Thursday Thoughts with Jason Beem for Nov. 13, 2025

A good Thursday morning to you all! Final “off” weekend for me for a while as we start up racing at Tampa Bay Downs in less than a week, Nov. 19. I’ll certainly talk a lot about that on my show next week as well as in columns. We hope to have you join us for the 100th season of racing in Oldsmar, Florida. 

I wanted to write today about family and racing. But not the stories about our family that are into racing. But rather, the family and friends who aren’t into it. I’ve had the good fortune to interview thousands of people in the game and so many of us have fallen in love with it at some point because we were introduced by a close family member. For me, my dad’s interest in racing is what turned me into a passionate fan and led me down the road of working in the game. 

So it’s been interesting having this career given the fact that both my mom and my sister have never really had any interest in racing. I had my sister on my podcast today and it was fun to ask her if she had any real horse racing memories from growing up, because I always thought of it as just my dad and I going together. But she apparently tagged along sometimes. She was a bit younger as well and I think for her it was more of a punishment to go to the races than for me, because I loved it. 

She and I have been to Del Mar together once and to Emerald Downs a few times, but other than that, our bonds during adulthood have just been family, movies, our mom, and just life in general. And the Mariners when they’re good like they were this year. And my mom’s the same way. She will watch a race on television if I’m calling it and will come see me at the track every few years, but other than that, racing just isn’t on her plate.

Kentucky Derby Day is always that one time of year where we all seem to hear from our family and friends who don’t really follow horse racing. They all want our pick or our thoughts on the race, and they maybe will follow up with a text after the race talking about how exciting it was. I think in all my years in racing I’ve only picked two Derby winners so I rarely get the “thank you” texts after the big race. It’s just that one time of year when our game leaps out of it’s normal boundaries and goes to the masses. 

I’ve had many friends over the years come out to tracks I work at or meet up for a day at Emerald Downs if I’m back home in Seattle. They all enjoy the day and will ask me questions and usually have a great time. But it seems for most, the enjoyment of the game just lasts for that particular afternoon. It’s always been the great marketing mystery for me with racing. Everyone I’ve brought to the track enjoys it and tells me they have a great time. But most don’t fall in love with it like I did. And probably not like you did if you’re reading this niche of a column on a Thursday. There’s just something about it that clicks for some of us, and I wish I knew what it was in order to try and replicate it a million times over. Because it is such a great game when it’s at its best. 

My conversation with my sister made me want to go to the races with her again sometime soon. To teach her more about it, but more so to just share memories of our dad and tell old stories and just be in the company of our great athletes for a few hours. A big part of my love of racing is the ties to my family, both alive and gone. It’s part of why I keep going. It helps me keep their memory alive within me. 

I hope you guys have a great week!