Takes

Natural luge is a cooler spectator sport than traditional Olympic luge

Italy does natural luge... which you gotta look that up if you haven't seen that. It's like real sledding, but they go on ice through the woods. It's like F1 on a mountain. We're kind of happy that people haven't realized how cool natural luge is because there's a little bit bigger of crashes.

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 [Sovereignty] 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.

The 2025 Black-eyed Susan field is the weakest the race has seen in a long time

It's, it's not a, honestly, it's not a really good black eye, Susan. Okay. In fact, it's one of the worst black eye Susans that I've seen in a long time in terms of quality... it's a pretty weak field.

Clever Again is a strong play to beat the favorite Journalism 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 [he's] a good play to take a shot against Journalism.

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] is, 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.

I would bet against the favorite Good Cheer in the Kentucky Oaks

In the Kentucky Oaks, the big favorite is Good Cheer. I think she's worth taking a shot against just because her numbers are not all that great. There's a horse in there named Quiet Side that I think would be worth the play, despite her number 14 post position.

Castle Chaos has a great chance to win the Knicks Go at a big price

In the fourth race in the Knicks Go, there's a horse called Castle Chaos... he's 20 to one in the program. I'm telling you, he's got a hell of a chance to win the Knicks Go at a... I'm expecting more like 10 to one, 12 to one. But still, I mean, I think Castle Chaos has a big shot.

Fierceness is the best horse in the Kentucky Derby by three or four lengths

If all the horses run their best races, Fierceness wins the race, hands down. Talent wise, Fierceness is probably three or four lengths better than any other horse in the field.

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.

Coppi is my favorite bet of the weekend in the Distaff Turf Mile (Race 7) on Saturday

The horse I like the most in the two days for betting purposes is running on Saturday in the seventh race. It's a race called the Distaff Turf Mile and her name is Coppi... The reviews of this horse back at the barn in the mornings have been absolutely glowing.

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 should be retired immediately following the Kentucky Derby win

If I was Rich Strike's owner right now, you just gotta retire this horse. You gotta be like, I'm going out on top. It should just be put out to stud for the rest of its career. Never let it race again because you're never going to reach [this again].

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 everyone's going to look at and be like '$30,000, we could have bought this horse.' I guarantee everyone was saying that after... it's going to save horse racing this year. When you had Bob Baffert looming over everything and some bad vibes, 80 to one fixes everything.

Don't worry about Taiba's lack of experience in the Kentucky Derby; horse racing has changed and horses run less often now.

No horse in more than a century has won the Kentucky Derby with only two previous lifetime starts. I don't care about that. Staff times have changed and thoroughbred racing horses are running less and less often than they used to. So if you like [Taiba] to win, the Kentucky Derby don't pay any attention to his inexperience.

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.

I set the fastest lap on the final lap at Monza just to prove I can handle the pressure

Putting in the fastest lap of the race on the last lap when the victory's in my hands, that for me was like a little like, just to say, like, guys, I did not feel the pressure this whole time. Just for my peace of mind, I'm going to set the fastest lap to say I told you so.

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.

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.

Bet against Medina Spirit in the Preakness because his Kentucky Derby victory was due to an fluke easy pace

If you're a better player, and the odds of the horse in the Preakness reflect what he did in the Kentucky Derby when he got away with such an easy, advantageous trip... then you're supposed to bet against horses like this. So that's the justification against Medina Spirit.

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.

My Kentucky Derby win has a huge asterisk because of Bob Baffert

I finally did win the Kentucky Derby, and I talked about it ad nauseum for the days afterwards, and then that one win has a huge asterisk because Bob Baffert is addicted to shooting his horses up with steroids.

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.

Cycling is just a more boring version of NASCAR

I'd watch basically anything except for cycling. Cycling is it's a more boring version of NASCAR.

Saratoga is the best horse racing track in America and it's not even close

Saratoga for me is not even close [to other tracks]... I go to Saratoga and I used to go for the opening weekend... getting up early and watching those horses work out. It's beautiful there. The whole set up in the old school feel the town. Yes. It's so much history. There is such a beautiful place.

It is harder for a jockey to transition to NASCAR than for a NASCAR driver to transition to horse racing

I think a jockey trying to go race NASCAR would be the tougher transition. [NASCAR drivers] would have the tougher transition... I mean, the horses take when that horse takes off it's hard... but I think a jockey trying to go race NASCAR would be the tougher transition.

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.

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.

Game Winner is the best of Bob Baffert's three Kentucky Derby contenders

Game winner, trained by Bob Baffert... I think he's the logical horse. Game winner to me is the best one of the three. He's 0 for 2 this year, but he should have won both those races. I think he's coming up to the race in good fashion.

Win-Win-Win and By My Standards are the best long shots in the Kentucky Derby

Win-win-win and a horse named By My Standards, who won the Louisiana Derby... anywhere from 18 to 25 to 1. That's about the price win-win-win is going to be, too. I think [Win-win-win] is set up to run a pretty good race.

Bet against Bellafina in the Kentucky Oaks because she doesn't like the track at Churchill Downs

The favorite in the Oaks is going to be a horse named Bellafina... The only bad race Bellafina has ever had in her life was... here at Churchill Downs. She doesn't look very good [this week]... for a horse to have those negatives and to be the favorite, I think it's a good horse to bet against.

I gave my pit crew a $40,000 total bonus for winning the Daytona 500

I gave them each a $2,000 bonus, which, I mean, there's 20 guys, so that's $40,000. Plus, I give a tip to my pit crew. I offer them $200 a man if we can pick up one spot per pit stop.

I expect Denny Hamlin to win at least five races this year

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.

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.

Toyota will have a big year in NASCAR in 2019

Is this going to be a big year for Toyota? Should be. That was the other thing. We got four great drivers... we only had four or five cars, but we found a way to finish one, two, three [at Daytona].

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.