Inside the Jockeys' Room with Smith and Talamo
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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 find out the horse they wish they had a chance to ride, their hobbies outside of horse racing and who hopes bell bottoms never make a return to the fashion scene.
Who is the funniest jockey?
SMITH: Ray Sibille
TALAMO: Edwin Maldonado cracks me up.
What’s the one horse you didn’t ride but wish you had the opportunity to have ridden?
SMITH: There are two, Easy Goer and Alysheba
TALAMO: Zenyatta
Can you explain the role of a jockey agent, how it is determined which mounts you get and how far in advance are they typically planned out?
SMITH: All agents do it differently. Some races they plan on months out. Others, races may come up the day of the draw. You have to be a good team with your agent and have good communication. The agent helps book the mounts for a jockey. They either go and get the mounts or they decide which mounts a jockey will ride when the trainers come and offer mounts to the jocks. Hopefully, they are able to pick the best horse for the best race.
TALAMO: Jockey agents work mostly with trainers to secure mounts in upcoming races. Trainers ask us to ride their horses months in advance or the day of entries, it really depends.
SMITH SPORTING THE WINSTAR FARM SILKS
Photo by Eclipse Sportswire
What’s the best horse racing event in America for a new fan to attend?
SMITH: Breeders’ Cup. You get so much at the Breeders’ Cup. It’s two days of the best races, with the best horses from all over the world. The Kentucky Derby is great, but it’s one big race. The Breeders’ Cup has great, exciting races all day.
TALAMO: The Kentucky Derby … or a weekend at Del Mar.
If I could speak to one dead person, it would be …
SMITH: … my grandparents.
TALAMO: … Robin Williams.
What hobbies do you have away from horse racing?
SMITH: Keeping in shape. I go to the gym, hike, bike. Hanging at the bar and having a good drink with a good friend every once in a while is nice, too.
TALAMO: I love to golf and invest in real estate. I think it’s important to make a life outside the track.
If you had to choose, would you rather attend Fashion Week in New York City or Art Basel in Miami?
SMITH: Fashion Week
TALAMO: I’d have to ask my girlfriend which she prefers, probably Fashion Week.
TALAMO WITH GIRLFRIEND ELIZABETH
Photo courtesy of Joe Talamo
Fashion trend that you hope never to see again?
SMITH: Bell-bottoms and chains outside of the shirt
TALAMO: I don’t like high fashion trends on women, like those balloon pants.
If you won $20-million in the lottery, what would you do with the money?
SMITH: Same thing as I was doing before
TALAMO: Buy a lot of rental property, then maybe go on a small vacation.
If I was going to have a feud with a rapper, it would be over what and with which rapper?
TALAMO: I have no idea! I don’t listen to much rap, so I couldn’t even name an artist.
Favorite actress among: Sandra Bullock, Halle Berry, Angelina Jolie, Scarlett Johansson, Meryl Streep, Natalie Portman or Jennifer Lawrence?
SMITH: Jennifer Lawrence and Meryl Streep
TALAMO: Sandra Bullock. I’m also a fan of the Hunger Games movies, so Jennifer Lawrence.
My favorite all-time children’s book is?
TALAMO: Dr. Seuss
My top three DVR shows are?
SMITH: “The Voice.” Those kinds of shows
TALAMO: “The Profit,” “Wahlburgers,” “The Newsroom,” and “30 for 30.”