When Michael Kipness, AKA The Wizard, decided to produce a weekly show from Saratoga during the racing season, he knew what he wanted to accomplish with such a program. He discussed the type and form of content to share with the audience before settling on a title he knew to be unfamiliar to handicappers but significant to jockeys and assistant starters on the NYRA circuit. A title which captured the essence of the program.
By way of background, legendary NYRA and “Starting Gate Whisperer” Bob Duncan coined the phrase “Get Tied On” as the final words of his pre-start protocols. Safety grounds Bob’s philosophy and style for horses and jockeys in the gate. The break, the start of a race, is fraught with danger. Bob and his team school horses to be comfortable in the gate; he wanted his jockeys to feel the same. When speaking of that phrase and Bob Duncan, broadcaster and former jockey Richard Migliore said, “Bob wanted us to know when he was about to trip the switch. He wanted us ready and prepared. It seemed like other starters wanted the break to be a surprise.”
The essence of “Get Tied On” the show, broadcast on The Wizard’s Thoroughbred Racing Channel on YouTube, is presenting the game as it is, candidly singing its praises while pointing out blemishes in need of attention. The current state of the industry and the game, especially in the context of legalized sports betting, is as chaotic as the start of a race. Like Bob Duncan’s intentions for horse and rider, The Wizard’s intention for the show is to give comfort to the audience. He accomplishes that mission through informative segments addressing the current meet for track bias, bad trips, and horses to watch, and holding discussions on handicapping methodology and wagering strategies.
The core element of the show, however, is the interview. These are open-ended conversations with individuals invited to share their stories with you. The Wizard invites folks whose body of work has made them integral to the successful operation of a racetrack. These are unsung, often unrecognized, sometimes completely unknown heroes and heroines of the game. They love the equine athlete and the life which is the racetrack. From NYRA Valet Harry Rice to HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus…from lifetime race tracker P. J. Campo to trainers Keri Brion and Eddie Barker, to West Point Thoroughbreds V.P Tom Bellhouse, Michael’s guests run the full gamut. Segments on the actual races are fleeting; candid sharing of life stories is memorable.
Watch “Get Tied On” and ALL of last year’s shows which are archived here and at The Wizard’s Thoroughbred Racing Channel on YouTube.