It’s been a busy week as usual for our friends and allies at Horse Racing Radio Network. Not only did Mike Penna and his crew put together another set of strong episodes, they finalized a deal to partner with NBC Sports Group to provide live radio coverage of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes for the first time on NBC Sports Radio. Last week’s interviews on HRRN‘s various programs included one from the Equine Forum with Ron Moquett, trainer of Southwest Stakes contender Far Right.
The interview below aired last weekend, before Oaklawn Park officials scrapped the Southwest because of a winter storm that tore through a huge part of the country.
Far Right is expected to be back in the entries for the Grade 3 Southwest when it’s redrawn Thursday for Sunday.
The original field for the Southwest featured a dozen runners, from the barns of Steve Asmussen, Mark Casse, D. Wayne Lukas, Todd Pletcher and others.
“A bunch of no namers,” Moquett quipped after Penna ran down the list of prominent trainers with entries in the 1 1/16-mile Southwest.
Mike Smith, who rode Far Right to a 1 3/4-length victory in the Smarty Jones Stakes earlier in the Oaklawn meeting, will make the trip back to Hot Springs for the return call. Smith rode the son of Notional for the first time in the Smarty Jones, prompting Penna to ask how Moquett was able to lure the Hall of Famer from Southern California.
“He talked me into it,” Moquett quipped, before going on to explain Smith lobbying for the mount after the Grade 3 Delta Downs Jackpot. “… If Mike Smith says he wants to ride your horse you figure out a way to get Mike Smith on your horse.”
Listen to the full interview below and check out the Playback page on the HRRN website for an archive of recent interviews and episodes.
