The Rail Talk Podcast
Tune in to get the latest coverage of racing's biggest events happening throughout the year featuring co-hosts Joe Bianca and Jon Green.
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The Latest from the Rail Talk Podcast
Rail Talk Episode 136: Last Call for Belatoga
This week on Rail Talk! It’s the eve of one of the best racing weeks of the year, and Joe Bianca and Jon Green preview all the superstar-studded action of the final Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga. Who’s the horse to beat in the Belmont? Is the Met Mile the race of the year? How are the boys feeling as their beloved fillies Counting Stars and Nitrogen ready for their respective Grade I tests? Joe and Jon also react to the private sale of Preakness winner Napoleon Solo, as well as NYRA CEO David O’Rourke’s report on the drop in CAW wagering since NYRA’s attempts to limit their play were implemented. Then, excellent NYRA/Fox Sports analyst Acacia Courtney Clement stops by to look forward to some of the week’s most exciting action, discuss Miguel Clement’s ascent as a trainer and more.
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Rail Talk Episode 135: Untimed and Untamed
This week on Rail Talk! Joe Bianca and Jon Green are reunited after back-to-back weeks with guest co-hosts, chomping at the bit to react to the Memorial Day card at Santa Anita and preview the upcoming Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. Fasig-Tipton President & CEO Boyd Browning then joins the show to discuss the groundbreaking Midlantic sale, which shattered records while featuring the first-of-its-kind untimed under-tack show. Is this the future of 2-year-old sales? And if so, what will that mean for horses, sellers and buyers? Joe and Jon also discuss a variety of exciting purse bonuses and incentives lined up for the reopening of Belmont Park in the fall, look forward to all the action for the home teams next week up in Saratoga and celebrate a milestone win for a friend of the show in the Epic Performance of the Week.
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Rail Talk Episode 134: Oh Yu Again
This week on Rail Talk! Jon Green slides into the host chair alongside Michelle Yu for a packed episode covering everything from the Black-Eyed Susan and Preakness to the current state of the 3-year-old division. They also discuss Peter Brant’s headline-making decision to move a large percentage of his horses from Chad Brown, what goes into owner-trainer relationships behind the scenes, and the balancing act trainers face managing jockey assignments, owner expectations, and stable politics. Plus, the hosts reflect on the tragic loss of Hit Zero on Preakness weekend and have an honest conversation about horse safety, cardiac events, and the emotional reality behind the sport.
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Rail Talk Episode 133: Full Field, Empty Feeling
This week on Rail Talk! Jon Green is away on vacation, so Joe Bianca is joined by friend of the show and all-star racing analyst Samantha Perry to discuss everything surrounding this Saturday’s Preakness. Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo is skipping the race, something that would’ve been unheard of a decade ago, but is now becoming commonplace. How do we fix the Triple Crown and restore the Preakness to its historic importance? Where should the races be on the calendar going forward when it inevitably is revamped? On the handicapping side, it’s a tremendous betting race this year, and Joe and Sam discuss how they’re planning on playing it. Plus they touch on the latest HISA safety metrics and Fasig-Tipton’s first untimed under-tack show in Timonium.
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Rail Talk Episode 132: Bell Biv DeVaux
This week on Rail Talk! A truly unforgettable Kentucky Derby 152 is in the books, and Joe Bianca and Jon Green welcome two very special guests, NBC’s Steve Kornacki and Randy Moss, to break it all down from every angle. Cherie DeVaux becoming the first female trainer to take the Run for the Roses has captured America’s attention and imagination, so how do we capitalize on that interest? As Derby broadcasts continue to shatter viewership records, what if anything can be applied to how we present racing the rest of the year? Joe, Jon, Steve and Randy also discuss the Kentucky Oaks, in primetime for the first time, the staggering late odds drop on Churchill Downs Stakes winner T O Elvis, and much more. Plus Joe gives us his first-person perspective of running third in the Oaks with Counting Stars, then the boys react to HISA’s announcement that they’ll maintain the status quo on Lasix and wrap up the second annual Mage Rage Derby contest, won by our Kiwi friend Andrew Stewart!
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Rail Talk Episode 131: Derby Dancing
This week on Rail Talk! At long last, the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks are upon us, and Joe Bianca and Jon Green can barely contain their excitement. Both races are extremely competitive, and West Point Thoroughbreds’ Counting Stars will fly the flag for the home team on Friday night. Joe, just before heading to Louisville, provides insight into the mindset of their filly’s connections heading into the biggest race of her career, plus Joe and Jon cover the Derby from all angles and identify several must-see races on the undercards. Friend of the show Nick Tammaro then stops by after making the Derby and Oaks morning lines for the first time to shed light on the process of estimating the odds in a 20-horse field. One of the sharpest handicappers around, Nick also gives us his picks for a blockbuster weekend of stakes action, discusses the current state of dealing with CAW players, implores HISA to get involved in wagering issues, and more.
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Rail Talk Episode 130: Davids and Goliaths
This week on Rail Talk! Joe Bianca and Jon Green are back from Ocala and have plenty to discuss. First, White Abarrio runs down Sovereignty and Journalism in a star-studded Oaklawn Handicap. Might we finally be trending towards standout horses sticking around to race beyond their 3-year-old season? And why is the winner, despite all his accomplishments, still not considered a serious stallion prospect? Then, the boys give their dispatch from the OBS sales grounds, including the record-shattering $10.5-million Flightline colt, and Jon has something to get off his chest about the inertia of The Jockey Club and Breeders’ Cup boards compared to the positive results smaller groups in the industry have gotten. Don’t miss any Rail Talk content! Be sure to subscribe to the show on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Audible or wherever you get your pods. Huge thanks to our all-star sponsors Taylor Made, Fasig-Tipton, Epic Insurance and The Green Group for their support.
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Rail Talk Episode 129: The Derby Picture and the Bigger Picture
This week on Rail Talk! The Kentucky Derby field is mostly set after a thrilling weekend of racing, and Joe Bianca and Jon Green are here to make sense of it all. Further Ado puts on a show in the Blue Grass, but can he be trusted to repeat that performance in the Derby? What to make of the California 3-year-olds and the final Wood Memorial at Aqueduct? And who else made a name for themselves as spring and the peak racing season kick into high gear? A pair of guests also give us their glimpse into a positive future for the game. First, NYRA Bets President Tony Allevato tells us all about NYRA and FOX’s plans to expand and transform racing coverage in the wake of FanDuel TV shutting down, including a racing RedZone channel, even more national presence and utilizing the talents of the brilliant folks from FanDuel TV. Then, Equibase’s Chance Moquett gives us the scoop on his company’s new and growing ratings-based system for carding races, and the benefits it will provide for the industry long term.
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Rail Talk Episode 128: Is This The Real Life? Is This Just Fantasy?
This week on Rail Talk! Joe Bianca and Jon Green bring you an absolutely jam-packed show, starting with Joe’s tale of nearly not making it to Oaklawn Park but getting there in the nick of time to experience Counting Stars’s romp in the Fantasy Stakes to punch her ticket to the Kentucky Oaks! Where does she stack among the 3-year-old filly class? And what to make of Renegade’s blowout win in the Arkansas Derby vs. Commandment taking the Florida Derby by a nostril? The boys then discuss the fallout from the announced phasing out of FanDuel TV—what does this mean for the industry and its ability to broadcast the sport long term? They also welcome FanDuel TV alum and current Keeneland director of communications Gabby Gaudet for an in-depth discussion about what’s to come, both for our sport and the Lexington staple, before conducting the Mage Rage Derby contest supplemental draft as each team sheds two horses and picks up two new ones. We’ve reached 30,000 subscribers on YouTube!! Huge thanks to all of you beautiful viewers/listeners for your support, and if you haven’t joined the Rail Talk family yet, please be sure to do so by smashing that button on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Audible or wherever you get your pods. As always, mega shoutout to the sponsors Epic Insurance, The Green Group, Fasig-Tipton and Taylor Made, without whom none of this would be possible!
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Rail Talk Episode 127: Derby Fever, Catch It!
This week on Rail Talk! The scintillating Kentucky Derby trail is nearing its pinnacle, and Joe Bianca and Jon Green are excited to dig in on all the action. The boys react to Emerging Market’s gutsy victory in the Louisiana Derby, discuss whether or not the Jeff Ruby Steaks Stakes should be a 100-point Derby qualifier, and look forward to stellar weekend cards at Gulfstream and Oaklawn surrounding the Florida Derby and Arkansas Derby centerpieces. Joe and Jon also celebrate the latest evidence of major progress on equine safety from the 2025 Equine Injury Database numbers, give an update on the upcoming HISA board vote on Lasix use, check out the new Mage Rage Derby contest standings and preview Joe’s upcoming trip to Oaklawn a year after Sandman’s monster victory in Hot Springs.
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Rail Talk Episode 126: Conscious Undecoupling
This week on Rail Talk! Joe Bianca and Jon Green return to their mics after a week in the Ocala sunshine, and they brought some good news back with them, as the decoupling effort that would devastate Florida racing was once again defeated in the state’s legislature. Will The Stronach Group keep trying to separate its racing and gaming businesses after two high-profile failures? Is this successful lobbying effort replicable in other states? Damon Thayer, who was instrumental in the Thoroughbred Racing Initiative’s campaign of organization and mobilization, stops by to answer those questions and more. The boys also discuss a potential lifeline for New Jersey racing as a new bill looks to break up Atlantic City’s casino monopoly in the state, salute Tom Amoss upon his retirement from training, and update the Mage Rage Derby contest standings, as Samantha Perry widens her lead and Joe climbs out of last!
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Rail Talk Episode 125: The Floor Is Yours
This week on Rail Talk! An action-packed first major weekend of the Derby Trail is in the books, and Joe Bianca and Jon Green are here to tell you all about what it means. Who took a step forward? Who underwhelmed? Who’s ahead in the Mage Rage Derby contest? And what of the Kentucky Oaks picture? The boys then get down to the nitty gritty of the Lasix debate as the HISA board of directors is set to decide on the future of the anti-bleeding medication at their May 23 meeting. They also welcome New Vocations executive director Anna Ford to discuss the aftercare situation and what’s needed to make sure no horses fall through the cracks, and react to the recent town hall hosted by Aron Wellman and Pat Cummings looking for feedback on a myriad of racing’s major issues. Don’t miss any of these candid and incisive racing discussions. Be sure to join our ever-growing family by subscribing to the show on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Audible or wherever you get your pods. Huge thanks to our sponsors Epic Insurance, The Green Group, Fasig-Tipton and Taylor Made for making this all possible.
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Rail Talk Podcast Episode 124: Legends Live Forever
This week on Rail Talk! Joe Bianca and Jon Green pay tribute to legends, past and present, starting with Saudi Cup champion Forever Young. What does it mean for racing to have a global superstar, campaigned sportingly, by relatable connections, and how do we capitalize on his brilliance? Joe and Jon also bid farewell to the great John Shirreffs and Afleet Alex, reflecting on the legacy they both left on the game and what they meant to the boys’ personal journeys in the game. Then, we welcome Gulfstream Park’s Samantha Perry, Black Dog Bloodstock’s Lauren Carlisle and Arion Pedigrees’ Andrew Stewart for our second annual Mage Rage Kentucky Derby contest draft, sponsored by the 2023 Derby hero and our friends at Airdrie Stud! Will Sam repeat as champion? Will Andrew help Lauren figure out the difference between Australia and New Zealand? Stay tuned all spring as we run for glory, bragging rights and trash-talking supremacy on the Derby trail.
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TOBA Breakaway Rail Talk is the one-on-one companion to the Rail Talk podcast featuring the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association's Member of the Month. In depth conversations with owners and breeders gives viewers unique insight into the Thoroughbred industry.
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