Former Murray State Football student-athlete and successful horse racing leader and champion, Jack Wolf, is this week's guest on the Runnin' with the Racers Podcast, episode 107.
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The Runnin' with the Racers Podcast posts each week to GoRacers.com, iTunes and Soundcloud.
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In the last 20 Years, Wolf has been one of the movers and shapers of the horse racing industry. A 1973 graduate and recipient of the 2014 Murray State Distinguished Alumnus Award, Wolf was part of the ownership group that won the 146th Kentucky Derby with "Authentic" in 2020. It was his second association with a Kentucky Derby winner after "Justify" won the Triple Crown in 2018.
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The 2020 Kentucky Derby was held in September, as it was pushed back from May because of Covid-19. Wolf recalls Churchill Downs in Louisville had a much different feel for the
2020 Kentucky Derby Champion - Authentic & Jockey John Velazquez
Photo by Alton Strupp-Courier Journal
fact that limited attendance was required.
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"This time it was different because we didn't have 170,000 fans there," Wolf recalled. "I'd guess there were 800 to 900 people there. We were sitting in finish line boxes where you'd normally have to pay $30,000 to sit there. I've been going to the derby for something like 60 years and usually it's a zoo. So, the two good things were, it was very comfortable and we had time to visit with friends and partners and then on top of that, we win the race with a 3-to-5 shot. It all worked out great obviously."
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As a student-athlete at Murray State from 1967-71, Wolf was a tight end out of St. Xavier High School in Louisville. He played for MSU Hall of Fame Coach Bob Fergerson. The lessons Jack learned playing football at MSU have stayed with him in his professional career including the last 20 years at the top level of horse racing. However, the camaraderie endures.
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"All of those guys that I played with at Murray State we have kept in contact. We had a special deal playing for Coach Fergerson," Wolf recalled. "I was a late bloomer in high school and didn't get introduced to Murray State until July or August of my senior season. Made my visit two weeks before practice started. We competed in practice every day and Coach Carl Oakley was doing things with the offense and was one of the smartest minds in football at the time. We had a great quarterback in Larry Tillman, great receivers and offensive line."
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The 1968 season saw the Racers lose one-point losses in back to back weeks at Eastern Kentucky and Austin Peay and still Coach Fergerson was named to the OVC Coach of the Year award. Wolf still remembers the agony of those close losses, the only thing that kept the Racers from taking the OVC championship.
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"It's just so hard to win a championship in anything, but those games still stick with me," Wolf said.
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Wolf was also on the team when Stan Watts booted a MSU record 58-yard field goal against Western Kentucky in 1971. The record was broken in 1986 when Paul Hickert made a 62-yard kick against Eastern Kentucky.
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Wolf earned bachelor's degree from Murray State and a master's degree, in economics, graduating in 1973.
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Starlight Racing was founded in 2000 by Jack and Laurie Wolf as the culmination of their lifelong interest in thoroughbreds and horseracing. Right out of the gate, Jack Wolf showed he had a magic touch in selecting excellent horses that could win. That first year, the Wolf's purchased six yearlings and one out of the six was special, Harlan's Holiday. The colt that rang up $3.6M in earnings, three wins, and a second place showing in the world's richest race, the coveted Dubai World Cup.
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Wolf has been a leader in the horse industry by starting Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA), a group dedicated to helping retired thoroughbreds find homes. Wolf received the Warner L. Jones Horseman of the Year Award in 2013 in recognition of his numerous contributions to the sport. This prestigious award is bestowed on industry participants who embody the spirit and passion of the sport. In 2017, he was appointed CEO of the inaugural Pegasus World Cup. At the time, the Pegasus was the world's richest race. Wolf currently serves on the board of the Thoroughbred Idea Foundation (TIF), an organization aiming to improve the thoroughbred racing industry for all stakeholders.
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Enjoy the podcast with Jack Wolf!
About Runnin' With The Racers Podcast
Murray State Basketball great Jonathan Stark was the first guest when the pilot episode posted Aug. 29, 2018, The podcast is produced weekly and usually is available by Wednesday. The Runnin' with the Racers Podcast is mainly guest driven with news and notes of the week from the Racers. Dave Winder, MSU Athletics Associate AD for Media Relations is the host. The podcast is available on GoRacers.com, ITunes and Soundcloud.
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