Takes

The Triple Crown schedule must be adjusted as trainers will no longer run horses on two weeks' rest

The Preakness is a classic... but they think it is counterproductive to bring [Mystik Dan] back in just two weeks... It's gonna happen more and more frequently in the future until such time as the Triple Crown races become further apart on the calendar.

Clever Again is a strong play to beat the favorite Mystik Dan in the Preakness

There's another horse in the race called Clever Again, trained by Steve Asmussen... he's got speed. He's coming off a really strong race. He's had plenty of rest... I think to take a shot against [Mystik Dan] on the theory that [Mystik Dan] might not perform quite as well in the Preakness as he did in the Derby.

Fierceness is two to three lengths better than any other horse in the Kentucky Derby field

I think [Fierceness] is two to three lengths better than any other horse right now in the field... I think if he's ridden properly, I think [Fierceness]'s, you know, clearly, clearly the horse to beat.

A prime Secretariat could not win a race with a 235-pound Big Cat in the saddle

No shot, Big Cat, no shot. I'm sorry to tell you that. [You would finish] probably dead last. Even if you were an accomplished equestrian, at that weight riding Secretariat? No. He'd be up the track.

Forever Young has travel and track concerns heading into the Derby

Forever Young is the most accomplished Japanese horse that's ever come over here... but I've got two concerns... the travel bothered him... the other thing, the trainer seems to be borderline obsessive about keeping this horse out of this kickback spray in his face.

National Treasure will win the Preakness Stakes

I'll take National Treasure. I think he's gonna control the pace... to me that gives him the edge.

The F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix will be the biggest sporting event in the world in 2023

I think it's gonna be the biggest sporting event globally this year. I really do. I think that the interest and the hype around that race, I mean, a Saturday night race down the strip in Vegas, who doesn't wanna be there?

Forte will be the Kentucky Derby favorite and has a great chance to win

I love Forte. I've watched Forte a few times... I think he'll be the Kentucky Derby favorite, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, he's gotta win today. But yeah, I got a good feeling about Forte. Yeah. That's, that's my pick.

McLaren is dead to me for dumping Daniel Ricciardo

Danny Ricciardo got dumped by McLaren. McLaren is dead to me now. I hate them. I always hated them, but now I really hate them. Kind of fucked up.

IndyCar has a better pool of drivers than Formula 1 because of car parity

I would say the best series of drivers, in my opinion, and this might get me in trouble, is IndyCar. Because there's 24 guys who race every week and all 24 of them could win... Where in Formula 1, it really is contingent upon what car you're in.

Early Voting has a rest advantage that could challenge Epicenter in the Preakness

I agree with you. I think that [Epicenter] stands out in the field on paper, but Early Voting would have an edge he'll he'll probably set the pace. Epicenter should be right behind him. And Early Voting does have the edge of rest having not run since the Wood Memorial. So that will help his chances.

Rich Strike's 80-1 win saves the sport of horse racing

Wouldn't it be perfect if you have an 80 to one a shot that like everyone's going to look at and be like $30,000, we could have bought this horse. I guarantee everyone was saying that after. I think they're gonna, if there is something wrong here, they're just going to sweep it under the rug because it's the greatest story ever. So it's going to save horse racing this year.

The Japanese horse Crown Pride is a legitimate threat in the Kentucky Derby

Every day in the last two weeks, big cat, it is looking more and more possible... He has been sensational here in Churchill Downs. And this morning he had a workout... everyone was like, holy crap, did you see that Japanese horse work this morning? I mean, the horse looks great.

Max Verstappen is currently the best driver in the world

He's [Max Verstappen] the best in the sport right now. All time salty Instagram post after... but right now he's number one... Max Verstappen is the best racecar driver right the second.

The crash between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen was just a 'racing incident'

I actually took Lewis Hamilton's side. I thought that he—Robbins racing. They call it a racing incident... Like a bang-bang targeting call that isn't targeting... football incident. Let's keep playing. My whole thing is, I can't get up for the F1 races.

Ferrari is going to be awesome in F1 next year due to new regulations

I heard on the street that Ferrari's going to be awesome. Oh, because of the new regulations or some shit. So we'll get in now, and then we look like geniuses. Just saying. That might just be big Ferrari, though.

F1 cars are too soft and need to be louder.

I think the cars are too loud. [Wait, no] make them a little bit softer or make them just really fucking loud... the cars are too soft. They're basically racing toy cars. It's the pussification of America, of Europe.

Max Verstappen will eventually be the F1 World Champion

Max Verstappen is going to be world champion. That's what everyone says. I believe it as well.

F1 teammates in Europe generally hate each other because they are each other's biggest career threat

Call a teammate in Europe, they fucking hate each other. Because it's the one guy that's going to kill his career. So they play team, but the reality is they both want to beat each other.

Jockey changes among elite riders make zero difference in major races

When you're betting and you get into a race like the Kentucky Derby or the Preakness, the jockeys involved are all so good and so competent that the difference between jockey A and jockey B, jockey B and jockey C is negligible... just ignore the rider and focus on the abilities of the horse.

Bob Baffert is the most successful horse trainer of all time

When Bob retires, I think he's in his late 60s, but he's going strong. He'll be the most successful horse trainer of all time.

The #1 post position at the Kentucky Derby is not a disadvantage

There's this bs out there that's been out there for years that the number one post position is this horrible disadvantage and it's not... the advantage of saving ground being on the inside around the turns makes the horse run better than his odds would indicate.

Bet on Endorsed in the 10th race at Churchill Downs on Saturday

There is a horse running Saturday in the 10th race... His name is Endorsed and I will endorse betting on Endorsed... I think the horse is an excellent play.

It is statistically more dangerous to be a spectator than a rider in the Tour de France

There have been 27 spectators that have died and three cyclists that have died [in the Tour de France]. So it's more dangerous to not ride in the Tour de France than it is to ride.

iRacing takes the same skill set as real life racing

The thing is, is in iRacing, it takes the same skill set to be good in iRacing as it does in real life, where other sports like a football player doesn't mean he's going to be a good Madden player. ... You're using the same controls.

Country House skipping the Preakness is a smart move to protect his legacy

If I'm country house, if I'm that horse, I'd probably do the exact same thing. Because you're never going to top that. You are going out completely at the top of your game. You're a Kentucky Derby winner. And why would you ever try to follow that up?

Maximum Security's disqualification from the Kentucky Derby was 100% the correct call

The actual change from Maximum Security getting kicked out of the race at the end, that was the correct call. 100%. You can't just drift in front of other horses. You have to give them a path.

Bet against Bellafina in the Kentucky Oaks

She looks in those races in California... like a man against boys... [but] she doesn't look very good [at Churchill]. For a horse to have those negatives and to be the favorite, I think it's a good horse to bet against.

Maximum Security's Florida Derby win was 'phony' because he wasn't pressured

Let's make Maximum Security into the villain... there should be kind of an asterisk by his last win in the Florida Derby because the competition in that race just basically handed him the race... Everybody else just decided to take back, and all of a sudden this horse is just cruising.

Denny Hamlin will win at least five NASCAR races in 2019

Hey, man, I'm proud of you, man. We bounced back after a tough year last year and started off right, so I expect at least five wins. [Hamlin]: That's the number for me. I put out there five and a half was the over-under.

Fights are good for NASCAR and the league secretly loves them

Is it good for the sport? Absolutely. They secretly are high-fiving. You know, you don't want anyone to get hurt. They'll put out there that, you know, we don't like it. No way. It's like Dana White. They love it. Gets eyeballs.

Justify may be running low on energy heading into the Belmont Stakes

In the Preakness, he wasn't quite as good as he was in the Kentucky Derby... Energy level might be getting a little bit low. He really needed that wire to come up when it did in the Preakness... How much he's got left in the tank is the big question.

Hofburg and Vino Rosso are the best horses to bet on to beat Justify

I think the two best horses to be betting on in this Belmont are Hofburg and Vino Rosso... Ten of the last 18 years, the Belmont has been won by horses that ran on Kentucky Derby weekend, skipped the Preakness, and waited for the Belmont to be rested.

Gronkowski the horse does not have much of a chance in the Belmont Stakes

We talked to the trainer, and he doesn't even know what to expect... It's like he's been going up against Class A pitching, and now he's got to go against the Yankees. So you have no idea what to expect. Big, nice, good-looking horse. I don't think he has much of a chance.

The Curse of Apollo in the Kentucky Derby is absolute BS

To be honest with you, 2018, it's absolute BS. It should have gone up in flames six years ago with a horse named Bodie Meister... now this year there are two horses, Justify... and Magnum Moon... it matters not even a little bit.

Midnight Bisou will win the Kentucky Oaks

I think the winner of the Oaks is going to be a horse named Midnight Bisou... She comes from behind, makes this electrifying move from off the pace.

LeBron James could never be a NASCAR driver because he is too tall

It'd never happen. Why? Because he couldn't even fit in the damn car. 5'11" is the perfect height. The tallest ever has been like 6'5". That's kind of max for the cars the way they're built.

Gun Runner has the best chance to beat Arrogate in the Breeders' Cup Classic

I think this is Gun Runner's race to lose... Gun Runner's got better, Arrogate seems to have gotten a little bit worse and I think this is Gun Runner's race to lose.

Classic Empire is bad value for the Kentucky Derby

He's going to be the favorite, and he might be the favorite, and he's not going to be worth the shorter price. [No bet on Classic Empire].

Hence is a strong value play at 20-1 for the Kentucky Derby

Whether it's muddy or whether it's not muddy, you want a horse that's got a good chance at a decent price. His name is Hence... He's going to be 20 to 1... Steve Asmussen has never won the Kentucky Derby, but he's one of the best trainers in America, and he's overdue.

Nyquist the horse is officially finished

I'm going to say that Nyquist is finished. That horse is done. He's so finished that he's done.

Destin is a better play to win the Belmont Stakes than Exaggerator

Destin, who ran in the Kentucky Derby, didn't have the best of trips... Todd Pletcher trains him. Now he gives him five weeks off, and he brings him back to the Belmont fresh. And I think that makes a horse like Destin a much better play than a horse like Exaggerator.

Nyquist is not a slam dunk to win the Preakness due to weather

There's a probability that it's going to be a hellaciously rainy day on Saturday. [Nyquist] has never run in conditions like that before... Whereas Exaggerator, the horse that he beat in the Derby, has, and he won very impressively in conditions like that.

The horse Lani is a good play for third place in the Preakness

There is a horse that is going to be double digits that I think is set up to run pretty well here and is a good play for third behind the top two, and that would be the Japanese horse, Lani.

Sudden Breaking News will be running faster than any other horse at the finish line

There's a horse... his name is Sudden Breaking News. I promise you, he may not win, he may not finish second, he may not finish third. But when the horses cross the finish line, he'll be running faster than any horse in the race.