ITM Players' Newsletter - June 13th, 2025
Alert! Alert! PTF is in London!
Jolly ho, gov’nas!
Sorry about that. I’m back in London and the dialect is awfully infectious. Of course, I’m back for the gangbusters meeting at Royal Ascot starting on Tuesday (June 17), which is one of my absolute favorite jaunts each and every year. If you’re at the track and looking out for me, I will be the guy in the top hat!
I’m also excited that we’ll have loads of coverage of this year’s Royal Ascot meeting! Over on inthemoneypodcast.com, the great Steven Bonnick will have coverage of EVERY race for EVERY day of Royal Ascot, and over on ITM Plus we’ll have one of the top 10 pro punters in the UK, Rob Dove, offering insights over the Royal meeting. So make sure you’re subscribed to get all that info straight from the local mouths over the pond!
Otherwise, racing plugs on over in the states now that Triple Crown season has wrapped. JK and I looked back at that wowzers win by Sovereignty in the Belmont Stakes, and so did Nick Tammaro and myself. And don’t forget about our weekly contests over at horseplayers.com, where you can play for a chance to earn a spot in this year’s BCBC. The best part, too, is that all of the proceeds from these contests go straight to supporting thoroughbred aftercare. They are every Friday, and we make sure to send out a lot of relevant information for each week’s contest in our new Horseplayers Tour newsletter. So make sure to keep an eye out for that on Friday mornings.
But I’m also excited for my friends at Monmouth Park and Haskell Preview Day tomorrow — five-hour difference be damned, I will be watching — as well as for my friends in harness racing, as this Saturday is the final of the $1-million Pepsi North America Cup up at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Our top-notch harness guys took a look at the great stuff happening north of the border, and hopefully after the afternoon festivities you’ll pop a gander at some of the best that Standardbred racing has to offer.
MYWAYP,
PTF
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Notes from this week’s ITM content
Delaware Park All-Stakes Pick 5 Podcast
Royal Ascot Picks and Coverage
and more!
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Players’ Podcast - Sovereignty Wins the Belmont Stakes!
PTF and JK are back with you with an in-depth conversation about this year’s Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga with thoughts on Sovereignty, Journalism, Baeza and many of the undercard races.
Players’ Podcast - Woodbine Late Pick 4, Haskell Preview Day All-Stakes Pick 5 & JRA Spring Finale
Another loaded Players’ Podcast coming to the airwaves this week starting with a look at Woodbine’s Late Pick 4 sequence for Saturday (June 14) with host Mikee P joined by handicapper Jackson Muniz.
Later, PTF from his abode abroad ahead of Royal Ascot ganders alongside JK at the All-Stakes Pick 5 & Pick 4 sequence on Haskell Preview Day (Saturday, June 14) at Monmouth Park. Haskell Preview Day also is the focus of a special contest over at horsetourneys.com, where for just $1 you can enter to play for a chance to earn a seat for the Haskell Day Betting Challenge next month.
Mikee P hosts the concluding segment and has Alex Henry back to look at the last Grade 1 of the 2025 Spring Session in Japan, the Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin Racecourse.
Harness Players’ Podcast - Harness Players’ Podcast | 6/12/25 | North America Cup Night + Century Early Pick 5 – In the Money Media
In this episode of the Harness Players’ Podcast, join Ray Cotolo for a discussion of the stakes action at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday (June 14) headlined by the $1-million Pepsi North America Cup. Ray Cotolo hosts an analysis of those races with Horseplayer’s Journal author Garnet Barnsdale & Woodbine Mohawk Park contributor John Rallis.
Later in the show, Mikee P brings Murray Slough onto the mic to look at the Early Pick 5 sequence at Century Downs for Saturday (June 14).
Feeder tournaments continue at TwinSpires for the $3,000 Stephen Foster Betting Challenge on Saturday, June 28th, which features cash prizes and seats for the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge, 2026 Kentucky Derby Betting Challenge & 2026 National Horseplayers Championship. Register into a feeder today and earn your seat for the Stephen Foster Betting Challenge!
Join in on the thrilling late-night thoroughbred action at Assiniboia Downs, now with an increased guarantee on the Pick 4! Catch racing from the gem of Manitoba on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from May through early October with first-race post time at 7:30 p.m. (CDT).
Saturday (June 14) is Haskell Preview Day at Monmouth Park, which features an All-Stakes Pick 5 in the last five races of the 12-race card! Plus, FREE hoodies for the first 5,000 people through the gates on Saturday while supplies last. First post at 12:30 p.m. (EDT) — come on out to the jewel of the Jersey Shore!
2025 Belmont Stakes Reaction | Weekend Recap
In The Money’s Peter Thomas Fornatale (PTF) is joined by Nick Tammaro to take a look back at the wild weekend of horse racing at Saratoga. They talk about the sensational victory by Sovereignty in the 2025 Belmont Stakes, where he cemented his superiority over 2025 Preakness Stakes winner Journalism while also stamping himself as the top 3-year-old in North America for hall of fame trainer Bill Mott and owner Godolphin.
Belmont Stakes Day Contest Winner! - Maddie Mattmiller
PTF sits down with Maddie Mattmiller to talk about her recent win in the Belmont Stakes Day contest at Saratoga. She shares why she decided to go with Sovereignty in the big race and his rivalry with Journalism. If you are interested in contests, we have a couple of sponsors with offerings you might enjoy. Every Friday between now and Breeders' Cup, you can win your way in starting with a $20 buy-in at Horseplayers.com. ALSO, there are lots of contest opportunities over at Twinspires.com for contest players. Go to their site and check out all the options, including games every day of Ascot next week.
2025 Travers Stakes TOP 5 - We know who is on TOP, but who else makes the list? - Pres. by DK Horse
In this episode, JK and PTF reveal their Top 5 contenders for the 2025 DraftKings Travers Stakes, the crown jewel of the Saratoga summer meet. With the 3-year-old division heating up, the Travers sets the stage for defining championship resumes—and this year, it’s stacked with familiar stars and rising new faces.
Creekside Chat - June 2025
Adam Bowden and Shaun Laungani of Diamond Creek Farm give a glimpse into the back end of the Standardbred breeding business while talking some of the current events in the sport ahead of their summer break.
The Owner’s Box - Episode 168 – Steve Duncker
Billy and Michelle chat with owner Steve Duncker.
