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We’re all over Opening Day at Woodbine with Jeff Bratt, Robert Geller, Rafael Hernandez, Romero Maragh, Jose Campos and Garnet Barnsdale.  Micah Husbands and Mike De Paulo combine for a win at Gulfstream.  Award winning writer Jennifer Morrison provides her pick of Horse of the Year for the upcoming Sovereign Awards. A landmark win for driver Bob McClure – he’s now cracked the $60 million barrier. Kazushi Kimura is putting up excellent numbers down south, but he got days at Keeneland and it’s kind of strange. And if you struggle to hit the daily double, bow down in awe at Ryan Willis who spearheaded a bet in the Meadowlands Pick-8 and was the only winner.

This week we have wins at Aqueduct by 2O24 Sovereign Award winning jockey Sahin Civaci. Rachel Halden had Kazushi Kimura aboard for a win at Keeneland for Chiefswood Stables. The Eclipse Award winning Pietro Moran is coming back to Woodbine and we know this because he told us from the Keeneland Jocks’ room. On Saturday, Moran was at Gulfstream to win a nice little handicap for Gail Cox. The latest inductees into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame were announced last week - harness driver Mike Saftic gets in and so does jockey Richard Dos Ramos. Making it even better for those two athletes - each of them has a Down The Stretch interview. Rideau Carleton is the latest Canadian racetrack to close its doors. We discuss the impact of that with race caller Melissa Keith and trainer Mandy Archer. And those wise enough to follow Garnet Barnsdale’s recommendations in the Mohawk Journal were nicely rewarded Friday night. I'm Peter Gross.

Jockey Pietro Moran made a good first impression at Keeneland. There were 3 Kentucky Derby preps – the Wood, the Blue Grass and the Santa Anita Derby. Trainer Kevin Attard handicaps his chances at a 2nd Sovereign Award and chats about the jockeys who have won for him this year at Gulfstream. Harness driver, Garrett Rooney was epic last week at Western Fair – he won with 5 consecutive drives. Pat Valenzuela is 63 and when he finished 1st in a race last week at Turf Paradise, it was his first win in over 9 years. And off we go to Las Vegas – well, by phone to gamble and eat by proxy through Garnet Barnsdale.

Canadians winning at Gulfstream – Steve Owens, Pietro Moran and a bunch from Kevin Attard, including an 18-1 Stakes win. Kentucky Derby Preps from Florida, Arkansas, Dubai and Japan. The iconic Roger Attfield announced his retirement from training and he told us why as we delved into some of his great memories. Harness driver Mike Saftic talks about being a finalist for the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame and admits, he probably would not have voted for himself. Hastings trainer Barbara Anderson-Heads has a lovely mare named Avana as a Sovereign Award finalist. She admits that Avana is a longshot and shares the sadness of many about the demise of racing at Hastings. We have the 10 lucky owners who have won slots to the Mohawk Million and sketch comedian/announcer Evan Loucks gave us a smile inducing race call.

Pietro Moran continues to sizzle in Hallandale. Trainers Kevin Attard, Steve Owens and Marty Drexler were winning at Gulfstream. Melanie Giddings scored at Aqueduct. There were two Kentucky Derby Preps - the Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway and the Louisiana Derby at the Fair Grounds each offered 100 points to the winner. No one wins more races than Bruno Schickedanz, but he tells Down The Stretch he does not believe he’s favoured to win the Sovereign as Canada’s Outstanding Owner, Bruno has a horse named Hunt Master who did something in two consecutive races we have never seen before. What we have seen before is James Macdonald winning in big numbers at Mohawk. MacDonald talks about how he and his fellow horsemen raised money last weekend for the family of driver Hunter Myers. Another harness driver, J.R. Plante found the winners circle for the 3000th time and tells us now that he’s getting more comfortable at Mohawk, his passion for driving has been reignited.

Jockey Pietro Moran, who recently won the Eclipse Award as top apprentice in North America went nuts last week at Gulfstream – 9 rides and 5 wins...other Canadians winning in the U.S. - Marty Drexler, Devon Gittens Randy Exelby and Kevin Attard scoring at Gulfstream, and owner Bruno Schickedanz won at Aqueduct and Oaklawn on the same day. The one Kentucky Derby prep was the $500,000 Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs. We‘ve got last week’s Women’s Day race at Mohawk, which was won by Julie Walker. We already know who will win the Sovereign trophy as Groom of the Year in Canada - we’ve got a few minutes on the phone with the delightful Rose Day. It was just an $18,000 pace at Mohawk but that win by Ten Carat Garret had a huge emotional impact. Jim Whelan tells us what it meant to win with a horse named after his late son. And Ismael Mosqueira is a versatile jockey. He wins on thoroughbreds, he wins on quarter horses and recently he won at the Quarter Horse awards. Mosqueira was asked to decide what meant more - the award for his riding or the award for his favourite filly.

Canadians winning in the U.S. this week include Melanie Giddings and Marty Drexler at Gulfstream, John Bianco doubling down at Aqueduct and the team of Julie Mathes and Bruno Schickedanz scoring at Charles Town. We’ve got Kentucky Derby preps at Tampa Bay and Santa Anita with 50 Derby points to the winners. Woodbine and the NYRA have forged the Empire Trillium series and Woodbine’s Tim Lawson reveals how lucrative this will be for local horse people. Amy MacDonald will be driving in her first parimutuel race in the International Womens’ Day race at Mohawk and she tells Down The Stretch what her strategy will be from post 10. New Jersey saluted the ladies by having Rideau Carlton’s Melissa Keith call the entire Saturday night card at the Meadowlands. And Romero Maragh tells Down The Stretch why he’s bringing his tack to Canada.

+ Trainer Katarina Vassilieva and Chiefswood Stables scored their first winner of the year and the 9-1 price was generous + We’ve got Kentucky Derby preps from Gulfstream and Aqueduct + Big news as Woodbine is bidding to host the Hambletonian for 3 years. Mark McKelvie breaks it down + Ho hum - a 6-win night at Mohawk for James MacDonald + Two Ontario-bred horses won big at the recent Dan Patch Awards in the U.S. We give props to Lexus Kody and Beau Jangles + Renaissance man, Santino DiPaola has won a Media Sovereign Award, and this year he is nominated in two horse categories as well as for outstanding photography, so we talk with Santino + The latest star stallion to arrive in Canada is Sergei Prokofiev. David Anderson talks about his acquisition and we play some of Sergei Prokofiev’s greatest hits + And a Pick-5 from Gulfstream in which all you had to do was... Pick 5

Kentucky Derby preps take us to Turfway Park in Kentucky and to Tokyo. We have Canadians winning at Gulfstream – Melanie Giddings, Kevin Attard and Marty Drexler in the winners’ circle. We followed James MacDonald to Brisbane, Australia to see how he did in the Ultimate Driving Championship, and we also have a story about older brother Mark Macdonald, who has overcome some major health problems and is now ready to drive permanently at Mohawk. If you had to choose between an overweight senior citizen podcaster or a slimmed down professional jockey, who would you predict could do the most pushups? We talk fitness with retired rider now racing judge Justin stein and you just might be surprised. Are the slots at racetracks a deal with Satan? Trainer Mark Casse talks about the likelihood that Gulfstream’s casino will mean the end of Gulfstream’s horse racing. And how did basketball superstar Nicola Jokic respond when asked what he would prefer – to be the MVP each year or to see his harness horses win?

From the Fairgrounds, the Risen Star Stakes and from Sunland Park the Sunland Derby as the 3-year-olds continue to sort themselves out for the first week in May. Then on to the King Abdulaziz racetrack for the $20 million Saudi Cup. Our Hot Gossip this week is about the stunning winner at Aqueduct for Canadian owner Elliott Logan. Mark Casse joins us to talk about Belmont’s new synthetic track, gives a tip that is much too late and tops the week off by giving himself the greatest birthday presents possible. We ‘sample’ the latest episode of Woodbine’s Free Rein - the first instalment of season 3 is all about our favourite jockey, Emma-Jayne Wilson and her determined comeback from an awful injury.

We start with wins at Gulfstream from Bill Tharrenos and Josie Carroll, then give you Kentucky Derby Preps from Aqueduct, Oaklawn, Tampa Bay and Santa Anita. A little boasting – the website MillionPodcasts has put Down The Stretch in the Top 10 in the world for harness racing coverage. Accordingly, we interview O’Brien Award winning driver, Damian Maclellan and Travis Cullen, who insists his lead in the Mohawk drivers’ standings is not permanent. And east coast race caller Boomer Gallant and his brood were on Family Feud. Too bad he broke stride in the bonus round.

We start with complete coverage of the O’Brien Awards, then award-winning writer, Dave Briggs talks about Lexus Kody who should have won in his category but was banned from the ballot. Only 1 Kentucky Derby prep – it was the Holy Bull at Gulfstream as the Withers and Southwest Stakes were snowed out. If you’re out for dinner with Jim and Susan Hill, make sure they pay – they had a prosperous Friday at Gulfstream. Woodbine’s Bill McLinchey breaks down this year’s Mohawk Million. Donnie Rankin hits a huge number at Western Fair and Travis Cullen pulls off the natural hattrick at Mohawk. And we throw the Eclipse Awards under the bus for not knowing how to say Pietro Moran.

This jam-packed episode includes: + Pietro Moran winning an Eclipse Award, even if they got his name wrong + The $3 Million Pegasus taken by a longshot + Wins in the US by Josie Carroll, the Ontario-bred Uncle Cat and John Bianco with Acoustic Ave at Aqueduct + Patrick Husbands is retiring...or is he? We’re not sure after talking with his agent Leroy Trotman + The Trotter Perfetto joins the million-dollar club + Daryl Ezra is back training and tells us why you need him to handle your horse + The wonderful Had to be Fabulous is once again Canadian Quarter Horse of the Year. We’ve got the filly’s owner, Carol Robertson talking about it + Who is Will Rixon and why is Australia singing about him? + And how would you feel after betting a ridiculous amount of money on a horse, seeing it win and then not cashing a cent?

Tall Oaks Farm sent out a winner at Delta Downs. Marty Drexler had a 12-1 victory at Gulfstream. How good is Golden Tempo who rallied from last to win the Lecomte Stakes at the Fair Grounds in just his 2nd career start? Emma Christoforou joined us to report on dad, Chris, who suffered an awful spill at Mohawk. Francine Villeneuve, the first woman in Canada to ride 1,000 winners tells us how she was inspired by the late Diane Crump. We ‘sample’ some of Woodbine’s Year in Review video, which reminds us of 3 jockeys – Pietro Moran, Rafael Hernandez and Emma-Jayne Wilson - who epitomize grit and talent, and then there’s 63-year-old Vernon Bush who retired from the saddle, but not until he won his final race.

Marvin Katz is this year’s Cam Fella Award winner. Katz tells us how surprised and grateful he is for this honor. This is - in Chinese astrology - the Year of the Horse. Astrologer Sam Mukherjee breaks down what this means and we identify famous people born in the Year of the Horse - Barbra Streisand, Clint Eastwood, Jerry Steinfeld, Adam Sandler, Joe Biden, Denzel Washington and Steven Bahen. Harness driver Tyler Borth kicked off 2026 with a tsunami of wins and we ask if he belongs among the elite drivers at Mohawk. We remember Dianne Crump, the first woman in North America to ride in a pari-mutuel horse race. We go to Charles Town racetrack in West Virginia for a win by trainer Steven Chircop and to Gulfstream for a longshot that came out of the clouds for Marty Drexler.. And 2 horses named Best Bet – one paid over $70 to win and the other flopped at even money.