Inside the Jockeys' Room with Smith and Talamo

Joe Talamo and Mike Smith. (Photo by Eclipse Sportswire)
Jockeys Mike Smith and Joe Talamo take America's Best Racing's readers inside the jockeys' room in 2015. Hall of Famer Smith has more than 5,200 wins, including the 2005 Kentucky Derby, 1993 Preakness Stakes and 2010 and 2013 Belmont Stakes. He is also known for being the regular rider of multiple champion mare Zenyatta. Talamo was the 2007 Eclipse champion apprentice jockey and counts wins in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, Clement L. Hirsch Stakes and the Santa Anita Derby among his more than 1,500 victories.
Throughout the series Smith and Talamo share insight into all kinds of questions including how they became jockeys, what goes on between races, whom they admire and what type of movies and fashion style they prefer.
In this edition of Inside the Jockeys' Room we find out the farthest each has traveled to ride in a race and who has Dolly Parton on their iPod.

Did you have to go to a special school or take training to become a jockey? Who taught you how to become a successful jockey?
SMITH: I didn’t go to a certain school. I was born in it.  How to be successful? I’m still learning.
TALAMO: I learned a lot from veteran trainer Connie Tassistro. My dad worked for him. I would walk and groom horses at his barn. Zeke Zeringue let me gallop horses for the first time. Growing up Eddie Delahoussaye and Pat Day were my idols … they still are in many ways.
SMITH AFTER HIS WIN IN THE 2014 REBEL STAKES

Photo by Eclipse Sportswire

How much does a jockey earn in a year? What’s the most money you’ve ever made in your best year?
SMITH: All the jockeys earn different amounts. They usually get around 10%. I’m sure it can be looked up the most money I made in my best year.
TALAMO: Jockeys are paid between $75-$125 per mount, depending on the purse or racetrack. The jockey of the winning horse receives 10 percent of the owner’s winnings (the winning owner gets 60 percent of the purse of the race). Jockeys do not have contracts, so they must ride to get paid and they need to win to make a living.
What’s the farthest you’ve ever travelled to ride in a race?
SMITH: Riyad (Saudi Arabia). I’ve also ridden in Japan and Hong Kong, but I think Riyad was the farthest away.
TALAMO: Los Angeles to Dubai
What’s the most embarrassing song on your iTunes?
SMITH: Well, for the young kids now I think almost every song I have would be embarrassing. I have a lot of old country, like Dolly Parton. It’d be embarrassing for quite a few of my songs.
TALAMO: My girlfriend, Elizabeth, downloaded Britney Spears. I have all her songs on there.
Sometimes it’s scary to think …
SMITH: … I’m this damn old.
TALAMO: … I have to pay taxes in April.
If I could own any painting in the world it would be?
SMITH: Picasso, it’s worth millions
TALAMO: One worth a lot of money or something my girlfriend painted. She’ll paint something then throw it away because she doesn’t want anyone to see it.
What kind of car do you drive?
SMITH: Range Rover
TALAMO: Lexus IS350
My look can best be described as …
SMITH: … current. I dress in the times, think on a whole.
TALAMO: … laid back — jeans and a white T-shirt.
People tell me I remind them of …
SMITH: … Gary Stevens or Alex Solis, who are both also bald. Ha ha. Actually, Wikipedia currently has a picture of Gary as my picture.
TALAMO: … their parents. I love 60s music and movies.
Weirdest question a fan has ever asked you?
SMITH: Do you ride the same horse in every race?
TALAMO: Will you kiss me?
TALAMO ABOARD IOTAPA

Photo by Eclipse Sportswire 
Time always slows down when I am …
SMITH: … in the zone
TALAMO: … watching a chick flick or shopping.
What keeps you awake at night?
SMITH: I’m a thinker at night. I go over races I rode. I go over things I should or shouldn’t have said. I go over everything … what I need to do to be better.
TALAMO: I live in the mountains and bears are always trying to dig through my trash. I have special locks on them so they can’t make a mess, but they always come by and knock them over anyway.