OUR TEAM

President / Host

Mike Penna

Mike first sat down behind a microphone in 2003 when he began co-hosting the popular Saturday morning “Equine Forum” talk show. In 2005, Mike and the late Pete Kules established the Horse Racing Radio Network (HRRN). In addition to producing the “Equine Forum” every week, the duo started traveling to racetracks around the country, providing fans with live coverage of many of the nation’s biggest races. Mike is currently President of HRRN and also serves as the anchor for many of its broadcasts.

In early 2011, Mike and HRRN received an Eclipse Award for coverage of the 2010 Breeders’ Cup World Championships and in 2013 was honored with the prestigious Old Hilltop Award by the Maryland Jockey Club. In 2019, HRRN received the heralded Sovereign Award from the Canadian Jockey Club in recognition of outstanding coverage of the 159th Queen’s Plate and the coveted Charles W. Engelhard award given by the KTOB.  Mike and the network received two more Eclipse Awards for their broadcasts of the 2019 and 2022 Breeders’ Cup World Championships.

Mike’s passion for racing spans more than 30 years. In 1989, he stood alongside the rail at historic Saratoga Racecourse and watched as Easy Goer won the Travers Stakes. After cashing his winning ticket on the heavy favorite, he was hooked for life. A native of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Mike and his wife, Michelle, relocated to Lexington in 1997. Mike worked at The Jockey Club, Thoroughbred Times, and Keeneland’s racing office before pursuing his interest in broadcasting.

Host/Analyst

Bobby Neuman

Born and raised Los Angeles, CA, Bobby currently resides with his wife and daughter in Weston, FL. Bobby attended UCSB before going to the University of Arizona to be part of their Race Track Industry Program. His extensive knowledge of racing stems from jobs in all facets of the business. Bobby worked as a groom for Hall of Fame trainers Charlie Whittingham and Bobby Frankel, spent time as a mutuel clerk in California and Arizona and worked on the gate crew at Rillito Park before pursuing his passion for race calling. His extensive announcing career includes stints on the Arizona Fair Circuit, Sandy Downs in Idaho, Downs at Albuquerque, Downs at Santa Fe, Thistledown, Calder, Ocala Breeders’ Sales, and Los Alamitos. In addition, he spent time calling at The Red Mile in Lexington, KY, Pompano Park, and Churchill Downs. When not at the racetrack, Bobby enjoys playing golf and poker. Bobby joined the HRRN team in the spring of 2019, working as an analyst, host and paddock reporter.

Host/Analyst

Bob Nastanovich

Bob was born in Rochester, New York. When he was a young kid, his family moved South of Richmond, Virginia just before Secretariat’s march to the Triple Crown. It was a great introduction to horse racing. Later, while attending University of Virginia, he often made the trek to Charles Town. Soon after, as a bus driver in NYC, he spent time in OTBs and frequented The Big A and Belmont. As a member of the rock band Pavement, he utilized his free time to become the first American to witness live racing at every British racecourse. He lived across the street from Churchill Downs for 14 years. Bob is a breeder, owner, Equibase chart caller and Thorograph data collector. Previously, he was a field reporter for DRF, a mutuel clerk and a night watchman for Jack Van Berg. He is a full on “racing tragic”.

Analyst

Kurt Becker

Kurt Becker joined HRRN as an analyst in 2009. Kurt began announcing Standardbred and Thoroughbred races as a teenager on the Illinois fair circuit in the mid-1980s, before accepting a post as the Voice of Chicago Racing in January of 1993. In the latter role, he succeeded legendary race caller Phil Georgeff at Arlington Park, Hawthorne Race Course, and Sportsman’s Park. After adding duties as a play-by-play announcer for Motor Racing Network’s live coverage of NASCAR events in 1994, Becker found his way to Kentucky in the spring of 1997 as the track announcer at both Keeneland Race Course and Churchill Downs. Today, Becker remains as the track commentator at Keeneland while also serving as announcer for auctions conducted by both Keeneland Association and the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society. He also continues in his role with MRN Radio as an anchorman and play-by-play announcer, while adding duties as announcer for Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Auctions in 2006.

Contributor

Tim Wilkin

Tim joined the HRRN team in September of 2021 along with trainer Dale Romans and they make up the duo for the weekly “I Ask, They Answer” segment. Tim is originally from Rochester, New York and spent 30-plus years at the Albany (N.Y.) Times Union where he covered a variety of sports, but was known mostly for his coverage of horse racing, particularly at Saratoga Race Course. Along the way, he also wrote from many editions of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, Belmont Stakes and Breeders’ Cup. Besides writing about the horses, Tim handicapped the Saratoga meet (as well as Belmont and Aqueduct) and picked a few winners along the way. Since taking a buyout from the TU in 2020, Tim has worked for Bloodhorse and, most recently, the Thoroughbred Daily News.  He has also worked on the notes team at the Breeders’ Cup, Preakness, Kentucky Downs and Parx Racing. Tim  has been honored by the Associated Press for his coverage of the horse racing beat (2014 and 2015) as well as a story about jockeys and the dangers they encounter. In 2018, the AP again honored Tim for his horse racing coverage. In 2019, he was awarded the prestigious Walter Haight Award for career excellence in turf writing by the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters.

Contributor

Dale Romans

A licensed trainer since age 18, Dale Romans saddled his first winner on February 15, 1987, at Turfway Park. The son of trainer Jerry Romans, a leading trainer at Turfway and twice leader at Ellis Park, Dale began working in his father’s stable from literally the time he could walk. Romans also worked briefly for Hall of Fame trainer Woody Stephens. On May 30, 2003, Romans reached an impressive, although perhaps bittersweet, milestone: recording his 200th win at Churchill Downs, which just so happened to move Romans past his late father on Churchill’s all-time victory list.

Among his most successful horses, Kitten’s Joy won the Grade I Secretariat Stakes and the Grade I Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational in 2004. He went on to finish second that year in the Breeders’ Cup Turf. This was enough to be voted the Eclipse Award for American Champion Male Turf Horse. In 2005 Roses in May provided Romans with the biggest payday of his career to date when he won the $6 million Dubai World Cup. He collected his first Breeders’ Cup win in 2009 when Tapitsfly won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

2012 – A Banner Year for Dale Romans
In January, 2013, Dale received the industry’s prestigious Eclipse Award for outstanding trainer. With four horses winning multiple Grade One races: Little Mike, Dullahan, Shackleford and Tapitsfly, he earned 27 stakes victories at 12 different tracks. Earlier in 2012, he won the spring Churchill Downs training title, later sharing the title with trainer Ken McPeek in the fall. Then, in December 2012, Romans was chosen as the winner of the Big Sport of Turfdom Award. This honor is ‘bestowed upon a person or group of people who enhance coverage of Thoroughbred racing through cooperation with media and Thoroughbred racing publicists.’

2017 – On November 12, 2017, Dale became all time leading trainer with most wins (703) in Churchill Downs history.

Dale is an active advocate for the sport serving/having served in volunteer leadership positions of various industry organizations, including,

• President, Kentucky HBPA  (Nov 2024, Dale Romans elected President of the Ky HBPA)
• Vice President, Kentucky HBPA
• Board of Directors, Kentucky HBPA
• Board of Directors, Churchill Backside Health & Welfare Fund
• Member, Churchill Downs Racing Committee

Contributor

Jude Feld

Jude Feld joined the HRRN team in 2007 as paddock reporter and analyst. He has loved Thoroughbred racing since his youth. He began his horseracing career in 1978, making charts for the Daily Racing Form at Ellis Park in Henderson, Kentucky under the tutelage of legendary trackman Jack Valentine. After a stint as assistant trainer to Doug Udouj in the Bluegrass State and to Julio Canani in California, Jude took out his own trainer’s license in 1980. He has trained the winners of 23 stakes, including graded winners Pewter Grey, Steff Graf (Brz) and Vieille Vigne (Fr) as well as multiple stakes winners Broadway Pointe, Freya Stark (Ire), Order and Capel Meister (Fr). Retiring from training in 2000, Jude became a racing publicist, public handicapper and bloodstock consultant. In 2003, he was honored with an Eclipse Award, alongside G.D. Hieronymus, for their collaboration “If it was easy…everyone would do it,” which he wrote and G.D. produced for Keeneland. Jude has an intimate knowledge of the Sport of Kings and countless friends in the Thoroughbred racing industry. In 2011, Jude was honored with his second Eclipse Award as part of our HRRN’s broadcast of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.

Host/Analyst

Angela Hermann

Angela Hermann took an interest in horse racing in 1998 stemming from her love of horses and horseback riding as a child. Employed at Canterbury since 2004, Angela currently hosts and shares analyst duties with Kevin Gorg. She previously served as Canterbury’s analyst from 2011 through 2015. Her work in racing spans from California to Florida over the past sixteen years. In 2016, Angela became the second woman in the United States to accept a full-time position as race caller, claiming the microphone at Golden Gate Fields during their summer and fall meets. Prior to the 2023 Canterbury season, Angela joined the Gulfstream Park broadcast team in coverage of the Pegasus World Cup and Florida Derby.

Analyst

Jeff Bloom

A thoroughbred industry veteran of more than 30 years, Jeffrey Bloom was a professional jockey in addition to serving as a racing manager, marketing and media relations’ consultant and broadcaster. During his 9 year riding career, Jeffrey raced at many of the major tracks throughout North America. After retiring as a jockey, he became the main workout rider for leading trainers that include Eddie Gregson and Hall of Famer Charlie Whittingham. Following his riding career, Jeffrey earned a B.S. degree in Financial Services from San Diego State University and his business resume includes a successful venture in software technology sales and corporate business development. Jeffrey founded and runs Bloom Racing Stable, LLC a horse racing partnership company which is now affiliated with Bloom Squared, LLC, an investment company he started with his brother Bryan Bloom and Andrew Yaffe Jeffrey recently joined the advisory board of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance a nonprofit organization that provides funding for approved racehorse aftercare facilities. He also serves on the board of Ivey Ranch Park Association, a nonprofit organization that provides service and care for special needs children through therapeutic equine activity. Jeff joined the HRRN team as an analyst in 2014.

Producer

Shawn Seay

Shawn was born in Lexington and raised up and down the East Coast. His first experience in radio was hosting an overnight show on the University of Georgia’s student run station. He was producer of the Dave Elswick Show, was an integral part of bringing ESPN Radio into Lexington and helped to start up the Lexington Legends radio network. In 2005, after a stint in the US Coast Guard, Shawn returned to the radio business and has been involved in all aspects of stations in both Lexington, KY and Savannah, Ga. He currently lives in Lexington with his wife, author Mehitobel Wilson, and his beautiful daughter, Lillie.

Chief Operating Officer

Michelle Penna

Michelle has been an integral member of the HRRN team since its inception. Working behind the scenes to organize various aspects of the broadcasts, she has helped assure the success of the network. In 2011, Michelle stepped into the role of on-site producer and quickly established herself as one of the best in the business while travelling with the HRRN team to racetracks throughout the country. A native of North Adams, Massachusetts, Michelle moved to Lexington, KY in 1997 with her husband and HRRN President Mike Penna. She has worked in racing for more than a decade as a member of The Jockey Club.