We love our morning sports debates, and today on The Starting Lineup, we had a lot to unpack after an unbelievable weekend of racing action. We welcomed back our resident betting expert, Aaron Halterman, to help us dissect everything from the dramatic finish at the Belmont Stakes to why the sport of horse racing struggles to keep its momentum beyond a five-week summer window. Grab your coffee, turn up 102.1 The Won, and let’s dive into our breakdown of the track conditions, the multi-million dollar business of breeding, and some cross-sport betting talk.

The Renegade Heartbreak and Golden Tempo’s Historic Repeat

We started off looking at Renegade, a horse we’ve tracked closely through its huge win at the Arkansas Derby and a gritty performance in the Kentucky Derby. This time around at the Belmont, everything went perfectly in terms of positioning, but the horse just didn’t kick on when asked down the lane. While Renegade secured a third-place finish, it left all of us wondering what went flat. On the flip side, Golden Tempo proved all the doubters wrong. After coming from last to first to win the Kentucky Derby, Golden Tempo pulled off the exact same feat at the Belmont Stakes—this time by an even wider margin. It’s an incredible story, especially for female trainer Cherie DeVaux, who continues to make history in the sport.

The Multimillion-Dollar Breeding Game & Potential Oaklawn Return

Scott Puryear wanted to know if these elite three-year-olds are simply one-and-done or if we will see them back next year. Aaron broke down the realities of the circuit, noting that while four- and five-year-olds can target massive purses like the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic or the $20 million Saudi Cup, top-tier winners like Golden Tempo are likely headed straight to retirement due to sky-high breeding values. However, if Renegade races over the summer at the Haskell or the Travers and doesn’t fully head to the breeding shed, Aaron says a return to Oaklawn Park for the massive Oaklawn Handicap next year makes perfect sense.

Fixing a Broken System: The Case for a National Governing Body

Leave it to Ned Reynolds and Scott to ask the hard questions about why horse racing fades from the public eye after June. Aaron agreed that marketing is a massive issue, but the operational roadblocks are even worse. Unlike the NFL, horse racing has no national association. Track entities like Churchill Downs, Saratoga, Oaklawn Park, and Santa Anita act entirely in their own self-interest. It functions like a chaotic version of college football conferences, where competing groups actively push against one another instead of working together for a unified seasonal schedule.

Beyond the Track: UFL Ratings and Hockey Nights

Before we let Aaron go, we had to check in on his other sports interests. While he’s ready to watch the upcoming World Cup out of national duty, his absolute daily go-to is NHL hockey, a sport he wagers on every single night. We also checked the temperature on the UFL, which is picking up serious steam and crossing the million-viewer mark by targeting hungry football markets like St. Louis.