Aug 25

Tough Jockey Tammi Piermarini Isn't Afraid to Get Scrappy

Look, we’re jockeys, and we’re all the same size, right? I’m not afraid of them because they’re guys. They don’t treat me like a girl and I don’t treat them like they’re big guys, because, well, they’re not...

Hey, we’re a family, a one-of-a-kind family, I really believe that... Families sometimes fight. I’ll admit, I’ve had to be pulled off some of the guys a few times."

- Tammi Piermarini, Jockey

Ms. Piermarini has recently earned her 2,000th race win- becoming only the fifth woman in the sport of 'kings' to do so. She recently sat down with the Boston Globe to discuss her long and storied career.

Behind the Scenes, Interview, Jockey, Rivalry

More Blogging

The 46th Running of The Pace For The Orchids: THE ADIOS!

Aug 03, 2012 in Horse Racing

A little over a year ago, Mark MacDonald lay in a hospital bed with a broken jaw, broken nose, and missing most of his teeth. Last Saturday (July 28) at The Meadows, he stood in the winner's circle after winning The Adios. ...

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How To Size Up A Winner

Jul 16, 2012 in Horse Racing

Our friend Seth Poppy sends us this hot tip. Turns out he's quite the artistic tout. Head for the paddock, is always good advice for newbies. Check out the horses who are about to run the next race. Look at the eyes: like a tiger's?...

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The Inspiring, Heartbreaking Life Of Tony Leonard, Racing's Legendary Shutterbug

Jul 15, 2012 in Horse Racing

Racing's Artistic Optimist: His Heartbreaking Fall And Optimistic Finale: A story of struggle and redemption in two parts, from The Lexington Herald-Leader Legendary racing photographer Tony Leonard, whose photographs of thoroughbreds...

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Make You Wanna Holler!

Jul 13, 2012 in Horse Racing

All across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, more and more hollering, screaming, energized, excited and hopped up people - a whole new generation of happier railbirds - are discovering just how much crazy fun is cooking at the...

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Think Outside the Box! Definition Intermission: Exotic Wagers

Jul 13, 2012 in Horse Racing

There are two main wager (bet) categories at the track: straight and exotic. Straight wagers are as follows: Win: You pick a horse that finishes first. Place: You pick a horse that finishes first of second. Show: You pick...

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Inside the Mothership (aka the Starting Gate) at Pocono Downs!

Jul 11, 2012 in Horse Racing

Last year we took some video inside the starting gate, but this time around we sent track correspondent Gerard Angeli inside the mothership for a more personal take on things. I, like many of us, live by the TrackPackPA credo...

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The Kentucky Derby Is Decadent And Depraved, Or, Fear And Loathing At Churchill Downs

Apr 11, 2012 in Horse Racing

We couldn't believe what you're about to read, either. We stumbled (amazingly, while quite sober, too) across this psychadelic gonzo gem on the website KentuckyDerby.info. Behold this journalistic pearl from the one and only...

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Can a Pennsylvania Harness Driver Be the Best Athlete in all of Human History?

Apr 03, 2012 in Horse Racing

Imagine Ryan Howard hitting 50 home runs for 10 years straight. Or Ben Roethlisberger passing for over 4,000 yards every year for a decade (and winning The Super Bowl nearly every year). Or how about Roy Halliday pitching 10...

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Union Rags: The Love Story Unfolds

Apr 02, 2012 in Horse Racing

It's hard to tell Union Rags' story because it sounds like you're making it up, or at least laying it on a bit thick. I mean, he's still the early favorite for the Kentucky Derby, does he also need to have an unlikely birth...

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The Most Exciting 17 Seconds In Sports

Dec 26, 2011 in Horse Racing

Some call horse racing the most exciting 2 minutes in sports. But attention spans seem to be shrinking, don't you know. (Note the brevity of this blog post.) So how about betting on an extremely exciting 17 seconds or so? That's...

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The Industry vs. The Sport

Nov 14, 2011 in Horse Racing

So often we refer to the world of horse racing as an “industry.” Granted, its economic and commercial qualities are industrial by definition, but is this label a hindrance to the growth of the sport? We recently stumbled...

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We Took a Quick Racetrip up to the Standardbred Sale!

Nov 09, 2011 in Horse Racing

On Monday, the intrepid TrackPackPA crew took a trip up to Harrisburg to visit the Standardbred sales. After devouring some delicious burgers at Jackson House, we headed over to the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex- a site to see...

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Horse of the Year May Need a Saving Grace

Nov 08, 2011 in Horse Racing

There’s a lot of murmuring about this year’s Eclipse Award. The trophy, which recognizes the Horse of the Year, has been more of a clear-cut decision in years past. And yet, one name keeps popping up through all the hubbub: Havre...

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Bob Baffert: Seeing What Sticks

Oct 31, 2011 in Horse Racing

ESPN just posted a fantastic piece on esteemed trainer Bob Baffert, who has entered 10 horses in this weekend’s Breeders’ Cup Races. It may seem like an unorthodox move to enter such a large group, but maybe that’s just because...

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