Rail Talk Episode 115: Never a Dull Moment

This week on Rail Talk! Joe Bianca is joined once again by guest co-host Nick Tammaro to react to a controversy-filled holiday week in the ever-messy world of horse racing. NYRA’s jockeys made headlines when walking out on Sunday’s card at Aqueduct after the first race, citing a variety of issues with management. As always, the engines of the game—owners and bettors—get the shaft. Joe and Nick discuss how we move forward from here, then they analyze the damning neglect charges levied against trainer Rudy Rodriguez by HISA, and the reflexive anti-HISA stance taken by so many, even when it comes to horse welfare, supposedly everyone’s top priority. Eventually, they get to the action on the racetrack, as Magnitude takes an exciting renewal of the Clark Handicap to highlight the last major stakes weekend of the year in Kentucky. They also look forward to the final Cigar Mile day card to be run at Aqueduct, before Belmont takes over the New York racing calendar full-time next year.