A Day at the Horse Races
Thoroughbred horseracing -- arguably the most exciting two minutes in all of sport. Joan goes behind closed doors and into the billion dollar world of thoroughbreds where we'll meet the people who breed them, buy them, train them, and race them. Joan goes backstage at the Del Mar, California racetrack to meet top trainer, Bob Baffert, as he trains "Point Given" the horse of the year. She goes into the "off-limits" jockey room and sees how they live and work on race day. She interviews Laffit Pincay Jr., the all-time most winning jockey, and Gary Stevens who's won three Kentucky Derbys about what it takes to race these hi-spirited animals with the energy of a freight train.
Joan meets Prince Ahmed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, owner of Point Given and the man who established the Thoroughbred Corp., one of the world's most powerful forces in thoroughbred racing. Then Joan goes behind the scenes of the track to find all the elements that make racing exciting, safe and legitimate: from the photo finish room; to the track announcer; to the starter who stands in front of the gate and releases the horses; to the vet who follows right behind the thundering horses during a race in an ambulance. Then it's out to Lexington, Kentucky for the top sale of the year for yearling thoroughbreds. Buyers come from around the world and spend millions of dollars in a gamble to acquire the next Triple Crown Winner.
Joan Lunden’s in-house research and writing team works with Joan to create content that complements her focuses and the interests of her fans. The team is dedicated to creating a thriving community through content and conversations, and hopes their work, like Joan’s, can make a difference in the lives of her readers everywhere.