A pleasure to spend time with visiting NBC Sports horse racing insider Kenny Rice, who discusses all aspects of Preakness 149 and where the industry is with Bob Baffert headed back to Baltimore trying to beat the Kentucky Derby champion Mystik Dan.

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

preakness, horse racing, kentucky, week, people, horse, derby, maryland, race, baltimore, game, love, orioles, kenny, covering, baseball, louisville, win, year, sport

SPEAKERS

Nestor J. Aparicio, Kenny Rice

Nestor J. Aparicio  00:01

Welcome home we are wn St. am 1570, Towson, Baltimore and Baltimore positive we are positively into the greatest time of the year we get NFL schedule. We get the Orioles at home all week looks at the ballpark. I will be at the racetrack I will be at the alibi breakfast we make a lot of excuses, but there’ll be no excuses on Friday. We’ll be having a delicious crab cake at fadeless courtesy of our friends at the Maryland lottery I’ll be giving away the Pac Man scratch offs. i There was a rumor because of rain. We’re moving the crab Derby so I’m gonna hold the crab Derby sign up is no longer Wednesday. It is now Friday due to inclement weather. So on Friday, we’re gonna be doing the crab Derby with crab cake and shrimp salad. I’m trying to recruit Dave Simpson, the mariners to come down and hang out with us. This guy’s in town all weekend is gonna get real busy once he gets here. So we’re getting them earlier in the week. And if you listen to us on Friday or Saturday, there may be some updates. But Kenny rice has been covering the great game of horse racing for a long, long time. I’ve never had them on it is pleasure to have you aboard and a pleasure even more so to come to you in the great state of Kentucky. We’re behind you. I see the final four poster my dad and I my dad got money orders because my dad was like one of the go to Final Fours so bad that when the tickets went on sale back in 1984. My dad did quite well because we were ready to we didn’t we didn’t win the lottery. We didn’t make it the Rupp Arena. But I love that poster behind you Kenny rice.

Kenny Rice  01:19

Oh, thank you. Great to be with you, by the way. And I got that poster. I swiped it. On my way out. I was working for the ABC affiliate in Lexington. And we recovered the Final Four and it was there. And actually a guy said, Hey, you want this? I said sure. So one of the camera guys from CBS gave it to me. So as far as I’ve seen, I’ve seen two of the great games, you know, so that, obviously that game and then I saw Duke beat Kentucky and 92. So in my basketball life, which I love that sport. I’ve seen two of the greatest college games ever. Well,

Nestor J. Aparicio  01:47

this was at a time. So I was born in 68. So I was you know, at the tender age, high school, whatever. But during that whole period, Lefty and then more than that, like 83 at the pit with Al vanno and magic and Larry, you know, like it that that poster is awesome, by the way, but we got horse race here this week. You’re coming in for NBC. And you know, I admire the coverage. Every year, I’ve been to several derbies not since they built that that giant paddock down there. But I watched the coverage and I’ve done on every year and I talk about what that entails Derby and the Derby winner coming here. And we’re at a crossroads with freakness where things really are going to change and I’ve been on the air 32 years and every year it’s are we going to save it? Are we going to keep it at least we have some certainty. And this week, I feel like we have a really good race.

Kenny Rice  02:35

We’ll have a great race shaping up I mean better than most people thought to be honest, two weeks ago, they would have never guessed that now obviously mystic Dan comes in. That’s that seals the deal when the Derby winner comes on. You know, there’s been two out of the last five years where the Derby winner didn’t come up. But also I think having a legitimate horse like catching freedom who finished fourth in the derby come in was an added bonus to it. And then of course backwards coming in with the favorite and mood and imaginations got an outside shot but Muth may be the best three year old in the country. But that’s the beauty of it. Now we’ll see the showdown because I love the Preakness because it’s the litmus test. We know who won the Derby. Now is that horse one of those horses that had that moment and we won’t hear from him again like mage last year, or will mystic Dan go on, you know, it will all be settled at Pimlico. And that’s the beauty of the Preakness for me to

Nestor J. Aparicio  03:28

bring the stars together here, right whether it’s Chad browns and the T Wayne’s and Baffert him, it’s so much pageantry amongst these great trainers to win this race. Bob always speaks with the crabcakes and love and Baltimore and his horses run well here and it’s old school even though half of its condemned that it’s gonna be going away in a couple of years. But but but this has been a place where the stars sort of shine, the stars of the sport, are usually, you know, with you guys after we’re given the interviews, because this is, this is a race where the, you know, this is a tough race two weeks after the derby to win.

Kenny Rice  04:00

It is it’s it’s an incredibly tough race. And, and that’s why a lot of people are backing off running in it, to be honest. You know, it’s not like the old days, but now the old days, a horse would come into the Kentucky Derby. And if they didn’t have four or five races, maybe six races, something wasn’t right. You know, something wasn’t right. How come the horse hasn’t run more? Or, you know, now, horse comes in one race to race, maybe not even a race, and they’re just training up to it and you don’t think like he used to any more trainers don’t. And that’s the same way. Nobody complained when it used to be a two week turnaround. They started complaining, I don’t know 1516 years ago or so right about the time trainers started changing their style. But one time you know, you were thought, gee, what’s wrong with me if I’m not going to run the Preakness, I won the Derby. Of course I’m going there’s no hesitation. Now everybody takes a step back to see so a lot has changed in horse racing. And we know that baseball, I gotta be honest, I wasn’t too fired up about putting together on second base start X ratings, but I think it’s fair worked out really? Well. I mean, you know, I love the fact that that’s the way it is, you know?

Nestor J. Aparicio  05:04

Well, I’d say this Kenny, we have Jim Palmer that calls the games here in Baltimore. Oh yeah. And we’re you know, Oreos are hot you’re gonna want to go to Birds game this week in the first place, Orioles it down against the mariners, I would say to you, it’s just like that where Palmer Forman rotation, 350 innings eight innings and 12 If you need him for that, you know, whatever you need. We’ve thought differently about pitching. And that’s really that that that for our town especially, that’s the perfect segue into where they’ve been with this. That may be in a different world, we’ll get a little more of an extension in this thing. And I know that’s been talked about, but think about racing when it comes in here for once a year. And it’s sort of helicopters in understanding that there’s not really the governing body, right, like trying to explain to people how African run a horse this week, and Churchill won’t let them around. And how insane that is to people outside the industry. Toughest

Kenny Rice  05:57

thing, toughest thing to ever explain is how horse racing eats its young. And it has now for decades, there’s the old guard that is still old enough and still clinging on to the old days. And they’re not looking, they’re not looking to have the pitcher speed up on the mound. They don’t want that they want to keep it the same way. Well, the same way. He’s not bringing in a real big younger audience like they want, you know, they’ve been passed up by Ultimate Fighting Championship as far as viewership. And I think one of the reasons is they don’t put a lot of emphasis on their human stars, like the trainers, like the jockeys, cause him no matter how great a horse is, you know, you’re only going to see him for maybe two years max, probably just for one year, because the breeding industry is so lucrative. So you know, like cigar anymore, right? They don’t make them and they don’t want to, you know, it’s all in the breeding now, you know, I mean, and it’s, it’s hard to turn down the crazy money they turned down. You know, I mean, when they talk about like $70 million $80 million syndication, as we sell for justify the Triple Crown winner, even among rich folk, you know, 70 $80 million is a lot of money. So

Nestor J. Aparicio  07:06

that’s why they’re really pageantry and all that, but this is an expensive game to be involved in it. And you can lose a lot of money in this game, right? You probably, but more people lose them when out of love for the creatures and love for the sport and love for the action. But these are volatile creatures, as we find out when PETA shows like all of that stuff that happens around the animals concern for the animals is paramount it has to be.

Kenny Rice  07:29

That’s one of the things that makes it tough to sell racing to some people. The other is the gambling part of it. Not everybody wants to go out there and gamble, okay. I mean, it’s, you know, with a click of a phone now, you could bet on a ballgame. You know, while you’re in the middle of the any you can make changes in your bets. But not everybody’s into that. That’s one of the toughest sales for horse racing. But I thought what horse racing really needs is at least have like a five person Council and include at least two people that are actually trainers, retired trainers, retired jockeys, and maybe even a businessman who has been an owner, who maybe still is an owner, and have them make decisions. But here’s the thing, New York’s never going to agree with Kentucky with California with Arkansas, with Maryland with Florida. They’re not always going to come together. And that’s why the Triple Crown, I don’t know if it’s ever going to change, I think perfectly. It would be first Saturday in May for Saturday in June 1 Saturday in July. But I don’t think New York will ever move it. And they’ll talk about tradition. Well, this year, they’re going to run a mile and a quarter Belmont, which is not tradition, it’s a mile and a half. But because they’ve had to change venues with Saratoga. Now, you know, common sense would say, okay, you know what, we’re making some changes, let’s think about making some others. But look, there’s a lot of rich people in the game, as you know. And Rich People generally tend to do what they want to do, because they can afford to do it in many ways. And that’s why horse racing is the way it is. And that’s why it’s really hard to explain how Bob Baffert could run in every racetrack in America that’s not owned by in the world, actually, that’s not owned by Churchill Downs. I’ve tried to explain it to people and, and really, it just kind of goes round and round and they will never be a commissioner. They will never be a commissioner with the best hope is that you might be able to get a committee together, but a small committee, you know, you don’t need a 25 person committee out there making decisions. While

Nestor J. Aparicio  09:15

we’ve had committee upon committee here, Kenny, I don’t know how long you’ve been coming in to the Preakness. I guess probably, you know, I’m 40 years into this Preakness thing. You can’t erase this report on the 149th Preakness state show. I’m reading the plugs this Saturday at 4:30pm on NBC peacock, but they’ll be here and available and doing all that and you know, Larry’s gonna come on, we’re going to talk to him and Donna. Yeah, so I got Baffert on. I haven’t talked to Bob in two years. Bob talked to me right before the band happened. Like literally we did a thing for Monday that never aired because on Sunday the the axe went down the week after the derby a couple years ago and I haven’t a bobble instead, and I’m about to have Bob on later today. What do you say to people is what won’t they let Bob and Churchill what what do you want? What is the reporter line on that? What should I be telling people?

Kenny Rice  10:02

Well, I think that I think the biggest thing is it’s a personal issue. I mean, it really got personal. And that’s why it’s a three year deal now. And I think that’s it. What I think is the best thing is, is that Bob has moved on and good for him. You know, he’s moved on, it’s over. It’s happened, it’s done with the Preakness is a big goal is as it was last year, when he won. I think he’s got a great shot at winning again this time. And I really don’t know what the I don’t know if Bob wants to say any more about it. I don’t know if there is anything I don’t know if Churchill wants to say any more about it. Because as you can, as you can see, like you say, you know, it was so convoluted and that’s trouble with here’s the trouble with racing, is some rules can be changed. I mean, imagine if suddenly, like you move into the seventh inning, and and all of a sudden three balls will put your man on first base not not for anymore his tradition. You know what, who changed that? What happened? Well, on a Wednesday, we changed that rule, you know, games played Thursday on now that sounds absurd. But that’s a lot of things, especially with medication and horse racing, you can take you can use certain medications on your horse, say up to 48 hours before race. If you happen to use that medication, 45 hours, or 40 hours before the race, then it becomes illegal. Does that make sense? Is that hard to explain? It is for me, and I’ve been covering this sport for a long time. But people go well, that doesn’t make sense either. I said, Well, it’s about like changing the pitch count in the seventh inning of a baseball game. You know, nobody would in the middle of the week, you know, certain rules for certain places, certain things in California are more acceptable than in Kentucky than in New York, than in Maryland, Arkansas. And again, you know, we get back to the fact that while they had these new rules for safety and the horseman Integrity Act, which is all commendable, you know, they need to tweak some stuff. But again, they’re making some progress in those areas. The big areas just trying to get everybody to come together in a common sense world where they better realize it you know, horse racing relies a lot on other gambling, you know, most of these places are relying on gambling revenue brought in from casinos and a lot of racetracks now all over America, even some big racetracks in big states. So you know, they better realize that we got to come together and have some kind of agreement. So we don’t have a situation like this ever again, with the most recognizable face and all the horse racing. Kenny

Nestor J. Aparicio  12:21

rice is here. He will physically be here in Baltimore this weekend. Hopefully, not running between the raindrops. You got to get the right weather here. I’m on the inside of the Maryland thing here and you know, I’m an old newspaper reporter from the 1980s and running out to the track with Clem Florio and see Empire before the speed figures were out there and buoy and Laurel, I remember when casinos were gonna save here, we were gonna have slots, and then we weren’t. So you were you’ve been at this from the very beginning, as was Marty McGee and Victor already and all the other horse racing games out there. What do you make from afar from from being in Kentucky from being in other places from seeing what magnet came in here and did with stone AK and then Belinda. And then there’s Bruno Mars, and it’s an EDM show. And I mean, we have the running of the urinals here, I was guilty of being of that tender age out there when we drank a lot of beer and hauled in fried chicken and did all that. So they tried to change the race in so many ways. But everything I’ve gotten in recent days and weeks, or I’ve had David Richardson on Allen forum, and everybody here, this is about to change dramatically. And it’s got to be for the better because half the track won’t be condemned anymore. They’re going to run a little bit down and Laurel and you even mentioned what’s going on at Belmont right now with what you know that racing is trying to sort of work this out that five years and now we find a bigger, better everything in this triple crown, Baltimore and Pimlico in Maryland, what do you know from afar? And what how do you gauge it from distant eyes?

Kenny Rice  13:43

Well, you know, as she mentioned earlier, I remember one of my first reports I ever did for NBC on a triple crown show around 2001 2002. I’ve been with him for 25 years. And I remember when we I’ve just after we got the Triple Crown. I think one of my first reports, we talked about how they the cults moved out and darkness of night to go to Indianapolis, and how once again, would change becoming what’s going to happen with Pimlico. So what is that? 2223 years? 24 years? We seem like we’ve always had some kind of what’s going to happen to Pimlico next, and steal from the outside I have I get that question for people here in Kentucky and really other places. You know, public it’s got to stay in Maryland does. And so yeah, it’s got to stay in Maryland. I mean, that is the Triple Crown, the Triple Crown would not exist. If it’s not the Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont, it’s got to be those three things. But again, Maryland, like you say, you know, they they need to step up their game, it appears that they’re going to step up, you know, they do some nice things, their entertainment, I gotta be honest, it’s improved tremendously, you know, to bring in Bruno Mars last year and, and some of the people they’ve been bringing in in recent years, it’s become almost like a concert is and then there’s a horse race attached to the concert, if that makes any sense. You know, where’s the derby? Really the derby is a whole event of like a whole two weeks, wrapped around a two minute horse race. So, you know, I understand that you’ve got to go out there and you got to get your celebrities and you got to make it entertaining, especially from the younger people. But it’s like you say, how do you get that balance? How do you get that mix in there? It appears from what I hear that Maryland’s heading in that direction. I hope so. Because really, there’s nothing more enjoyable than covering the pregnancy. The derby is a big event. I’m a Kentucky and I love to cover the derby. It’s exciting. Kenny make pink. I’ve known him since he was a kid too. And so I was very happy for him when he wanted. But now we come to Baltimore. And he’s just so relaxed. And it’s such a family kind of atmosphere and so welcoming. That don’t I love to cover the pregnancy. I first saw when I covered the 1990 for ESPN. I was one of their stringer reporters then. So it’s Maryland’s always had a special place. And I hope that that in the next couple of three years, the changes that I keep hearing about that you certainly know more about will all come to fruition and the racetrack will look great as it needs to other than a coat of paint here and there. And the tradition will continue because it’s it’s it’s a great race. And like I say it’s the most pivotal race, you know that that defines look at how many horses that never won again, after they won the Derby. You know, we got a little spoiled over California Chrome and then a couple of Triple Crown winners, but it’s not an automatic that you’re going to just come on into Baltimore and win. And that’s what I think is the beauty and the the essence of the Preakness, as from a sports standpoint is is this Derby winner for real? Are we going to see Mr. Dan make a big case if he doesn’t win it? Is he going to run a great race? It leaves

Nestor J. Aparicio  16:30

it Kenny, the Baltimore side of this is always fascinating to me, because everybody comes in and they praise it and they love it up and and they give it all that respect. And I’m 55 I went to my first Preakness probably 80 to 8182 swales somewhere in there. And you know, through spend the BOC and I joke with Deke Gerardi that sucked him out of the state of Pennsylvania and ever gotten back, you know, all these years later. And through all of the years, the deterioration of the race and the ownership. And even as a media member, I worked at the Baltimore Sun and they would send apple pies and pumpkin pies over to cover the racist stuff. And it just sort of when Frank de Francis left things change, and we’re going back for decades. You’re right, but as a child in the 70s, and maybe this was because my dad was never horse racing guy. My dad was baseball, football, like I had never gambled, right, so the horse racing didn’t play into him. But he loved Secretariat and Seattle slew and affirming Aladar like, that’s my childhood. And I remember it being like a one day I’ll get to go to a Preakness as a kid, and then I went out there got drunk everybody. You know what a bet bet through dollars, whatever, got a sunburn that did all the rites of passage, met girls did all that stuff in the 80s. But it was the party’s that week. It was bands in town. It was celebrities coming to town, trying to bootleg the Barnstaple of brown a ball trying to bootleg the oaks and doing the black guy to try. But then I went to Kentucky and it 6789 And I did all of that there with a hat on like doing the right thing and having fun and eating all the derby pie and the brown. What’s the brown brown, brown? The hot brown hot brand. Yeah. And I fell in love with Louisville and I kicked Chris Redmond about Valhalla and they’re playing. They’re playing golf down there this week, a little tournament, they’re having a little. But there’s something about the way Louisville, small town, southern town, you know, embracing race and making it about more than a minute 50 seconds about more than just the track that day about more than I mean, it’s in the bloodstream of Kentucky. And we’re trying to figure that out here. And because it needs to be more than what you’ve seen it be the last 25 years, right? Because I remember it being more than that. Before ESPN sent you a 9090. And you’ve been doing it a long time finding its way as a celebration here is you need to steal with not borrow steal what they’re doing in Kentucky literally, because it’s a magical thing in your community. Right.

Kenny Rice  19:03

Yeah, you know, and one of the things is and I know it’s just, you know, Kentucky just has one year on Maryland and this 150 of Derby 149 Preakness so so it’s there, but it really goes back to the whole promotion of a guy named Matt Wynn, who brought some top writers in like Grantland Rice, and these guys, wind them and dine them back in the 30s 40s. When people got their information from newspapers, you know, with boxing, and they sell it, let’s make it a super big rain. And they sold it back then. And that’s the tradition. And nobody else has done that. You know, they didn’t do that for the Preakness. They didn’t do that for the Belmont. But he was bringing in all the top writers all over the world. I mean, all over the nation, and they would write and you know, hey, you got to come to Kentucky and see this because they came and they ate and they drank and they ran around and who knows what else they did.

Nestor J. Aparicio  19:51

And there’s beautiful ponies too. You know? I mean, there’s there’s no reason to come right. They

Kenny Rice  19:55

said you got to see it. The people are nice, great southern hospitality and the races like that. Now you’ve seen you know, people read that and so generations grew up like that, like most of us grew up rooting for football teams. I grew up rooting for the St. Louis Cardinals, because my grandfather did and my dad went to see Stan Musial, so I grew up watch watching the Cardinals rooting for them is tradition. There’s people that only go to the derby even that live in Kentucky, because everybody in the state of Kentucky doesn’t grow up in horse racing. I didn’t grew up in this world. I grew up with football, baseball, basketball, boxing. You know, those were the sports I watched when I was a kid and we go to events with my dad, you know, my uncle, but we never would

Nestor J. Aparicio  20:31

spend a day at the horse race track with my father. I spent 1000 days at a baseball game my father. Yeah. Same hockey, the whole thing. Yeah.

Kenny Rice  20:40

I’m the same way. But I went, you know, and because I actually got into it, because when I went to local TV and Lexington just out of college, not everybody was covering horse racing, surprisingly. So that’s kind of led to long road to get to where I am now. And the whole point of this and I’ll try to be a little more briefest. I think that the biggest thing is going to that history. They did a great job selling it and so it carried over and there’s people that like the derby that not even sure about that. The other thing is in Louisville, they don’t have the Oreos, they don’t have the Ravens. They don’t have the capitals just up the road. Or the wizards. You know, they’ve got college basketball, college football in Louisville, and horses. It’s a big deal at Churchill Downs that also helps that way. You know, they don’t have to worry about are we going to the racetrack or we go into the series this weekend because the Red Sox are in town. You know, that’s not a worry it Louisville, they’ve got one game. And that’s the Kentucky Derby for basically the entire month of April leading up to the first Saturday in May. And and you know, they don’t have competition from any other sport.

Nestor J. Aparicio  21:39

Well, it does speak to the fact the Orioles are home this week and who used to own the team and what restriction but the fact that they’re home I don’t know if that’s good or bad, but it can’t be great. Pulling more people to the ballpark for the race itself and making the race the only thing that matters in a weekend here. And I have felt that in Kentucky and I’ve always been so damn envious. You know what I mean? Like just like literally, you know what I mean? It just like from the oak straight on through. I’m just a little envious Kenny. He is here. He is reported on 149 Preakness Stakes show this Saturday 430. Eastern for all of you out there on NBC and Peacock, and nobody covering the race is better. So So handicapping for me a little bit here, going in early weather this that, obviously just a really interesting field. And I think interesting anytime that Kentucky Derby favorites, are winners not going to be favored.

Kenny Rice  22:29

Yeah. And I think that’s probably the shift to make Muth the favorite. He’s probably he’s probably the best three year old out there right now. And you know, that’s the beauty of got the East West meeting in Maryland, you know, that’s perfect. I think he’ll go out there like most of the back there horses come and get me. He’ll set it early paced like National Treasure did last year. I don’t know how blistering it would be but he’ll be out there as one of the front runners if not the front runner. I don’t think mystic damn Brian Hernandez is not gonna let him get too far away from him. I don’t think you know kidding me. People say that. And I believe catching freedom is going to be in the game a little more. He’s not going to be making a big last a first run. I don’t know if he’s, you know, it’s only nine horses. So he doesn’t really have to navigate that much. But I think he’ll be in the mix a little more on the backside there. Probably we’ll see. And the horse had entrusted me is copper tax, who is one there? And you kind of wonder if you know, capital. Otto has been around a long time and this horse is I think disputed testimony in 1983. I hope I’m right on that number. I know it was disputed testimony, the last local horse to win this Preakness so yeah, he’s kind of an interesting horse. I don’t think he’s just like a sentimental horse. I think he factors into the mix there. And if you want to get sentimental then Wayne Lucas will give you two I don’t know about just steel wheeling back in two weeks. I think Wayne wanted to be in this but that sees the gray who won the Pat day mile. I think he’s another horse that’s going to be out there challenging early and coming down the stretch. I think the three horses to watch Muth is going to be in front mystic Dan and catching freedom gonna be right behind him and I think that’s going to be pretty much a 123

Nestor J. Aparicio  24:02

I’ll tell you what, they got baseball on all weekend. We got NBA Playoffs, NFL said. But anyway, only one place has the Kentucky Derby winner. That’s true. Only one place has the Triple Crown alive and it’s right here at Baltimore’s old hilltop. Lots changes here. We’ve been talking about it all week long. Talking horse racing are one of my favorite weeks in the year because I’ve always been a believer that this can get bigger and better and I think much like the Orioles under new ownership it can get it can get so much bigger and better. Kenny writes that I now know through 20 minutes you’re a Cardinals fan that when the Orioles face off against the Cardinals in World Series action I’m going to bring you back on the program and we can sit here and and hash it out about the American League and national league but this Orioles thing really has been I clearly you’re a baseball guy. What’s going on here is really we’ve waited a long time you know you can’t you can’t wipe the smile off my face. You know? I

Kenny Rice  24:53

don’t blame me. You know, honestly, of course last year was not a year to talk about the Cardinals. But but I do enjoy seeing new teams in the mix, I enjoyed seeing the Rangers when you know only because I just think it’s nice to have things mixed up a little bit. You know, bring some new faces in. I like that, you know, and then I like that with all the sports but it was specially baseball, like so you know the reds. I’m only 70 miles from Cincinnati. So I do go to a few reds games. They can’t hit a lick right now. I don’t know the pitches caught up with him or why but they looked like a team last year. There’s going to be contending for the central this year. But de la Cruz is a fun guy to watch. So you know, I like to keep up with it. And then they it’s the 90s and in the last time they did anything, so I have a little sentimental thing for them to watch them enough that I root for them when they’re not playing the Cardinals. Well,

Nestor J. Aparicio  25:42

you know, I went to Cincinnati with Marty McGee. He and I ate hot dogs and drank beers. Some of us drank more than others. Some of us gambled more than others from our seat. But we did a lot of free the birds thing even had some graters ice cream here in Cincinnati, and I abstained from that chili because it’s just not it’s not football.

Kenny Rice  26:00

You got to pace yourself on that or you will not make it to the fifth or sixth standard. Yeah, no, that Yeah, back off that myself. But I love Camden yard. I actually went me moss and Bailey, the three of us went to a game. Look, Pete was still working well, if he pinkeye we all went to a game. Oh, probably six, seven years ago at Camden yard. It was just great. So I don’t know. They’re now

Nestor J. Aparicio  26:19

under new ownership. Kenny so you know things have improved. You’re my friend, you know?

Kenny Rice  26:24

Yeah. Great, great baseball city. I grew up I grew up you know, I remember watching Brooks Robinson and a good friend of mine was a centerfielder on the 83 Orioles team where I routed hard for them. John T bone Shelby. He’s a Lexington guy. I’ve known John for 30 some years. Oh,

Nestor J. Aparicio  26:40

man. That’s awesome, man. 37 you’re bringing up the old school here. That’s Meyer. Yeah. So

Kenny Rice  26:47

yes, I really did hard for those Oreos at 83. And of course, John went on and was the starter for the Dodgers in 88. And centerfield and was a longtime coach with them. And when I used to work out in Los Angeles doing a show out there a mixed martial arts show, by the way for Mark Cuban. Several years ago, I just squeezed in some Dodger games and see see him it was a lot of fun

Nestor J. Aparicio  27:05

and nothing like a Dodger dog and Chavez Ravine Right. Like it’s the bed.

Kenny Rice  27:09

Honestly, it’s the best isn’t it? I don’t know why it’s so good. It’s just so good. It

Nestor J. Aparicio  27:13

I did 30 ballparks in 30 days. My wife’s a two time leukemia survivor and 14 when she survived the first time we dreamed of doing this. We chased the Northern Lights last week in Spokane. It’s a long story. But we did 30 ballparks in 30 days. And everybody’s comes up says Well which one was the best one? And like I had been to 25 of them or what you know, I’ve been the most of them over the course of my career as well. It’s new ballpark, but I’ve been to all the old ones too. But to me, Royal stadium and I don’t really love the renovation there I but I love and light at Royal stadium. But to me Dodger Stadium still like timeless, ageless. Perfect as I say, you know? Yeah,

Kenny Rice  27:49

I agree with that. Isn’t it amazing? That Dodger Stadium and Angel Stadium are the third and fourth oldest, behind behind Fenway and Wrigley.

Nestor J. Aparicio  27:59

I bet it’s crazy to think about Camden Yards being probably among the 10 oldest now, right? Like, they

Kenny Rice  28:04

probably are. Everybody, we don’t have our luxury boxes of just out we’ve outgrown them in the last seven years. We need a new stadium, but it’s fascinating to me. Well, we’re

Nestor J. Aparicio  28:15

gonna fix the racetrack first. You’ve already given 600 million to the football owner 600 Millions of the baseball owner will figure out the racetrack Kenny rice is going to be here don’t at all for the 149th running of the Preakness Stakes. He and many of his colleagues from NBC are going to be coming on big thanks to Dan Mason for the assist in finding you a fellow sportsmen have always wanted to have you on the show. It’s been a privilege and a pleasure. Thanks for coming on. But

Kenny Rice  28:37

hey, listen, anytime I really love this. I’ll see you at the track. Okay,

Nestor J. Aparicio  28:41

I’ll see ya. I’ll be there at the alibi breakfast looking for excuses. So well find me I’ll be the guy with the long hair and the funny hat. I am Nestor. We are wn St. am 1570, Towson Baltimore. One reminder, we have moved the crab Derby from Wednesday to Friday. So if you are hearing this before Friday, come on down whether pending Friday morning. We’ll be doing the show with families as well. Giving away the Pac Man scratch offs from the Maryland lottery feel lucky. I do too. It’s Preakness weekend. Stay with us.