Photo: Four Footed Fotos
From a
humble Chicago-area upbringing to Stanley Cup champion, U.S. Hockey Hall of
Fame inductee
Eddie Olczyk understands what it means to remember his roots and
to never forget where he came from. With
a deep passion and strong work ethic, Olczyk is now galloping full-speed into
the sport of kings. Earlier this week, I was honored to have spent some time
interviewing this well-known NBC hockey and now NBC horse racing
broadcaster. I’m proud to introduce
Olczyk to all of you, Horse Racing Nation.
(The Dark Horse squares off against Eddie O.! Drawing by
Debbi Martin!)
Growing up
in the Chicago suburbs of Palos Heights and Niles, Olczyk started his lifelong
hockey journey like any other typical school-aged kid, with the “learn to
skate” pamphlet stuck in a pile of papers coming home from school. Unlike for
most of us mere mortals, for Olczyk this turned into something much, much more.
A lifelong Chicago Blackhawks and hockey fan, Olczyk was a fan of
Stan Mikita,
Tom Lysiak, and the Philadelphia Flyers’
Bobby Clarke. So much was Clarke his
favorite player that Olczyk would wear the #16 on his back for many years to
come.
Drafted 3rd
overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in 1984, Olczyk has the very unique distinction
of being the very first U.S. born player to be drafted by his hometown team in
the first round of the draft! During his professional career Olczyk has amassed
342 goals, 452 assists, totaling 794 points (which ironically is
#16 all-time for U.S. born players) . His hockey experience and
knowledge made the next step in his career a logical one; joining the broadcast
team first in Pittsburgh then eventually for NBC.
(Olczyk had a stellar NHL career!)
With his name
engraved on the most recognized trophy in all of sports, the NHL’s Stanley Cup,
the main goal sought after by many upon many a hockey player, and a 2012 induction
into the
United States Hockey Hall of Fame, Olczyk knows what it takes to win. And
knowing what it takes to win is certainly important in horse racing.
Olczyk was
first introduced to horse racing around the age of 13 when he visited the race
track with a friend and his friend’s father. I think we can all remember the
feeling of when we became “hooked” on racing, and it was on this day that
Olczyk was “hooked.” (But not in the hockey sense, of course) Olczyk followed horse racing throughout his
hockey career and even received his first exposure to broadcasting for horse
racing in 1994 when he had the opportunity to perform some TV work at
Meadowlands Race Track outside of New York City. This broadcasting experience would be the
foundation for Olczyk’s now growing presence on horse racing television. Not
only has he been a key participant on WGN’s coverage of Chicago’s major racing
events and has been featured in commercials for Xpressbet (see below), Olczyk now has an
expanded role in NBC’s horse racing telecasts!
Olczyk and I
discussed some of the similarities between hockey and horse racing. Olczyk
loved playing in the
old Chicago Stadium or against the Calgary Flames wherever
the game was being played, and like players which have their favorite stadiums,
he agreed there is a link as horses have their favorite tracks (or horse for
course as us racing fans would say).
Like hockey players, horses are athletes
too. I asked Olczyk if there were any similarities between a horse’s form cycle
a hockey player’s level of play. Olczyk remarked, “There is no doubt, all
athletes go through those cycles and those that stay at that level consistently
for a long time are what separate the great ones.” I then asked which would be
more exhilarating between playing in game 7 of an NHL playoff game, or the
stretch run of the Kentucky Derby as the owner of one of the horses. “The game
7 would be more exhilarating. Once a player, always a player. However there
would be more pressure in the Kentucky Derby because I have no control over the
outcome.”
Finally we
have seen some professional athletes foray into the world of horse racing; such
as folks like Wes Welker. Will we see more of that? “I hope so,” replied
Olczyk. I asked him if any of the current NHL players are into the sport. He
wasn’t sure about many of the current players (other than the Sedin brothers
possibly owning shared of harness runners in Sweden) but he did know that
former players such as Keith Jones, Gary Leeman, and Curtis Joseph owns or had
owned horses. In fact, Olczyk himself has participated in ownership; most
recently with a horse stabled at Arlington called Lavender Patch who is under
the care of Chicago-based trainer Tammy Domenosky. He loves visiting the barns in the morning to
see the hard workers caring for these majestic athletes.
Turning to
handicapping, I was curious how a professional athlete breaks down a race. For
Olczyk it’s mainly about condition and class, however he has also taken a
recent interest in track biases (which he believes exists across all classes of
horse), and as Joe Kristufek always says, pace makes the race. To make the
handicapping a little easier he has a desire that the racing forms would
publish when colts become geldings, and that track maintenance was more easily
available at some tracks. I tend to agree with his sentiment! For Olczyk,
missing the announcement for the first time gelding, and it not being reflected
in the form, may have cost him a rather substantial pick six score! His favorite wagers are the pick four and
pick six while putting money on the horse’s nose when he is confident. Santa Anita or any southern California track
for that matter, along with Belmont and Arlington are the tracks which Olczyk
likes to play the most. He tries to play the races as much as possible
depending on his busy schedule.
For those of
you who missed it, and speaking of Santa Anita, live on NBC last Saturday
Olczyk gave out two long shots in a row from the paddock! In race 7, the #2
horse Sheza Smoke Show paid $23.20 to win and in the next race, the Gold Cup,
Majestic Harbor paid $30.80 to win! Do winners beget winning?
For Sheza Smoke
Show, a good workout and being reunited with a jockey was all it took for
Olczyk to make that call. In the Gold
Cup it was the expected early speed that pointed him towards Majestic
Harbor. Truly amazing.
Now, of course no
interview of mine would be complete without some Dark Horse-style questions,
and Olczyk was not immune from them. He was a good sport as I peppered him with
some quick Q&A:
If you could
name a horse, what would it be: Edzo Said So
Favorite
Chicago-based horse: Illinois-bred Harham’s Sizzler
Favorite
jockeys: Mike Smith and Mike Luzzi
Favorite
trainers: Tammy Domenosky and JR Smith Sr.
Favorite
80’s song: I always ask about the 80's but as requested...
Favorite
70’s song: The first time ever I saw your face, Roberta Flack
Favorite
restaurant: T-Bones Chophouse, Las Vegas
Favorite
Chicago racing moment: Hitting a rather substantial daily double in 1988 with
horses named Someday Maybe and Crystal Garnett (that horse’s lone lifetime
victory) at
Hawthorne
Favorite
music group: Styx
Interests
outside of racing or hockey: “I’m just a sports fan”
Any special
game day or race day superstitions routines: Whatever is working
Toughest
goaltender ever faced: Martin Brodeur
Best Pizza
in Chicago: Giordano’s
Can you do
that one University of Michigan behind the goal thing goal?
“Yes, but I
wouldn’t have tried that during an NHL game as I would have likely been whacked
in the wrists.”
Would you
make any changes to the current Triple Crown format? “Only thing I would like
to see is one more week added in between the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness.”
Is there any
track you have ever wanted to visit yet not had the chance to do so? “I visited
the new Gulfstream Park last year, so I’ve been to every track I’ve wanted to
visit.”
Would you
ever get into breeding and perhaps go for a Kentucky Derby victory? “Never say
never…”
Being so
involved in activities all around Chicago, Olczyk wants to see racing flourish
in the area. He believes that Chicago
has a lot to offer the fans in the world of racing. “We have a historic venue
at Hawthorne which is close to the city and another historic venue in the
suburbs with
Arlington.” He also feels that the Illinois state legislature
should jump in and help the horsemen make racing in Illinois grow.
While he
waits for action to be taken downstate, Olczyk is very involved with getting
Chicago-based racing fans in on the action. He is very proud to be part of the
ownership promotion at Hawthorne, in conjunction with the Chicago Blackhawks,
where a lucky fan gets the opportunity to own a horse with him!
A remarkable
ambassador for horse racing, and a passionate racing fan, Olczyk strives to be
a voice for the sport, to sell the sport, and to teach people and get them
interested. With that passion, his overall goal is to become more active in
ownership and continue to be a promoter and spokesperson of the game. Similar
to his being so grateful for the people behind the scenes who helped makes his
professional hockey career a success, or as Olczyk says, “the lifelines of a
player”, such as physicians and medical staff, trainers, equipment managers, and
front-office staff, his passion for horse racing also stems from the appreciation
of what it takes behind the scenes to make racing happen. He gives extra special credit to the grooms,
hot walkers, and trainers who work endlessly to care for these equine athletes.
(Olczyk mentioned to me that he loves to hang with the horses and trainers on the back side. Photo by Four Footed Fotos)
Eddie Olczyk
is a true friend of the sport, and for that I am grateful.
