'Winning Ponies' welcomes back Mr. Pete Aiello and welcomes trainer Larry Jones
December 2, 2010
Hosted by John Engelhardt
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Episode Description
Mr. Aiello previously the race caller at River Downs, has moved on to a bigger circuit and is now the voice of Hialeah Park and its Marketing and Publicity Director. He will talk to our host about his new job and will shed some insight into the upcoming Hialeah meeting which opens on December, 3rd. Mr. Larry Jones of Eight Belles' fame was born to a commercial farming family in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Growing corn, tobacco and soybeans was their primary cultivated products. Apart from cultivation, Larry’s family used to raise cattle and hogs on their ranch. Larry gained experience in making horses gradually, which actually helped him in his present profession of horse riding. Larry Jones took out his trainer’s license in 1982 and posted his first win with Captain Bold at Ellis Park in 1986. Larry is well known as ‘the trainer with the cowboy hat’ but his popularity is somewhere else. His Hard Spun created much uproar in the 2007 US Triple Crown. Jones knocked at the door of the winning title twice during the 2007 Breeders’ Cup; his two starters, Hard Spun and Proud Spell finished second in their respective races, the Classic and the Juvenile fillies. At the beginning of the 2008 session, Larry Jones decided to move the place of his operation to Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, Midlands, and later that year he made news again when his filly Eight Belles broke down after finishing 2nd to Big Brown in the 2008 Kentucky Derby. Larry Jones lives at Henderson near Ellis Park with his wife and four children. With his wife Jones looks after 20 horses. He stays at Oaklawn during winter and races at Delaware and Kentucky in other sessions.
Winning Ponies
Thursday at 5 PM Pacific Time on VoiceAmerica Variety Channel
On the show we will talk about the Sport of Kings. We will delve into the different features of the WinningPonies.com website. John Engelhardt will talk about the issues of the day that affect horse racing, such as synthetic surfaces, medication rule changes, the fate of the industry as a whole, VLTs and Casinos, and human interest stories of triumph and defeat. You will also hear our spot play of the week, where John will handicap the feature races for the upcoming weekend, and will give out his best plays. We will keep you abreast racing’s big events. Featured on the show will be guests (trainers, jockeys, owners, celebrity handicappers and industry insiders). Promotional giveaways will be featured, such as brand merchandise and free WinningCredits.
"Winning Ponies" is broadcast live every Thursday at 8 PM Eastern/5 PM Pacific on the VoiceAmerica Variety Channel.
John Engelhardt
You may recognize him as "Racing's Regular Guy." For ten years, John Engelhardt hosted the informative and sometimes irreverent handicapping show from his base at River Downs in Cincinnati, Ohio. He developed a passion for thoroughbred racing as a youngster at Saratoga, and has been able to make his love of the sport his life's calling.
Engelhardt, a native of Syracuse, New York is a graduate of the University of Dayton. His professional career in racing began as the track photographer at Beulah Park in 1983 and he has worked in racing ever since. John produced "The Stretch Run" for eight years, which aired on the CBS affiliate WCPO-TV in Cincinnati. For four years Engelhardt co-hosted "The Regular Guy Handicapping Show on HOMER 1530-AM in Cincinnati with former "Winning Ponies" host Ed Meyer.
John served as the President of the Turf Publicists of America in 2009 and 2010, after serving several years as the Midwest Vice-President of that organization. He is currently a consultant for Pinnacle Entertainment handling publicity, public relations, marketing, advertising and special events for River Downs. Under the "nom-de-course" of Heart of an Angel Stable, he has bred and owned thoroughbreds for 18 years.
"Racing's Regular Guy" has been exposed to racing on many levels and greets the sport with enthusiasm and well-rounded knowledge. Tune in Thursdays at 5PM PT, as he welcomes nationally recognized guests, who will help you find those "Winning Ponies.”
