WP Welcomes Announcer Nick Tammaro and Handicapper Vance Hanson

October 13, 2022
Hosted by John Engelhardt

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Guest Information

Episode Description

Our first guest is Nick Tammaro, who is announcer and morning-line odds maker at Sam Houston Race Park. This season he has added the morning line at Keeneland. Tammaro is very familiar with Keeneland racing, having won a handicapping contest there and placing in its Grade 1 Gamble. In addition to making the line at Sam Houston, Tammaro consulted with BetMakers on setting its fixed odds for Thoroughbred racing in New Jersey. There may be no greater challenge in setting odds than the boutique meets at the historic Lexington track. Overflow fields come from every region of the world to compete for the rich purses in various divisions on turf and dirt. It will be interesting to see how Tammaro approaches such a mind-boggling task. Tammaro, 38, a contributor of handicapping content at TwinSpires, replaces long-time odds-maker Mike Battaglia, who had made the line at Keeneland since 1974. Battaglia is still the morning-line maker at the Churchill Downs Inc. owned Kentucky properties of Turfway Park and Churchill Downs Racetrack. Vance Hanson has been an associate editor with TwinSpires.com and Brisnet.com since 2008. A member of the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters, he previously served as a handicapper with Daily Racing Form and began his career in racing as a publicity assistant at Canterbury Park. His focus has been on Keeneland of late and the Lexington, Ky. Track will feature three graded stakes races over the weekend – a rare sight during this pre-Breeders’ Cup lull at major tracks. Vance and John will look for the horses to watch – the Keeneland payoffs have been generous. On Friday we’ll see the Grade 3 Sycamore at 1 1/2 miles on turf for 3-year-olds and up. Seven runners from the Kentucky Downs Turf Cup (G2) are entered in this overflow field, including winner Red Knight, who’s 2-for-2 this year, and Arklow, who rallied to finish second in the July 31Bowling Green (G2) in his first start of the year before finishing sixth in the Turf Cup. Saturday features the prestigious Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup a G1 at 1 1/8 miles over the greensward for 3-year-oldfillies. Depending on who shows up, the invited field includes McKulick, who is 5: 2-3-0 this year with wins in the Jockey Club Oaks (G3) last out and the Belmont Oaks (G1) in July. Bellabel’s second-place finish in the Del Mar Oaks (G1) was her first loss of the year after wins in the Blue Norther and San Clemente (G2). Cairo Memories is looking for her first win since back-to-back victories in the Providencia (G3) and Honeymoon (G3). On Sunday fast fillies go on the grass in the Franklin (G3), at 5 1/2 furlongs for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up. Major players include Change of Control who had finished no worse than fourth in her last nine wins before her ninth-place finish last out in the Presque Isle Masters (G2) and Twilight Gleaming, last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner, who has an 8: 5-3-0 career record and is coming off 2 straight wins.

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.”

Episode Directory

October 2022

  • 10/20/2022: WP Welcomes Back Awards Winning Writers Jay Privman & Tom LaMarra Listen Now test
  • 10/13/2022: WP Welcomes Announcer Nick Tammaro and Handicapper Vance Hanson Listen Now test
  • 10/6/2022: WP Welcomes Comm Associate Amy Owens and BloodHorse's Byron King Listen Now test

September 2022

August 2022



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