
all Baugh Family Stables which is basedin Central Iowa. For my Iowa listeners
here, they would like to havea rooting interest Catching Freedom. A pretty
solid derby showing finishing a game fourthfor trainer Brad Cox and of course All
Bough Family Stables six to one onthe morning line in the three spot heading

(10:37):
into this, how do you thinkthis sets up for his running style?
Brad Cox does not do this withhis horses. He does not often wheel
back in two weeks time, sothe fact that he does with Catching Freedom
says a lot. And many peoplethat have watched this horse in the morning
here at Pimlico understand why he didthe course. Is showing incredible energy,
not as if he ran a hardrace in the Kentucky Derby whatsoever. My

(11:01):
only concern with this horse, it'sthe same concern I haven't been kin Kucky
Derby. Is he going to betoo far off of the pace. He's
the type of horse that comes fromdowntown, so I'm not so sure he's
going to have enough real estate ora quick enough pace for him to close
into. But by all accounts,and by the confidence of Brad Cox wheeling
back in two weeks, i'd sayfans Backhau'm definitely and something to root for

(11:24):
catching Freedom. Certainly, he's afun horse to watch with his running style.
And of course all boh family stablesthey usually as a whole, have
skipped the Preakness over the years,so it's pretty interesting to see them back
along with brad Cox. The Preaknessis going to be taking place in Baltimore
at Pimlico around six o'clock Central time, and Brittany Earton is going to be

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one of the voices and faces you'regoing to be seeing on NBC for the
coverage. Brittany, thanks so muchfor giving us some time. Really appreciate
your insight and can't wait to talkto you again soon. Always a pleasure
speaking with you, Sick, thankyou so much. When we look forward
to a really fun day tomorrow