Displaying items by tag: rich ruda

Ohio's richest thoroughbred horse race is at JACK Thistledown Racino in North Randall Saturday.

The 84th running of the Ohio Derby features a $500,000 purse, several horses that ran in Triple Crown races earlier this year, and one Akron area native looking to score in a race that he says would mean more for him to win than the Kentucky Derby.

Jasen caught up with Loooch Racing Stables owner and St. Vincent-St. Mary alum Ron Paolucci, JACK Thistledown Racino handicapper Rich Ruda, and track announcer Matt Hook to preview the big race during a live broadcast of the Jasen Sokol Show at Thistledown.

It's the first Saturday in May, and that means it's time for the Run for the Roses. 20 horses will go to the post at what is expected to be a rainy Churchill Downs for the 143rd running of the Kentucky Derby. Classic Empire is the favorite at 4-1, but the possibility of a sloppy track has the experts looking for a mudder.

Rich Ruda, track handicapper for JACK Thistledown Racino, and Max Barton, executive director of the Canton Museum of Art and a longtime owner of racehorses, joined Jasen to share their picks and how they'll play the Derby.