Thursday Thoughts with Jason Beem Mar. 12, 2026

A good Thursday morning to you all! Hope everyone had a good weekend and is excited for the Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs this weekend. Like any “new” race, I really do believe it takes several years for it to develop in the public psyche, both locally, and nationally. So hoping this year sees some more eyes and exposure to the races and worthy Kentucky Derby and Oaks contenders come out of the big races. 

I spent Tuesday up at Ocala for the annual March OBS sale, and it’s one of my favorite little road trips of the year. It’s a great facility and as a fan of racing, it’s just very fun to see all the young horses and racing connections out there shopping for their next horse. I remember interviewing Chad Brown once and he talked about how his stable is kind of like a college football or basketball team. While you might have some stars, they’re likely only there for a year or two or three as racehorses. So you constantly have to be recruiting the new class and trying to replicate that success even after the big names leave. 

One of the first things you see when you walk in is Steve Byk hosting his At the Races radio show for Sirius/XM (as well as streaming on his own site). I wanted to pay a little tribute to Steve in today’s column because I think his show is one of the very few common space, shared experiences, that we have in racing outside of actually being at the track. Much is made about how much technology has made things in our lives easier and the ability to bet from home is certainly one of those. Just as is being on social media and being able to get information or contact fellow horseplayers or people in the industry. But personally I feel like in many areas of society we’re having fewer and fewer shared experiences. Even social media has become so toxic in many ways, that the real community sense in racing seems strained. 

Sporting events of course are still one of the primary ones we do have. But we go to less movies than we used to and certainly in racing less people go to the track than they used to. Being in a big crowded grandstand as horses run down the lane is one of the more exhilarating experiences you can have. My visit to the Preakness Stakes (G1) in 2024 was a lifetime memory as I remember watching Seize the Grey come down the stretch to win to the roar of tens of thousands of fans at Pimlico. The community aspect of racing is one that needs to be fostered. 

So that brings us back to Mr. Byk. I believe his show is one of the better gathering spaces we have in racing. Each morning, 9 a.m. to noon (ET), you can hear him and generally many guests throughout the show, talk about the game we love. Podcasts are great for their flexibility, but there is something great about everyone tuning in at the same time for a broadcast. Just like back in the day when a big TV show was on. The number of times I’ll hear listeners to my podcast mention something they heard on Steve’s show is staggering. He commands a big audience and has created a wonderful gathering place for racing fans and people in the industry. 

I do four shows a week, generally about 45 minutes. He does three hours a day, five days a week. The amount of stuff he remembers, watches, and talks about, I can’t imagine how many hours go into his preparation for the show. It’s a staggering amount no doubt. But I’m so glad we have him and his show in our industry to be that gathering space on the air waves. A true benefit to the industry in many ways. Good job Steve! 

Have a great weekend everyone!