Today, Larry goes one-on-one with Kentucky Derby winning trainer Cherie DeVaux, who joins Ponies 24-7 for the first time after making history as the first female trainer to win the famed Kentucky Derby. DeVaux discusses what it meant to win the Derby with Golden Tempo and reflects on the significance of becoming the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner. She also looks back on her path into the racing industry, including her time working for top trainers such as Chuck Simon and Chad Brown, and explains how a career that once pointed toward medicine eventually led her fully into the family business of horse racing. Cherie shares what makes training Thoroughbreds so demanding, talks about Golden Tempo’s stretch run on Derby Day, and looks ahead to what could be next for her Derby winner through the rest of the twenty twenty-six season.
Also today, Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame Managing Director Linda Rainey returns to the show for her annual check-in as the Hall prepares for its fiftieth anniversary class induction ceremony. Linda breaks down the newly announced class of twenty twenty-six, explains the nomination and election process, and previews the induction ceremony taking place Wednesday, August twelfth at the Mississauga Convention Centre. She also gives listeners a closer look at the history of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, some of the notable displays and artifacts inside the Hall, and how new items are added to the collection throughout the year. Linda also shares how fans can purchase tickets and take part in celebrating this year’s inductees.
Then, Quarter Horse trainer and owner Jennelle McMahon makes her first appearance on Ponies 24-7 to talk about her growing role in the racing industry and her family’s deep connection to the sport. Jennelle discusses the influence of her father, Bill McMahon, who worked as a jockey, trainer, and steward at Woodbine and Fort Erie, and explains how his career helped shape her own path into racing. She talks about becoming involved as an owner and trainer at Ajax Downs, the advice she received along the way, and her early experiences competing in Quarter Horse racing. Jennelle also reflects on the broader impact of Cherie Devaux’s historic Kentucky Derby win for women in the sport and shares what she hopes the future holds for her own racing career.
In our feature “In Case You Missed It,” Larry recaps the biggest racing headlines from the past week across North America. Later, he delivers his Ponies Picks of the Day, sponsored by Rocket Ship Racing, highlighting potential wagering opportunities at Woodbine, Woodbine Mohawk Park, and several other tracks racing today. And in this week’s Road Trip, Larry heads to Belmont at Aqueduct for the one hundred fifty thousand dollar Paradise Creek Stakes, a six-furlong turf sprint for three-year-olds.