Streaming live on the Ihearts Radio Wive. This is Eye on the Ball with Steve Rivera on Fox Sports fourteen fifty.
Hey, welcome back to the ball here on Fox sportsporteen. Cookie, I'm Steve Rivera, your Dave Silver. Now we have one with breaking news. I don't know why it never works with me. It doesn't like me.
Oh well, welcome to breaking news, yours truly, Mihitolindo on a Tuesday.
It feels a little bit weird. Yes, no, I'm glad you filled in.
Yeah, we're here on a Tuesday, starting off with some Arizona women's basketball after the weekend editions of Molly Ladwig and oh Sumiya Suga Pung.
Yeah she where's she from?
You see San Diego transfer Ladwig is an incoming from I think Omaha de Brass.
I think the roster is pretty much complete in it, I believe so.
I've been waiting for the official on the on the website, but they announced today the officially signed the signing international guard uh media.
Yeah, we had that yesterday, but it was I don't think it was official.
It may have been, but and then they had a couple of staff editions. Jenna Nudsen. I believe that's how you pronounced that last name. As an assistant.
Coach as well, he played for her at the Embry Riddle her early years as as the head coach, so she played for her there.
Would you ever guessed that mby Riddle had a team? I didn't even know. No, what is it? Is it a n ai?
Yes?
I guess yeah, so yeah, it's up in Prescott.
Also, you haven't said that, right pre Preskres I always had a Prescott.
Yeah that's wrong. It's pres k a biscuit, but it's a brisky the biscuit and brisky don't make me hungry.
Now, I didn't have my lunch. So alasi these A Williams as the director of Staff Staff Operations, joining her from Buffalo.
Okay, so they get they get a GM, they got Julie Rosie card great. Uh and then we have the two new right, well, okay, I think they're gonna be fine.
I think they're gonna be fine. It always will be yeah, sure eventually, sure that's.
Lightning the bottle like Ada did.
And who knows exactly And then you guys have such about it earlier. But baseball happening tonight six o'clock high Corbett Field taking on New Mexico State six.
Okay, yeah, yeah, you'll be home by eight thirty whether you like.
It or not.
He handed one of the basketball games full night of sports. What a life baseball? Well, they struggled, but they went one to two against six. They've got a couple more series before the Big twelve Attorney.
They played in Mexico State about a month ago, a little lesson the beginning of the month. Yeah, one eleven to nine. Uh, and tonight will be there. You have baseball?
What is that is there? Latin night? Take me to the game. Okay on baseball, I should be likely.
You know, I went to U Zoom Nights a couple of weeks ago and there was like nobody there from the Zona Zoo. I was kind of like, you know, wasn't there supposed to be like their studying day, their study The only thing they had was like the cheerleaders were there for some reason. And what was the attendants like, say, maybe fifteen hundred, like a bunch of old guys like me.
Yeah, they thought you doing it.
I remember the days of when Chip played played for the U A.
But yeah, baseball happening tonight.
Okay, you I mean yeahego the baseball Take me to the game of baseball.
Okay.
Softball's got their upcoming road trip to Houston starting on Friday after the split in San Diego last weekend. But today was announced Devin Nets picked up her second big tall Picture of the week.
Nice, So come grat this little future for her graduation.
So I'm not sure if you talked about yesterday, but Shaquille O'Neal has agreed to become the Sacramento.
State gm UH with Bibby right, yeah, with baby. That's interesting because his son's gonna be playing for her gm Yeah. When when do they have time? He's got to do an icy hot commercial, he's got to do a general the commercial, he's got to do the T and T stuff. Now he's gonna be the gm Well, if anything anything, I think the world of mine because he's he is a friend of mine and we text every now and again, and he's going full for his baby. He knows, he
knows people. Can he get some players I think for that level, I think so. I think.
So.
The thing is that's the place, Dave, and we know this New Mexico state, maybe in New Mexico to a degree, the Colorado States. You go there and you better catch it right away. It's a place to get fired because you got to win, you know what I'm saying. I mean they're in the big sky.
Yeah, so what Nau the Montana is the North Oka Idaho's I think.
If he wins, and he could because he's that dude, he's that coach he wanted at the high school level. He's a demanding coach. Uh he can, Yeah, he'll draw some excuse me, draw some attention. Well, look he's already did with Shack being his GM guy exactly. And then he's uh, I know, he got a recruit out of south out of a Scott Still Junior college community college. So yeah, more power to Mike.
So these guys come in like as GM's like, is that like a really a full time job?
You think, well, how's that going to work? Well? I think depends, Like here would be an u a right over there. I'm not too sure because uh, Steph is a GM for David Savidson. Davidson also Trey Young at Oklahoma.
Now, yeah, so it's kind of like a you know, uh, what's the what's the word I'm looking for a celebrity of I mean, like Arizona's got guys that are you know, actually you know, work on the staff.
They are supposedly gms. I think some of it and I'm talking through my my, you know what, because I don't know. I'm sure that nil if Shack gives some ni L to that, and the other guys give a Hey, it's not on the table, it's it's upfront, and your coach is given it to you or your GM is given it to you. Yeah.
I think it's similar to the role Bruski fish or good Point senior analyst or supervisor best friends a good Point senior best friend to the head coach.
But then that guy you know, Woj from ESPN that goes to Saint Bonaventure, he's their GM and he every once in a while and will announced, hey we got this play.
I mean, so he seems to be working that gig. You know, I'm sure and all if you have Shack is your guy and he's talking you up. I mean, who's not gonna listen right, whether it's good or not. I mean, you know what he says. In fact, I get to google get my next icy hot just joking. Those those work, do they okay? Good for me? Good to know I walked like an old dude. You know I've been walking like an old dude because I would all you ever had baseball, baseball, baseball being very very
good to me. I don't.
I also don't know if you talked about this yesterday, but Elijah Arenas is walking in doing better.
Yeah. Did did you see that video? The noo there was a video of the crash. No, did it come from the car? I guess because it does it take from the way it looks, wasn't it? It was a Tesla cyber truck crash into a tree.
Did not see it? Did it come out today? I saw it last week or like a couple of the day. I didn't see it, So tell me crashing into a tree. I've been guessing the battery caught fire or the engine or whatever. I don't know how those things work. But wheels of a trash can or whatever, I don't know.
But also hit off one of the fire hydrants and water was ever but he they someone local right there and then they but I'm guessing possibly one of the house the house members of the household in front of it, came out and knew that there was someone in the car. Still got to bild him out and he was laying and rolling in the water right there for for a good while until the paramedics came.
Yeah. So, so part of that story was he was it was five o'clock in the morning, I think at five o'clock in the morning, and it said that he was coming from a workout. I'm thinking to my I'm thinking to myself, who's working out at four or five, three, three, four thirty in the morning. You know, well, people that want to be real good, you can sleep till seven or eight, you know what I'm saying. The skeptical Yeah,
skeptics to it. Yeah, okay, no, I definitely work Google Google the if you have a chance to google the crash or whatever, because it was Yeah, I was definitely on on x.
Okay, uh, but continue with some bad baketball. You got the we talked about it. The playoffs happening right now. Great games last night. Oh, a great game last night. But we got the Bucks and Pacers in the midst of it right now, forty seven forty one Bucks at the half Oay, you got the Pistons going up against the Knicks at four thirty, Magic playing the Celtics at five thirty, and the tides series between the Clippers and Nuggets at seven.
That's good. I've been watching that's Denver right, game five and what's the two?
Yeah, that those games have been great. I mean the Clippers are favored by the point and a half on the road.
You're a you're a dunk away from being up three to one. So this is this is, in my opinion, been a great series. But I'm not sure how the hold up against Oklahoma City. Yeah, after say it goes seven to six.
Yeah, because this game, I mean, this series will definitely go six at least.
Yeah.
So you guys talked about there and Gordon play assume yes they're tipping.
That was something else. Yeah.
Staying in the NBA, Kings have named Doug Christie their next head coach.
Oh, so he's gonna stick on stay on right.
Yeah, he was the interim after firing their their original head coach. I think it was rown. Yeah, but he's gonna stick with that choice. After Damian Lillard got hurt with his uh achilles, doc Rivers came out and said this isn't and said that, Dame said, that's not the way he's going to go out. There's been a lot of speculation if this is the retirement for Lillard or maybe just career ending, but he is very clear that he doesn't want to go out that way. No, I
don't think he ever. I don't think for my opinion, that was never the case. Right, right, what do you got to Did Biby get.
Another Biby got a player, but I'm not sure he's the best player in the world. His ex high school phenom, Mikey Williams, leaves University of Central Florida for Sacramento State. He was involved in some shooting in twenty twenty three when he was at Memphis. Charges were dropped or reduced, pled guilty, sentenced to a year of probation. But anyway, he's on his way to Sacramento State. Six foot three guard, three point three million Instagram followers, was considered a five
star prospect in his high school career. Wow, but yeah, maybe rehab himself a little bit. Trivian Shack's tutelage.
Sure.
I don't know if you saw this, but there was a Kobe Bryant and GG Murro that was vandalized. Luca Doncz stepped up and made like a five thousand dollars donation to restore it.
What was it down in downtown in La Downtown Los Angeles? Shocked? Have you been downtown Staples? Is it near Staples? It must be right by there.
Yeah, would think going into some football real quick or not real quick, but going into football. In the UFL, they have suspended the Panthers Sampson a cool after slapping a fan postgame. Oh really, after your the thirty seven or thirty two to twenty seven loss. It's amazing, It's amazing.
I don't know how you guys feel about this, but you saw what Aunt did last week. I guess with the his uh grabbing of the croutch. I think it was he to a fan, the dude in Pittsburgh. He he did one of those gestures too, and they find him. I mean, you have to have a major restraint if you're an athlete, because the dumb ass fans give him
so much grief, you know what I'm saying. I know it's easy to just ignore because that's what they're They're hoping that you engage with them, right, just so they can laugh and put it on whatever to talk or whatever, and it's almost impossible for you to say, shut the hell up, you know what I'm saying and then not do stupid stuff to get fined. And every.
Everything's on TV. Yeah, you knows anything. Any expression a guy makes or you know, moving with his hands or smiling or laughing.
You watch Luca.
I used to not like Luca that much when he was on the Mavericks because they were they were always.
Going to pitching suns.
Oh, just the way he would laugh and then he was still he still does the same thing with the Lakers, and a lot of people rubs people the wrong way sometimes. Yeah, yeah, you know, we'll see how long. Like what's his name, Edwards. He's got a lot of personality and I'm sure half the people love him and a lot of people.
Sure, sure, well they love them if you're with them, if you're with the te Wolves.
George Kittle got extended to today with the forty nine ers through the twenty twenty nine season. It's a deal worth up just seventy seventy six point four million dollars, which includes forty million guaranteed man to be an NFL player. How much a game was that sent six seventy six point four with forty guaranteed. Another another player got played two uh. Vikings paid Andrew van Ginkel with the one year, twenty three million dollar extension.
Do not know my van Ginks from the money?
You gotta get your fantasy football who were April here?
I just know the only guy I know there was is the quarterback. Then you got McCarthy sor right JJ. Yeah, that's only because he's going to combat for the Vikings. I mean, I don't know anybody else. Last thing I got before you got to go to break.
Boise State has finalized a new contract for their football coach Spencer Danielson. After leading the Broncos to the College Football Playoffs the twenty twenty nine season. He le averaged just over or just about two point two million. Nice, Okay, good for him. It's yeah people getting paid. Yeah, I'm trying to.
So let's yeah, let's get ahold of d here on the other side, talk about the the derby this weekend.
Now your chance to win one thousand dollars in bonus box just after this nationwide keyword on.
Our website, happy happy, that's happy.
Enter it now.
Fox Sports fourteen to fifty dot com.
Are you ready ready to discover your soul, your wild side, your passion, your joy and excitement. From the latest slots and table games, to award winning dining to world class entertainment to.
A luxurious resort. Discover all this and more.
Discover with Soul Casino del Soul, the Soul of Tucson.
Are you ready enterprise so fasco Yuki try?
The Window Depot has everything you need to create the kitchen or bathroom of your dreams. Frowsyisles of instock cabinets, available in a variety of sizes and configurations, and instantly elevate your space. Today, visit a showroom and let our experts guide you. Whether you're choosing for Mondy to Go designs or creating a custom masterpiece. We can help you select the perfect wood, type, color and style and top
it off with unique hardware to complete your look. Find a location near you at the Window Deepot dot com. The Window Depot more than a windows store.
Steve Rivera here to talk about Dorotle Rocky Materials. I needed a lot of gravel for my driveway, so I called Eric at Dorato rock You found out and color I needed and boom. It was taken care of and at a great price. How do I know radio commercials work. I heard one of his on the radio. Doronto Rock and Materials provides a wide range of landscaping materials, including decorative rock, boulders, gravel, soil, and sand for residential and commercial use in the Tucson area. They are locally owned
and have been around for more than fifteen years. Kibal call at five two zero four zero zero for two three three.
Spring is in the air and the school year is coming to a close. Time to order your academic and spring sports awards for your student athlete. Creative Awards with fifty two years as your top awards and promotional products supplier. Give them an award they can be proud of. They have trophies, plaques, acrylics, art class fine crystal, metal, name badges,
stock and custom awards. Come visit the Creative Awards Idea Center at two twenty eight West Rackman Street, across the street from PEMA College Downtown campus, or visit them online at Creative Awards az dot com at.
Nova Home Loans.
We believe everyone deserves the opportunity to enjoy the independence that comes with home ownership is ready to help you find an option that best fits your needs. Whether you're a first time or veteran home buyer, or want to get cash out with the refinance. Nova has a variety
of home loan programs to meet your unique situation. Visit voltepeteam dot com, that's volpe team dot com or call five to two oh six eight five six two six today n MLS three oh eight seven Arizona b K nine two nine four two Equal Housing Opportunity, Got to commitment to lyndrixon credit rates and available loan programs or subject to change the nut notice.
Did you know?
Collecting sports cards is one of the fastest growing hobbies around. Whether you're looking to start or expand your collection, Showtime Cards is your ultimate destination. As one of the leading card shops in the country, we've been serving our community for over twenty five years with the best in sports cards and.
Trading card games.
From rare fines to the latest releases, Showtime Cards has it all. Check them out at Showtimecards dot Com or visit them on East Speedway and discover why collectors everywhere trust Showtime Cards for their passion.
Richard Bacall Law Office, defending Arizonas for over thirty years and a wildcat fan for over sixty. If you need an experienced criminal defense attorney called Richard Bacall five two oh seven to four to h twelve thirteen, broud sponsor of Eye on the Ball Go cats.
Got bugs, termites, bees, or rodents, Arizona Pest Control will hunt them down. Arizona Pest Control is your complete desert pest management specialist. US can't run or hide from Arizona Pest Control. They use only the latest and most technologically advanced methods of pest elimination available, which minimizes the effects on the environment. Let Arizona Pest Control get rid of your bad bugs, termitespees, or rodents. Serving Tucson and Southern
Arizona since nineteen forty seven. Go to azypest dot com to schedule your free evaluation today.
Why is mining so important?
It's the foundation of everything that defines a society.
Everything you see is a product.
Of mine, no matter when, no matter how, no matter why. Every society on this planet has developed, grown, and modernized based solely on the mineral's ephuman process. That's finelining is soportant gonybm dot com.
Looking for quality windows without the weight, come to the Window Depot. We carry a huge selection of mill guard windows in stock now and ready for pickup. Need something custom, no problem, From new construction to full home replacement. We'll help you order the perfect mill guard windows built to fit your space, style and budget. Whether you're a homeowner or contractor, the Window Depot makes it easy to get
the windows you need fast. Visit the window Deepot dot com to find a location near you and see why we're your mill guard window experts.
This is I on the Ball on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. Want to take part in the show Call up steam now went five two oh four one six seventy four forty.
Hey, welcome back to One on the ballge on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. Ocrivera inwar community is a silver and we got one with us up to control. We have d stensure from FANDU.
Tva hi yah.
Are you doing back? I know? How are you doing?
I'm doing all right?
Great? Great? Are you at a track that I love? Over there?
No, I'm not there today. Santa Anita is not running today. Will possibly be up there on Sunday, we.
Shall see mm hmm, okay, cool. But you you know a lot of the horses going into the event on Saturday, We've talked to a lot recently, you know, because I've been following journalism of course, and as one of my guests said last week, journalism finally pays.
Yeah, he's paying. And he's currently your Kentucky Derby favorite at about three to one, and I suspect he's going to go off a little lower than that. But no, these are horses that I've gotten a chance to see both running California, not just for prep races, both for the boys and the girls, for the Oaks and the Derby. But some of these horses I thought run as two year olds when they came out to Delmar for the Briefs Cup Championships.
Yes, yes, in fact, a Citizen Bulls, one of those.
Missition Bull is one of those your two year old champion and he's currently thirty to one.
Yeah that makes no sense to me, good bet, Yeah, no, you never know.
He's Bafford, right, he is about he is one of two Bafford horses in the field. He did draw the one hole, so I'm not super thrilled about that, but Bob Bafford basically said Martin Garcia has got one option and he's going to have to run out of there like his hair's on fire because he's got no other option.
His his one, his one big element to a race is he is speed, and so he will be one of about six what we call rabbits in the race where they will be gun into the front and probably setting some very fast fractions.
Right, he's one and the other one is a familiar name. I don't think it has any connections to coach Rodriguez, but his name is Rodriguez.
Yes, the four Rodriguez a lot of the same ownership connections, both owned by SF Racing and Starlight Racing.
So kind of that the ownerships, they have two chances in.
The race along with Bob Affort. That seeing his first derby back in about three years, Rodriguez made a pretty big statement in the Wood Memorial.
A couple of weeks back, stepping up to a mile.
And eighth and again his cruising to beat is out front. So I mean you have both Baffort horses looking.
To go out front.
There's a couple other horses that are also looking to probably gun it right out of the gate. But I mean Rodriguez gets Mike Smith aboard, and Mike Smith as repeatedly says that this horse is deast distance will be at a classic distance of about a mile and a quarter.
Yeah, so great. I mean, this is a mile on the sixteenth, what is it? I should know?
This Derby is a mile and a quarter. Freakness is a mile and three sixteenth, and the Belmont this year will be a mile and a quarter and then we.
Should be back to a mile and a half the next couple of year.
Right, Yeah, I misspoken. I knew that. I knew that. Okay, so we've talked about someone. We'll go back to journalism in a little bit. But and you know, I like that horse a lot. There's sovereignty, there's there's publisher. If you're you know, into into journalism and publisher in the same line, whatever, tell me about those two.
So journalism he is. There's a reason this horse is the top top of the list. He is what people have been calling poetry in motion. As a rider, you look for a horse that you just have to kind of sit there and you feel like you're floating on a on a cloud, or you're just on a giant rocking horse and you watch Alan Bert to riskily, his jockey rides him and he just kind of sits there and journalism does it all, and he's just it's a
very fluid motion. He's very connected, and he's only getting better with distance, and so everyone has to imagine that a mile and a quarter is only going to be better for him. As he continued to pass horses in sant Anita Derby.
Going a mile and a eight.
And he had some experience with a longer stretch at Lost Alamados when he won the Grade to Lost Alamados Futurity. That stretch is a very long stretch. Obviously, that setup is very different than Churchill. He was schooling in the paddock today. My understanding is he's handled it all very well. He came out of his work on Sunday in great shape. Wasn't a super hard hard work, but again it was just it was very easy and he was very calm and collected and just acting very very professional.
Did I hear there could be some weather issues, some rain problems.
There is some weather potentially coming in. It looks like Friday will probably have the most amount of weather, and then Saturday is supposed to be okay, but depending on how much rain does hit the track on Friday will affect track conditions. So looking for a horse that's not offended by some mud or maybe a sloppier track or
a field track is pretty key. Journalism has not been tried on anything other than a fast track, so that's kind of the only question mark with him as if he would take However, he is by Curlin, that's a Hall of Famer horse, a Horse of the Year, So I mean he's got he's bred to do this. This is what he's bred to do, is to go.
This mile in a quarterer.
So I got up this morning and listen to the Efendl pre you know today's Today's Breakfast show. Yeah, the Breakfast Show with the with the three year of black and who the other two which they talked to highly of obviously Journalism and some of the others. But who's the girl that I thought was very impressive at this the the I think she's Asian?
Oh Andy bean Comb.
Yeah, she loved the way he looked today, Uh and just feels today on a Tuesday, you know that could be different on a Saturday.
Yeah, I mean, and he's got a real eye for horses. But like I said, everyone is talking about this horse, and there's a reason he's the favorite. I felt last year's favorite was very I thought he was pretty solid as early on. He ran second by and knows we've had the Derby Choice run second two years in a row, so we're hoping to get the winner this year. But I do feel like Journalism is probably the best bet for it, just given the way he's been running, how
professionally he's done everything. And in his last race, he had a lot of adversity. In that race, he literally got pinned in against the he had to work his way around. He did get bobbled up a little bit, and he only exploded coming through the turn and was only hitting his best stride as he crossed the wire.
So I mean, if he's hitting his best ride as he's crossing the wire at Santa Anita, he's got almost a furlong and a half to two furlongs in front of him still when he gets to Churchill, so he should only be hitting his best dride by the time he hits milm and eight.
So let me ask you, So Dave brought up the weather. I don't know this because it's hard to find mudders in races, So tell me, is that legit? I mean, if they've never run in mud, how do you know they are mudder or not because you just have a run in it.
So a lot of that could be related to pedigree. There are certain sires that are known for having mud horses, that are known for having horses that.
Love the mud.
Arrogate is one of those. You've the Gray loved the mud on Preakness Day last year. Spicetown is another. Is another sire that his folds for whatever reason, seemed to run really well on the mud. So some of it there is a pedigree related No curling seemed to do okay on it. I think a lot of it is depending on how their trip goes, how much kickback they might get.
I mean, some.
Horses just don't like getting hit in the face of mud, which is completely understandable. It's not a fun experience. But there's just there's that certain aspect of breeding that does come into play. But like I said, I think the track will could very well be wet on Saturday, could
be a little heavy. I don't think it's going to be nice sloppy because they're going to by the time the jerby comes around at about almost four o'clock, it should be pretty well dried out and worked through from the track crew.
So I was watching today, Like I said, I saw the show. Then what's a couple of the first three races? Try to build up my bank in the third race, I think the favorite one. I eight the five and I had that. So the track is said to be going fast or you know speed.
Yeah, a fast track is typically speed on the front end is playing well, but fast tracks can also be pretty fair. If the way that they're harrowed or graded or how deep they are, closers can still come. They
show up, they will run well. And we have quite a few closers in the derby this year between Sandman and Sovereignty and Chunk of Gold, and there's a couple others in there that are definitely will be in the second and third flight of horses that shouldn't have a problem closing at the track is rated fast by the time the derby rolls around, David.
Think no, I was just going to say it's again.
We always have the u of a contingent to watch for with Pletcher there and Baffort as well. They both have what two horses each, So that's I believe.
Pletcher only has the one, which would be Grande, the number ten horse for the Rapoli team.
He last ran second in the Wood Memorial behind Rodriguez, and then Baffort has the one in the FOURG and Citizen Bowl and Rodriguez.
What okay, So Journalism is the favorite. If I were to go lay some money down, who would you who would you suggest maybe I look at to be, you know, the upset winner or something like that.
The second choice or the next horse that I would end up looking at would be the eighteen sovereignty For Bill Mott, this horse is getting his preferred rider, Junior Alvarado back aboard. He ran second in the Florida Derby. He ran a monster race in the Fountain of Youth at Goldstream. Again, a horse that's going to be hitting his best stride as they turned for home. He needs that long stretch, he needs more distance to be able to get to his best stride, and that mile of
the quarter is really going to offer it again. He's into mischief, and these into mischief horses, they are just incredible this year they have been performing at a super high performance rate. I mean, Citizen Bowl is also an into mischief and obviously we saw what he did as a two year old, so a lot to be said. His numbers are. He did regress a little bit in the Florida Derby, but there could be some excuse is made for him there if we were looking for them.
But he's definitely a horse is only going to improve with.
What horse eighteen sovereignty o soeverigine. Okay, So I was just going to say that, what about you haven't mentioned although I mentioned him earlier.
Publisher Publishers are really interesting.
Horse draws the thirteen hole.
He actually draws just inside of his uh barn mate Histastic and his Tastic won the Louisiana Derby and Publisher ran second in the Arkansas Derby. Now, I feel like the Arkansas form this year has held up a little bit better than the Louisiana form. I don't think the Louisiana Fairgrounds trail to the Derby was nearly as difficult
as the Arkansas form. We saw baffordship out several horses to Arkansas throughout the Derby trail, and so I feel like those horses have had a much higher level of competition coming in today and they're seeing a lot of each other again if they've gone through Arkansas. So Publisher is interesting because he's still considered a maiden.
He has not won a race.
He's had seven starts, but he has not won a race this year alone. He's had three starts and he's run second and that sec that last second came in the Arkansas Derby.
But he's been improving.
His numbers have been improving. Where he's finishing has been improving. He gets Irad Ortis, and Irad is known for having a very aggressive ride, and this is a horse that they have said maybe needs a little bit more of an aggressive ride when in the afternoons watching his last work, he was very aggressive in the morning. They've added the blinkers now in the afternoons and the mornings, and that's helped wake him.
Up a little bit.
It's helped make him more focused and just more concentrated on what his job is, and so he's a little bit more amped. But this is a horse again that's probably going to be in the second or third flight of horses are kind of that in between because I think we're going to have a huge stretch out of who's in front versus who's come and wave behind, just because of the speed that's in this race.
So let me ask you, so we know the Journalism is a favorite, who's the second favorite. I haven't really looked at the odds yet because it's only Tuesday.
It should be Sober at five to one, and then your third choice should be Stanman. That's seventeen at sixty one. Tool Sandman is your Arkansas Derby winner.
Oh so you're looking at the possibility of a nice ticket even if the first two favorites come in.
Yeah, so Sovereignty and Journalism if you want to box them or flip flop them, or however you want to bet it. I mean Journalism I think goes down to about five to two, and I think Sovereignty holds between.
Five to one and six to one. I think those are very.
Realistic odds form based on his last two performances. Standman. If you want to go out to a third choice, I mean, there's nothing wrong with the numbers on paper, but if you go back and watch his races, he just seems to find trouble each time he comes out. He just seems to be green, and there's always something
news that they're trying to work forward. In the Arkansas Derby, he got a great trip and as he's coming down the lane, he jumped the tractor marks that were on the track and just started to float all the way around. They were saying he was scared of the whip, but he was just kind of floating everywhere, which is what a very green horse should do. Now he's had eight starts.
In his life and he's had three wins.
A horse like that should not be as green as he should be coming into the Derby. Now, his trainer, Mark Cathie thinks he's worked through it. He's got Jose Ortiz a board, the brother to Irad Ortiz Junior, and so.
I mean it could be fine, Like.
He could absolutely run a monster race as well. He's another deep closer, So she'll be in that third group in the way back with sovereignty at eighteen, hoping for a pace breakdown where he's able to close and start to make a big five for long move a little bit more than a half a mile. For people that don't know what purlongs are, one for long is equal to an eighth of a mile, and four forur Longs is equal to a half, so five eighths of a mile.
They're going to make this big move coming around the turn and run for home, and the biggest thing is going to be who's in their way and can they get the outside of horses?
Dave, you have something I was just gonna say, journalism is a three to one. I was reading where the morning line favorite has not won this that since twenty eighteen years.
Yeah, there is second the last couple years a while.
Yes, it has.
Been a while since we have seen a favorite when the derby and mean going. And what I think is more crucial to look at is ever since rich Strike You're twenty twenty wonder twenty two?
Yeah, I was in last year?
Was mystic Dan?
Yeah? Was so let me to give you the did you give you the rich Riches? The richest son was it Riches? Rich Strike? So I was in Gulf Stream with a bunch of relatives. We flew out to Miami to watch it at Gulf Stream and agree with you know, a nice table blah blah blah. So my aunt, my aunt has a son in law named rich So she said, oh, that's cute. Okay, So she put five bucks on it. It was an eighty two to one long shot and it paid her five hundred and some dollars because it
was a longish shot on the board for five bucks. Yeah, I mean, if you like, if you like a name, put that five bucks on it.
Well, it could be a name, it could be a celebrity connection. Flying Mohawk, who's in the Derby this year, is owned by Jason Wirz, who owned door Knock last year. Doorknock then went on to win the Grade one Belmont and Grade one Halsel. So Jason Worth is back and he's been a huge supporter of the sport and horse
racing and trying to get people involved in it. And then the other one, the fifteen render judgment is this horse originally wasn't going to run in the derby and the ownership outloaded the trainer and said no, we're going to run in the derby. And the story behind it is is this was actually Toby Keiths last horse that he was a part of breeding and owning before he passed away. And so the idea is is this is Toby's Derby.
That they're going to run with this horse.
So There are so many different stories and connections the horses that you could follow, whether it's job related, color related, celebrity. However, if you have a lucky number, you have one through twenty to pick from, so there's definitely a lot of angles to choose.
This might be a dumb question, but doesn't Belichick cavil Hort didn't? Is Het kind of in this business too?
Or no?
He's been working on and off with Micropoli, Todd Pletcher team. I don't know if he's officially bought into horses yet. I do you know he wasn't golf stream at one point this winner looking at horses. So I mean Tom Brady's own horses, uh with micro Polly and Travis Kelsey's owned horses. So there's the world of sports is all connected to horse racing, right though.
The reason I asked is maybe you should name a horse relationship issues?
Did I did see that interview?
I don't want to talk about that. We're not finding me about that.
How many times if you see a guy who has the that pedigree of being a coach being told twenty four he's not talking about that, yeah, talking about you're not talking.
About that, But you see mad about it, but he just moved on.
Right right, Well, I did bum Phillips and I saw him at the Breaders when I was out there with you guys. Uh, he's a horse owner, guy who bum phillips. Bum phillips. The old football coaches, the old football coach. Yeah, he's the USFL too. No, no Phillip, what I say, bump Yeah yeah yeah Wade Field? So sorry, yeah, So what about the Bafford return? Right, this is his return to.
Conentucku, his return ever since his suspension due to the Medina's spirit testing positive. He seems pretty happy to be out at Churchill Downs. He has I think between ten and fifteen horses out there that are going to run this week alone, not this Friday and Saturday. He's got ten months. Who's in the oaks as well? She kind of swept the whole division out here in California for
the girls. She's definitely not the favorite in there. She's not my top selection, but the lift in his suspension has definitely led him to bring a.
Whole flue horses.
If you might recall the name Nisos, who was originally the Kentucky Derby favorite last year in about February to March. Unfortunately he was sidelined with an issue. He's making his return on Saturday in the I believe it's the Grade two Churchill Down Stakes, and that's the loaded field. Like that is a huge statement for Bob Bafford to come back and put a horse like that, of that caliber, that was supposed to be a Derby horse into a stakes race on Derby Day.
Yeah. In fact, the our local I'm gonna ask you for your choice in a second here, but our guys white Man and Watson have a couple of horses in here on Saturday.
Yeah.
Well, they are sending Gaming in the Pat Day Mile. That should be really fun. Gaming ran second in the Juvenile. He unfortunately had a couple of troubled trips and then they sent him back to Arkansas. He got a clean trip, he ran second. Hopefully that was a confidence booster, and so they're going to now send him in the Pat Day Mile, which is a Grade two I believe, on Derby Day.
So that should also be very exciting.
So, like I said, Bob Bafford is very well represented not just in the Derby but the entire week leading up to it.
Yeah. Okay, So finally, what do you have? What do you have?
I'm sticking with journalism. I mean, like it's just it's too appropriate, not too he drew a perfect post. I've gotten to watch him. He's just he's an incredible horse.
He's just us poetry, emotion.
And I really hope the Riskily and Michael McCarthy's this is their best shot. They had endlessly last year. Unfortunately that didn't go quite as they had hoped. But this, this horse is fantastic, and he's got just a heart of a lion, hearted a champion, and he's obvious. He's just the way you watch him run after the sant Anita Derby like he knew he knew it was game time.
Yeah, okay, D, thanks a bunch. Be well, see you soon. Thanks guys, Right, take care. I was D my former intern who's now with Vandel and she knows her stuff. Yeah, she'sa yeah. Yeah. So let's take a break and come back in time. If you're an Arizona men's basketball fan, you know it's been successful for nearly forty years. Now.
Take a look back at the Ludelsen era in my new book, Lessons from lut It was a labor of Love through the eyes of twenty five former players, coaches, and friends to give insight to the coach and the man who led them, competed against them, and inspired them. Twenty five chapters for his twenty five years as Arizona's beloved coach. Lessons from lut is an insight to how he built the program into a national powerhouse. Want one Email me at Steve dot Rivera ninety five at gmail
dot com. Where do you buy exercise equipment?
Arizona Health Arizona Health Arizona Health.
Of course, to feel better and look better, it makes sense to buy your fitness equipment from the people who know it better than anyone else. At Arizona Health, our goal is to help you choose the equipment you need to reach your goals. Your health and fitness deserve the best you deserve. Arizona Health the leading edge and exercise equipment on twenty second just west of Wilmot.
What's your goal a new career or career advancement? How about transferring to a four year college. PEMA Community College can help you make some day today and reach your goals affordably on your schedule. With over one hundred programs to choose from in financial aid available. It's time to earn the degreeer certificate you need to prepare for the career you want. PEMA offers free career exploration classes so you can choose the field that's right for you. You learn how at Pima dot edu.
Slash Someday, Hey Tucson, Steve rivera heir, and I've got a tip for you. Want to be in good hands while cruising the desert or kicking back at home, then you need to call my friends at the Edmond Marcus All State Agency. These guys are the MVPs of home and auto coverage. Whether it's a fender bender or a leaky roof, They've got you covered. Don't fumble your chance to save. Call them today and score big on your insurance. With the Edmund Marcus All State Agency, You're always in
good hands. Visit them at twenty seven nineteen North Campbell or call them at five two zero three two three nine three three three. Where do you buy exercise equipment?
Arizona Health Arizona Health Arizona Health.
Of course, to feel better and look better, it makes sense to buy your fitness equipment from the people who know it better than anyone else. At Arizona Health, our goal is to help you choose the equipment you need to reach your goals. Your health and fitness deserve the best you deserve. Arizona Health the lead Manage and Exercise before On twenty second, just west of Wilmot.
Craving, Tucson's Best Burger, the Fourth Avenue Legend is back. Lindy's on Fourth is celebrating twenty years and Lindy himself is back behind the grill. We've got new mouthwatering burgers and great daily drink specials. Don't miss our upcoming twentieth anniversary Summer Bash and year end celebration. So come down to Lindy's on Fourth or order online at l fourth dot com. Lindy and Tucson's Best Burger are waiting.
At Pyramid Federal Credit Union.
We believe less is more lis pies mean more money in your pocket, less hassle means more time for what matters, and less stress means more confidence in your financial future. Pyramids lessis More philosophy is coming to your neighborhood with a new branch opening at the Tucson Spectrum Pyramid Federal Credit Union, where less is more federally insured by NCUA, an equal opportunity lender.
This is I on the Ball with Steve Rovera on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. Subscribe now to the podcast on the iHeartRadio just search Eye on the Ball.
Hey, welcome back to Win the Ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Riverta. You or Dave Silver. We got one of controls. We got about ten minutes, maybe nine minutes one seven seven of fifty two fifty three.
Okay, what time to go lay some bets on the Yeah, Kentucky's two early right now, but you could do that.
I mean if I were you do it on your phone, you can, but it's too early. Still start trying this because it's just haven't set it up. You know, you could do it on other other other races, but not on that one. So you know when it comes time. Many if you're on Fandle the one she's on. Uh, you can bet ten bucks to ten bucks on the winter and if they don't win, you get money back. Oh it's a ten dollars free bet, all right. So if they win, you're good. If you lose, you're good
to just give it back to you. They just want to be part They want you to be part of their system. Right yeah, so then later you can bet more money. Welcome back, Yeah yeah, we'll come back. I get some other stuff. You get twenty five dollars free. Yeah. When's the NFL season start? Right? Right? Right? Right? So one I like journalism a lot, so do you? And maybe it'll pay hopefully. Yeah, right, that's the goal. Yeah,
anybody want to call. We have about seven minutes maybe five to zero, four, one, six, seventy four forty Jim, if you want to call, I got your message. Like we talked about that, that's not a big deal. Uh, in today's basketball world, what's going on? Wether then that Pima Pema baseball is doing really well. Softball is doing really well. Maybe want to come back next week, have them on the show again, because they're doing really well. People used to be an afrothat Dave. Now it's not
so much. Well they're having such great success.
I mean, look what both those basketball teams did this or how fun they were to kind of follow that, you know, in the years past, you know, if they weren't good, there wasn't a whole lot of buzz. But since they were so good and yeah, you wanted to keep track right right? Isn't that how that usually goes?
Though?
You win, baby win, just keep yeah, good looking, you're popular. Free drinks, free drinks, right right right till you're not that way. The world's good. I mean, it's good to see PEMA, especially.
You know, there's so many local players, so many most rushed the teams, especially with baseball and softball or like you know, seventy five percent or from Tucson. So it's given them a good chance to play and continue to play. Yeah, and you know, maybe they'll play at the Division one level after you know, having success at here.
Yeah. Yeah, and that happens every now and again. I mean they're getting recruited just not to hear, and they're going to the schools an the IA Division two, Division one. Yeah in some cases.
Well, I know when we were talking to Rebecca Kiros, their coach, a couple of weeks ago, and she was just saying, well, that's the selling point is you know you can play here in front of your family and friends still and get an education and still set yourself up for a chance to maybe go D one somewhere, right, Because those are the teams here in Arizona especially are hotbeds for women's soft off Sure.
Sure, Oh, let me have some kind of breaking news in a sense. So that nickname that I said for the soccer team that was in the previous life of the f C two when they were pros. So Johnny says that we don't have one yet. We have toyed with the Desert Foxes and the Habilinas.
Oh, I could get a behind a team called the Hailinas, the f C two son Habilinas. I feel like it's original. It's uh home to Tucson.
What do you make a little what do you call the food Gironas? Yeah, I think from Hallolleena. I don't know. I've never happened that. Yeah, I've heard people. I put pictures of Helena and they said, oh, Nash, I never eat that. Okay tough meat now yeah, yeah, okay, uh, yes, Well have Alena's Foxes. But I guess the the other name I said that, I want to see it again because it used to be associated with the son maybe the pro teams back in the.
Day we did have the Tucson have Alena's baseball team in the airs in a fall league.
Yes, back in the day. The only reason I.
Can remember that is that k GUN sponsored the game where Michael Jordan came to.
Tucson and played.
Oh yeah, and so I was given the chance to interview who was a coach.
Remember francon Gry Francona. I didn't remember that until I saw it on the thirty for thirty thing. Yeah.
So yeah, he played for Francona Birmingham and then then he played for him here.
But we had a chance.
It was one of the you know, people ask me, well, what was some of the better interviews and most exciting, So we had a chance to. I had a chance to go up there and interview Jordan, just me and it was baseball and he did it. Yeah, it was in a spring shot. It was it a airs in a fall league game. In Scott's day, this had to be like ninety sixish before that, even thirty four.
Play playing baseball.
So they had already won the ninety three finals, so maybe in ninety four, ninety five, yeah, six in basketball. So that was the Tucson Avelina's I kind of remember the rest in Peace.
Yeah, well, now they have the Tucson Suarrows. I think it is they're still around. Yeah, I think so, because yeah, it's the peckless league baseball thing. Yeah, I mean that didn't last long they were.
I mean it was kind of a shame because again it was similar to what we faced with with spring training, where teams just didn't want to come down here. You know, in the middle of winter. There wasn't a great crowd necessarily. But you know, I think if you look at the rosters and some of the players had come through there, there's tons of major leaguers.
Sure, sure, you just don't know it until you know.
Derek Jeter, I'm pretty sure played in the airs in a fall league.
Yeah, yeah, no, no, I think they're trying to do something with that too locally eventually maybe could be good. Yeah, behind the scenes, we're trying to get some stuff going on here. Yeah, of course from the south of the board, right when I'm all that, possibly, yeah, yeah, all that all that. So what do you think how much that we have about three minutes? Okay, why Tuson doesn't succeed?
Is it come with a lot of pro teams in your time, they did even in the seventies, Uh, pro volleyball, pro this pro that it's just it's big enough.
I don't know.
We've always been in the shadow of Phoenix. That's always We've always kind of been known as a minor league city when it comes to sports, and you know, fans here just they're coming from all over the place. They don't have strong allegiances necessarily. The U of A has a hard enough time getting people to come to football games. Basketball doesn't have too much. But I think there's just never been you know, especially in the summer. The summer is a hard cell. Let's be honest. Yeah, sit out
there and sure in August and July. Sure, sure, No, the one we gotta call. Okay, call hello.
You're on the air and I on the ball. Who's this? Hello? Hello? Who's this? I see it?
It's yeah, Hey, Jim, Hey, I was just wondering if I could get some takes, including yours on LeBell and James as a basketball player, be his impact on sports, see the impact on the culture.
Wow, that's a big pan we have. The thing is, Jim, now we only have a minute, minute and a half, minute and a half. That's way too much. Do me a favorite comedy on Monday, and we'll talk about this because God, I don't even know where to start. I don't even know what to storry. He's been paying in the league for twenty two years now, he's the forty Yeah, twenty two years. God, he's had an impact on the this generation. Did Jim send me a question because I
have to do some research? I never do research. I did? Okay, yeah, yeah, no, I got your text and then now it makes it more clear. We'll talk again next Monday. Is that cool? That's fine? Okay, thank you man.
Just real quick to finish up on the have Alina's They played two years, just two seasons. Bob Didier was the manager of the first year, whos been a manager of Tucson Toros, I believe, and then Davey Lopes was their manager of the second year. And then that was it ninety two and ninety three. So the organ interview was had to have been in ninety three, in the fall of ninety three, after they've won the championship.
He no longer played.
Yeah, after the finals in May and Phoenix. Yeah, and so this was right after that.
Yeah, okay, gotta go, Yes, last last thing I got to finish up to chat. Oh yeah, uh well, typically was certainly possible to make from have havelena me. They are typically made from pork skin or pork belly, which is a richer which is richer in fat.
Sure, sure, but who knows in Tucson. Yeah, you just don't talk about it. Yep. Yeah, Okay, thanks a bunch, everybody, See you on Monday. Have a good few days.