Eric Hamelback is the CEO of the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association and will be our first guest. The annual HBPA Conference was recently held in Hot Springs and numerous topics that stand to affect the sport of horse racing for years to come. There was a thought-provoking opening speech by 86-year-old Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas that opened the event, stressing trainers to be “Ambassadors of Racing”. Key subjects that were addressed, that Eric will weigh in on include the status on the Horse Racing Integrity Act. Hamelback is the former general manager of Frank Stronach’s Adena Springs Farm and resides in Paris, Ky. with his wife Debra and two children. Originally from Frierson, Louisiana Hamelback attended Louisiana State University where he graduated in 1993 with a Bachelor of Science in Animal Systems. He and his family moved to Paris Kentucky in 2008 after living in the Versailles/Midway Kentucky area for 8 years and then in Ocala Florida for 5years. As CEO of the National HBPA, Eric serves as representative for the largest horsemen’s group in North America. Currently he represents the National HBPA and its member horsemen on several of industry boards which include the American Horse Council Racing Committee, the Unwanted Horse Council Education Committee, the RMTC, the NTRA Safety Alliance, the Racing Officials Accreditation Program, as well as the Racing Commissioners International. TVG analyst and on-air personality Matt Carothers will return to Winningponies to preview an outstanding card on Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs. Matt has made Tampa Bay Downs one of his key tracks to follow during the cooler months and he will be at the track to give his updated reports on TVG throughout the afternoon. Matt’s presence at the track on Saturday will be of special importance as local forecasters are calling for a 100% chance of rain. While there may well be scratches and surface changes due to the weather, it didn’t chase any horses out of the day’s headliner. A capacity field of 12 3-year-olds was entered here Wednesday for the Tampa Bay Derby, the only points qualifier toward the May 7 Kentucky Derby scheduled for this weekend or next. According to last week’s guest on the show, the Daily Racing Form’s Marty McGee, Chad Brown was among the high-profile trainers phoning the Tampa racing office when making something of a surprise entry with the flashy debut winner Money Supply, who earned a 91 Beyer Speed Figure in winning a six-furlong maiden-special that opened the Sam F. Davis card here Feb. 12. Jose Ortiz, who rode Money Supply that day, will be back from Gulfstream Park to ride the Practical Joke colt when being flown in Saturday morning with his older brother, Irad, who has a return mount on the clear-cut race favorite, Classic Causeway. A 3 3/4 length winner of the Davis, Classic Causeway will take plenty of beating with a repeat effort in the Grade 2, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby.