Kutbooms.
If you thought four hours a day, twelve hundred minutes a week was enough, think again. He's the last remnants of the Old Republic, a sol fastion of fairness. He treats crackheads in the ghetto cutter the same as the rich pill poppers in the penthouse.
Wow.
The clearing House of Hot takes break free for something special. The Fifth Hour with Ben Maller starts right now.
It is the Fifth Hour with Ben Mahler and Danny g Radio Plausibly live from the big event, the Super Bowl horse racing, the Breeders Cup.
This is cool, Danny, this is awesome. I love the vibe. I've been walking around here. It's been nuts.
You're either gonna hear horse fans jumping up and down screaming about the horse that they have on the monitors there, or Hetros from Petros and money out on his microphone.
If you could see this, it's like a Saturday Night Live episode because when we're on one table, the next table is Pedros and Bill Plashky, and then Rob Parker's on the other side.
We're all lined up, but joining us. This guy is the Guru.
Of Gurus, the connoisseur of horse racing as a pundit on television. Todd Trump joins us here live on tape, of course, from the amazing Breeders Cup, the fortieth edition of the Breeders Cup.
Todd welcome, It's great to see you.
It's great to be with you, Ben and Danny and I have to say, you know, when you talk about venues, yes, this is one of the most amazing racetracks in the world. But let's be honest, it's one of the best sporting venues we have in America when you look at iconic places that sporting events take place. Just in Los Angeles, we all Revere, Dodger Stadium and Chavez Ravine and it'll be here sixty years from and I will still be loving it. Sam Anita is in that category. It's a
treasured facility for any sport. So it's no surprise with a facility like this, they're hosting the Breeders Cup for a record eleventh time. I just I love it here. I sit in the grand stand in those San Gabriel mount have been there for centuries. But every day it's a different view. One day it's clear, one day it's smoggy one day, it's cloudy, one day it's snowing. Yea, there is no other racetrack in the world that has
that view. Santa Neita is a treasure. So even if you're a casual sports fan and you didn't get to the Breeders Cut, you got to come out here and experience today.
Yeah, it's amazing and I love my favorite thing. Actually, I used to live right in here here, so I used to come here a lot. I moved a little further away, but I love coming out here, and today I was walking around the same thing. You see some guys who've got the you know, they've got the racing forms in front of them. They're henty cap and every race there's other people that's just kind of you know, drinking, having a good time. There's women all dressed up to
the nines. It's just a crazy, wild scene.
No matter how many times I've come here, I discover part of the building I didn't know exist. There's bathrooms. I don't think I've been touched. It's nineteen fifty six, like going back in a time machine. But you talk about those guys with the racing forms, the railbirds who've been here for years and years and years. So one of the things that happens. So you have a live day of racing at sant Anita, and let's say you've had a bad day. It's like, I still want the
act to have a place called the paddock Room. So it's the lowest of the building and it's all the hardcore people. I'm trying to make a comeback on the day. And they affectionately call the paddock room the dungeon. So you go underneath the grand stand here. I just I love every part of it, even the dungeon.
Yeah, it's great, great day people watching. You're into that too. I mean the horse racing is great too, But in.
Between it, I like, I think we we talked earlier this week day about the fact that horse racing is it's almost you know, it was a very popular sport early in America. Now the way people live their lives now where you have short attention spans, but you have you have a lot of time between races where you can you know, you can socialize, ye can put your bed in and so it's really cool.
One thing I noticed when I walked in.
You see folks that are just dressed with shorts and flip flops and T shirts. And then you see folks that are dressed to the nines and look like, you know, they pulled up in a Bentley with a.
Butler and crazy. The mix of people, that's what I.
Love about it. You can make a day at the race is whatever you want it to be. You know, the race that everybody you know is the Kentucky Derby. It's phenomenal to watch how people Your imagination is the only thing that holds you back when it comes to how you want to dress and go out to the races.
You can be casual, you can dress up. I think the worst moniker ever given to the sport of horse racing was the sport of kings Like I hate when people use that moniker because it's the sport for everyone. It really is, and it's truly accessible. Yes, Mike Ropoli just won the previous race year. He had not one, but two one billion dollar ideas that he sold and he's pretty well off, but he is very accessible. And
I look at the diversity in our sport. It's it's more diverse than any other sport and ahead of time. But the fact that you could have a billionaire Mike like Mike Ropoli, and then the stable hands and Todd Pletcher's operation who maybe are just getting started and not making a lot of money and now get to be on this big stage for the Breeders' Cup. There's so much I love about racing on a daily basis, but it is not the sportive kings. It's a sport that is accessible to everyone.
Yeah, and also I think it's important for those it might be listening if you're listening to the podcast, or maybe you're not a hardcore horse racing personally.
When I was growing up, it was always the Triple Crown races. That was it.
Yeah, But I've talked to people over the years thought about the Breeders' Cup and for people in the business, like this is the this is the main event. If you're in the industry, explain like why this is so important.
Because the Triple Crown only highlights one division and it's the three year olds. You can only run in the Kentucky Derby as a three year old. That's why winning the Triple Crown is truly one of the hardest things in sports because you only get one season. You can't have anything go wrong. You only get five weeks to run those three races, and so much can happen along the way. So the Triple Crown has always been about three year olds. The Breeders Cup brings the best of
all horses together. So the Long Gene Breeders' Cup Classic tomorrow will be three year olds that you saw in the Kentucky Derby Trail now taking on older horses who you maybe didn't watch throughout the course of the year. On that card, you'll see some of the best turf horses going a mile and a half, so horses you're run on grass. You'll see some of the best sprinters in the world. So the Breeders Cup has never been
defined by one age category or one distance. These are many disciplines and their horses from all over the world. They're not just the best in the United States. They're bringing over the best from Ireland, the best from England, the best from France, and this year, once again the best from Japan in the Breeders Cup. Just a couple of years ago at Del Mar it was a breakthrough moment for Japanese racing. Japanese racing has always been great, but when they would ship out like one of their
best horses, Deep Impacked. They so badly wanted to win the biggest racing Europe, the pre to Lark Day Triomphs, and he tanked on the stage that they wanted to win. It was a huge blow to their industry. I was there when he came back to his home course at Tokyo, and I've never seen anything like it. Deep Impact one of the best horses I've ever seen. That was one
of the great moments his comeback race. But this industry, the Japanese racing industry, has always been poised to go around the world and win, and now they're doing it. USh Pitzsoro took the Dubai World Cup earlier this year, one of the richest races in the world, and he's got to be one of the favorites in the Long
Jean Breeders Cup Classic, if not the favorite. It was unfathomable when you had the first Breeders Cup at Hollywood Park which is now the Rams and Chargers Locker Room, that here we would be forty editions later and the favorite for the Long Jean Breeders Cup Classic would be a Japanese champion. Pretty amazing.
It's pretty cool. Go full circle and we're hanging out here at the Breeders Cup.
And again, by the way we are, it's underway and if you're able to make it. I know this podcast obviously people listening all over the country in the world, but if you're in southern California or you're planning on being in Southern Shore, yeah, it's awesome.
I'm going to try to come back out.
If we're allowed, Nanny, I'm gonna try to say, yeah, you know, if our backstage passes there are good for tomorrow.
I didn't think I was going to get into radio row. That's how good. I almost didn't make this.
I don't know.
But we are here and if you want to get tickets, there are some left. It's just amazing the racing, but the people watching, the vibe if you've never been to a race, and what a great first race to go to, the big for those in the business here the Breeders Cup. So if you want tickets, you can get tickets. Obviously it is on Saturday here, so go to Breeders Cup dot.
Com and the World Championship Britis Cup World Championships that are going on here.
Now we'll get back to racing of course, but I know that you are a Minnesota Vikings fan.
Oh boss by yes, by the way, thanks for the purple uncover to your table there.
We want to make you comfortable. Can you play quarterback?
But I'm sorry about Kirk Cousins.
But we got a rocket scientist. Now, I didn't know that Dops was an actual rocket scientist. Yeah, and this is long suffering. And my my cousin said this to me because he's from Minnesota. He's like a brother to me. So we followed the Vikings all our lives. He's like, why couldn't our parents given us a different team to follow? I mean it is I cannot begin to describe the pain from Harry Anderson's first missed field goal of the
year in the NFC Championship. And I know we would have absolutely beat the Broncos that year with Randy Moss and that offense. They could not have stopped us. And then about two thousand and nine, I'm watching this gross overtime defeat to the New Orleans Saints. Oh, bounty gate came out of that. Then, of course they changed the overtime rules, which was too late for the Vikings. After that, and I'm walking for an hour and a half on this bike path near my house, just by myself, and it.
Just occurred to me.
I'm like, they don't even know exist, Like why don't I care so much about this too? Whether they win or lose, they don't know I'm here.
But yes, LIKEELIONGS, we deal with our teams too every week every weekend. And one quick other side note before we get back to the horse racing. A vet of TVG, Yeah, which is awesome. And you had a famous moment with Jerry the King Lawler.
I treasure the most look I've been at It was TVG. Now it's FanDuel TV. So I've been at this network for twenty four years, seeing had done a lot of things, been to some fantastic races and YadA winning the Breeders Cup Classic here in two thousand and nine is my favorite racing moment. But resting Jerry the King Law for my broadcasting career is kind of weird. Is my highlight.
Yeah, and so how that happen?
We're about four years into the network. Nobody knows who we are. The only way you can see us is on the sea band satellite dishes. You know, they're the size of a jacuzzie, so no one knew who we were. So we're always trying to get attention, and I was the guy who wanted to go out and get attention. So one night at sam Houston Racecourse down in Texas, a friend of my, Martha Claus and she's the publicity director, the general manager there would hold wrestling matches on Friday
night after the races. So to promote the matches, she'd bring out some of the key wrestlers out into the Winter Circle and after a race, they'd build up the crowd stick around later wrestling. So before she interviews Jerry the King Lawler, she goes, hey, and she says this off, Mike, could you work in my friend Todd Shrump in California. He's like, no problem. So she goes to ask him a question and goes, now, there's this guy in California.
His name is Todd Truppy. If he grabs the mic from her and he goes, you, I mean, Todd, schmuck. Those in this whole great thing. And he ends by saying, and hey, schmuck, if you ever want to leave Hollywood and come to Texas, I'll restue you anytime anywhere So I get a call at home from the people who are watching the broadcast in our studio who are working that night, and they said, can you come on air? I'm like why, because Jerry the King Waller just challenge
you to a wrestling match. I'm like what, So they catch me up on the whole thing. I go on air, I fire back next thing, I know this thing's happening. So we do like a month of promotion leading up to it. My boss at the time, he goes to his old high school coach, gets me the high school wrestling outfit, and so I'm wearing the onesie, you know, the yeah for wrestling, the singlet, and then I'm wearing the thing that goes over your ear so you don't
get call aflower ear. We do all these promos and then about a week before the match, one of our bosses calls me in and he says, I need you to sign something like what are you talking about? He goes it basically releases us from anything if you get hurt. And so I'm like, I'm doing this for you, guys.
Now are you are you? Are you in shape at the time better shape than I am? No?
Okay, but I'm still not a world class app Okay, that's for sure. So anyway we somehow get past that. So all these obstacles go down to Texas. They have a limo waiting for me. It takes me to the track. They've got the Hooter girls waiting out in front of the playfast. It's incredible. And they take me right to the winner circle to promote the match, and Jerry the
King is waiting there. Martha Clauson's in between. She lets me have the mic first, and I start making fun of his age, my grandpa, my great grandpa, watch you and I can't wait, and I started naming all the time zones. So if you're in the Pacific time zone, Central Mountain time Eastern, tune in and watch this match. Whatever. So now it's his turn, and he grabs the mic and he's and he takes his finger and he goes,
you got pretty nice teeth for a beaver. And then he takes his finger and he and he pokes it in my chest and and it must have backed me up like six inches. And I looked at our producer and I go, this is real, Like I don't know, I've never wrestled in my life. This is real, and so he goes, you better stop you're talking unless you want to see those chicklets rolling around on the ground. So anyway, I eventually wrestled him that night. He put me in the pile driver. I survived the pile driver,
barely got out of the match. And the way I look at it is Andy Kaufman wrestled Jerry the King Lawler, the man in the So many people have been in the ring with Jerry the King Lawler, and I didn't realize how big his legend was until I wrestled him. And now everywhere I go people talk about it. Are fans of the King. And that night that was kind of the cool part. When I walked out, the crowd was two thousand percent lollar. They just wanted to see
me absolutely destroyed, and they got what they want. They started chat And now I think they don't allow the pile driver.
Oh probably not.
Yeah, it's illegal now, but that's crazy. When I was growing, I grew I love wrestling. So Jerry Lawler the name, Oh gee, yeah, back back in the day. But we should probably get back to the races. Oh think a boss is gonna punch us and we don't get back to the race, but no, I'm excited, so I was told not to.
We're doing this on Friday.
Obviously, we want to promote what's going up on Saturday because that's when people can come out and hang out. But today I was told the juvenile races, that's like to compare it to another sport, like the Future Stars.
Like, yes, the horses today.
They all start weekend, like we'll see nex rookies next Like when I watched the Kentucky Derby next year and all that horses that race today, you could see them next year.
What can you give me some names here? Today?
Well, Fierceness ran a really good race and took the signature race, the race that was supposed to from the beginning of the Breeders Cup. Because it's changed a lot. It used to not be two days. It's not two days. So they moved the two year olds the youngest horses to the Friday with the Future Stars Friday, as you mentioned, But the signature race was always the fan Dual Breeders Cup Juvenile, so that was two year old colts who next year could ask three year olds get on the
road to the Kentucky Derby and all it's history. Only two horses have gone from winning that race to go on I winning the Kentucky Derby and their streets scentse and Niquist. I just think some of it is, you know, our sport has changed, and it seems like horses who get started later in their career the beginning of the three year old season, some sometimes have an advantage because they're fresh horses. But I think the field that ran
this year has enough depth. The winner, Fierceness, owned by Micropoli, trained by Todd Pletcher, will be put on the fast track, probably through the Florida Derby and his three year old season to get to the Kentucky Derby. So yeah, when they say future stars Friday, it's not just a marketing phrase. A lot of these horses are going to go on and do great things next year.
Very very cool.
And as far as the Saturday, everyone knows the main event, but there's races all day here and so if you're play if something's coming, I meanming out what what what do.
We need to know about? Like the other than the main we'll get to the main event, but other than.
The main would you think less of me if I told you that in My whole day depended on what happened at Aqueduct today.
There.
I love that you're my kind of guy, and I asked thousands of miles away.
So that's the thing. So today, for an example, they had ten races. Five of them were Breeders Cup races, championship races. Yeah, but the first Breeders Cup race was until the fifth. So I asked my colleague Dave Weaver, have you ever been broke before we got to the winds? Yeah, lots of times. So tomorrow, the first race is at ten ten am local time. They've got twelve races overall, but nine of them out of the twelve are Breeders
Cup championship races. Tomorrow is going to be wild. You made a great analogy calling at the Super Bowl, but essentially with fourteen championship races, it's fourteen super Bowls in two days. Awesome, And tomorrow's the biggest day by far.
Yeah.
And then I was leading up to the main event and I saw Bob Baffert's name is yeah, the favorite.
How is now?
He's like I've interviewed Bob a few times over the years, but in the business, you know, you talked to some peopleho are casual as all you know, he's like kind of a villainous type guy.
Is he's the New York Yankees. Yeah, always have enough money. They can out spend everybody, but they don't always win. And that just happened in the Breeders Cup Juvenile today. He had three horses, big purchase prices. He's got a horse running the last race today. That is, it's not a stakes race. That was purchased for three point two million dollars. Three point two million dollars and the horse
is not running in a stakes race. So you know, just because you spend a lot of money, it doesn't mean you're going to get a winner at the top level. But Baffert's barn, you go down the shed row, one side of his barn is more expensive than someone's three barns.
So I assume because of his reputation, Like if you're like, you know, king of Dubai or the Middle East, you you contact.
Is that how it normally.
Works because he's the top level guy and one of.
The most powerful stables in the world is Godolphin and it essentially is the ruler of Dubai. Shik Muhammad al Maktoum. Yeah, and they win races all over the world. They give a lot to the sport, and he loves it tremendously. He's don't never want to Kentucky Derby believe he's really really early tried. But they host the Dubai World Cup, one of the richest races in the world. Bob Bafford trains for them a little bit, but not a lot. Brad Cox trains for them more So. It's kind of
interesting to see who Bob Baffert picks up. As far as clients, it's it's not always who you would think.
Yeah, it's interesting.
And then as far as the main the main events events, do you give out winners or you want to lead.
Us in a direction here?
I well, I you know, I you picked the twenty eight to one earlier down the hill and the Senator Ken Maddie the eighth. Yeah, that was very good pick, very good pick.
Who'd you pick in the main of min Dan?
It was your you know, because of his voice and guitar playing, and I like Clapton doesn't like.
But here's the thing. The ideas that go faster and you're betting slowhand, So.
Yeah, lay down Sally, but don't lay down.
In the main event.
I think I bet, I bet, I like the name and missed the cut. I think it was a yeah, yeah, I love it.
Thirty to one. I mean, but it's how much do you how much stock? You're in this all the time?
Like I see thirty one, that's like the long I think the longest odds and the main main race I believe is that does that matter?
Is that?
No, the horses don't know the ore.
That's good point, that's a fair point.
Here's what I Here's what I tell the people who are coming out to the racetrack. I've been in the game thirty five years. I'm still learning, you know. I look at the past performances and I can find my way around, and I've got my you know, I've got certain things I look for, and yeah, I have an advantage over a person who maybe only comes out on weekends. But at some point, whatever your system is, it's going to work. So everybody can pick winners. That is not
that is not the challenge of this game. Whether you're picking a name, whether you're picking a price, the question is how did you play that horse? Because that ultimately is what this game comes down to did you play win, play show, did you play exact? Did you play a try? Did you play a super effector did you play a super high five? Did you bet the double? Did you play a pick three? Did you play a pick four? Did you play a pick five? Did you play a
pick six? There are a multitude of options with every race. Making the correct wager is more important than picking winners.
So it's also money money man. Yeah, so that says you were referending there, and.
That's that's a pretty straightforward thing. When I first got involved, a guy said this to me. It was a long time racetracker, and he was right, If it hurts for more than thirty seconds, you bet too much. Now I've hurt for a long time, a lot more than thirty seconds. Many times. You keep teaching yourself over and over again. But you should always make it comfortably. You should always be responsible about it. But there are days where I'll look in the past performances and it's just popping off
the page. Then there's other days I'll look and it looks like mandarin Chinese and I don't understand what I'm looking about looking at.
I got a great story about that cause on the radio show, we used to have a football show on Sundays, we had Dick Stockton, the Old Scows. Yeah, and Dick was doing a it was a terrible game on Fox. You know, he's retired now, and we had to have him on to promote the game. And I'm like, you know, why would anyone watch? I mean, this is just a dreadful game. And Dick Stockton so smooth. He educated me.
And I used to watch Dick's talking with a kid doing NBA games and he.
Said, Ben, stat's tell you what has happened, not what's going to happen.
That is right on. And by the way, there's going to be some type of chair that falls real quick. I don't know if you heard that.
I heard that. That's sound effects there, but no, but it's true.
That's the thing when you look, when you're looking at the racing for him, you're looking at what the horse did previously. You hope that they can run to that, but you have to figure it out and sometimes they do. Sometimes. The thing you got to remember, you're still vetting on animals running in a left handed circle, okay, and they have minds of their own.
And as far as like the job. How big a difference does a jockey make? Are these guys all pretty similar or I'm.
Not Okay, there are jockeys who are certainly the best of the craft, just like any other sport. But I've never believed a jockey can pick a horse up and cross the finish line with them. But a jockey can cost a horse. So I actually look for jockeys who are terrible and avoid them. Avoid.
That's interesting.
So yeah, so you kind of know you's around this all the time. So you know the guys that are good, guys who are how do you guys who are bad?
They'll keep doing it.
That's what I can't And here's the thing. I can never say that on air, but during commercial break, I'm like, why does this person keep doing this?
Yeah?
And now he is back to Bafford. Is he like does he have a stable of jockeys that are like his guys?
Yeah?
You know, but here's here's and this was I thought one of the better lines. And this is actually a good life lesson as well. So Baffort right now in California has won Hernandez. He's the man. He's gotten a really like Ramon Vasquez, who's kind of a backup to him, and then he gave Kyle Freshat. He will always give a guy a chance, but at some point you get moved to the bench. So there was a story a number of years ago Kent Desormo had been the man
with Bob Bafford. All of a sudden he wasn't getting mounts and he kind of complained openly to Mike Smith, who had also been sent to the bench. And then Mike Smith said to Ken Desromo, it's a lot better to be on the bench than on the team at all. And that's the way it is with the Bafford barn. Yeah, he may sit you on the bench, but he wants to motivate you, like the great Bobby Knight talking about how that's the greatest motivator.
See, you're title losing to Purdue.
But with Baffort, he'll eventually bring you back. But yeah, he does have like a core of four or five. And then if you see someone who's riding really well, he's smart, he'll bring them in. Why would you use a hot jockey, you like a Flavi and Pratt. He didn't know Flavi and Pratt until this guy was an apprentice on the circuit started winning titles and all of a sudden, Flavy and Pratt was in the Bob Bafford Barn. So he's smart. He goes with the guys who are definitely on the rise.
It's very interesting.
And as far as the lineup on Saturday again, people want to get tickets, they can do that.
There are some left and we do. If you're in the area, we'd love you gotta.
I'm gonna try to get back out here at Breeders' Cup, Doc. When does it? It begins in the morning, Southern California, n.
Ten am and the first race. Okay, as far as price is tomorrow in the Dirt and Mile. One of the best stories. And I hate to play against the best story, but look, when you're gambling, you're not sending them. Cody's wish is coming back to defend his title and the big ass fans Breeders cut dirt mile. Last year, he got a perfect setup. He came from far back, they dueled on the lead. I don't see that tomorrow. I think Zozos gets a clear lead, might be able to win that race at a.
Price A very good todd thank you. I know you're busy. You've got TV. You're more important on TV. I gotta tell you.
I mean, this is the crew. I want to hang out with the tracks, so we got to do it. Sometimes we will.
It's great, great to meet you man. Thank you very much time. I appreciate it. Have a great day there YouTube. You can see him on TV Todd. Yeah, yeah, watching him on Giving Ladies and Gentlemen.
I appreciate that. Todd, thank you very much. So uh kind of put the ball on this. Then you've been out here all day, you've been experiencing the track. It's it's it's pretty cool.
It was quite the scene.
I I wouldn't have thought that the building was just huge, like there was. There were people riding around in golf carts and I'm like one of those. It's it's huge and they can fit eighty thousand people in here.
Is that right? I didn't realize is that. I know, it's it's pretty massive.
And there's a I drove down I think a Huntington coming in and the Derby restaurant's been there for forever.
It's like an iconic Santa Anita like place and all that.
But Katie is a nice town.
Too.
Yes, really nice areas around here.
So I used to live not that far far away.
All right, Well it got nicer when you left.
Property values went off as soon as I.
Left Valor family left.
Yeah, exactly, all right, So we'll get out on that.
Oh plug. We talked about him being on TV.
You need yeah, Benny versus the penny.
Check that out. I will, and I'm gonna post some video. I finally learned. I sound like Mike North. I'm gonna grandpa. I finally learned how to get videos. So I'm gonna probably on Saturday. I'll post a little video clip on social media. So if you follow me on Facebook or on Instagram, I'll put a.
Photo, little video, a little clip, a little taste. If I know.
People have complained because they're in certainty they can't get the TV show.
But we are on. It's distributed by NBC Universal.
You can check that out, regional cable, NBC Sports Boston. Uh.
There one more airing tonight and then yeah.
Don't forget l A. I'll be watching after the Lakers beat the Orlando.
Magic beyond late night primetime eleven PM on Saturday night.
So check that's awesome. Yeah, I got we got what this is we're doing four is that we win this morning?
Woh yeah.
So we woke up early Friday morning and we did like a little intro for this. Yeah, and then we're gonna wake up early Saturday morning to do our Saturday podcast for the fifth hour, and then Sunday we have the mail bag. So busy weekend for us, and yeah, it was it was nice being away from the studio though to do this today. It was busy out here, but it was a lot of fun. It went so fast. Yeah, I know, it's it's fit great.
So anyway, have a wonderful rest of your Friday and try to get out here.
I'm gonna I'm gonna try to get back out for the main event of the Breeders.
Let's see if these passes work again.
I know, we gotta go, we gotta go check on all right, have a wonderful, wonderful Friday night.
Thank you later, Skater gott a murder. I gotta go.