My favorite horse-racing program on television or radio is “At the Races With Steve Byk” on the Thoroughbred Racing Radio Network (TRRN). People in the United States and Canada can access it live on Sirius XM Satellite Radio (channel 209). Residents of any country with Internet availability can also listen in real time on the website thoroughbredracingradionetwork.com.
The program originates live from 9 AM-12 PM (Eastern USA time zone) Monday through Friday and is repeated the following day from 6 AM-9 AM. Broadcast archives are available on the TRRN website.
Mr. Byk’s program was launched in June of 2004 under the title “At the Races and Beyond.” Today, TRRN states that it is “the most listened to horse racing program in the world.”
The program segment I prefer most is hardly surprising, given my interest in horse-racing business: Mr. Byk’s conversations with racehorse owner and breeder Satish Sanan. Mr. Sanan made his fortune as a software entrepreneur, and his deep business background is especially helpful in analyzing and interpreting developments in horse racing.
Mr. Byk has content segments that appeal to a diversity of horse-racing interests. These include interviews with prominent trainers, handicappers, and turf writers. (TRRN posts a day-by-day schedule of guests on its website.) Mr. Byk invites listeners to call in with their perspectives and questions.
“At the Races With Steve Byk” provides the informational and analytical depth that appeals to seasoned fans of horse racing. However, the program undoubtedly has turned many casual fans–who happened to tune in—into devoted fans.
Mr. Byk has been articulate in defending horse racing against the frequently sensationalized accusations leveled in particular by the New York Times. He is factual and objective, and does not come across as an emotional or blind apologist for the industry.
The vast majority of sports reporters at newspapers and in the electronic media do not understand horse racing. Long gone are the days when some of the best sports writers were aficionados of the venerable sport. Major events such as the Breeders’ Cup are often carried in the newspapers under the byline of an AP reporter.
Thus Mr. Byk’s program serves as a welcome oasis for horse-racing fans—a genre that the mainstream sports media largely ignores and certainly does not appreciate.
The view here is that TRRN and Mr. Byk deserve an Eclipse Award for their enduring service to the advancement of American horse racing.
Copyright © 2012 Horse Racing Business
Thanks for giving Steve the recognition he deserves. Come on Eclipse voters, follow thru.
Steve has a platform to promote racing and uses it. His Trail Mix website has some of the best free handicapping info anywhere and the forum has educated comment, for the most part.
This guy is such a gasbag. The show is little more than a self-promotional folly for his racing partnership. He gets good guests then repeatedly interrupts them, trying to make himself part of every story.
Eric,
Any on-air personality is going to have people who like his/her presentation and others who don’t. The latter group can choose not to listen. I happen to be among the many folks who enjoy the At the Races program and the way the host conducts it.
Yes I agree he should be up for an award. I recently 2 weeks ago bought a new car with XM/Sirius discouvered his show and enjoy it and will renew my subscription when it runs out due to his show Good Stuff.
eric sounds like a guy who has been nosed out of one too many pick threes.
His comment is absurd on the face of it. While we might not agree with everything Steve says, there is nothing self promotional about the show.
It is more than deserving of recognition at the highest level.
And the web site is http://www.derbytrail.com, not the trail mix mentioned in another post 😉
I work at the computer and have my headphones on every morning listening to Steve’s show. It is fantastic and if I were an Eclipse Award voter, he would surely have mine!! There is no way anyone (other than Eric) can listen to his show and not become enthusiastic about horse racing.