Louisiana native Joe Talamo, the son of an assistant trainer, launched his riding career in style when he earned the Eclipse Award as North America’s outstanding apprentice in 2007. He went on to win 2,343 races, including 24 Grade 1 contests, while his mounts earned more than $131.6 million. Talamo, 35, recently began a new chapter in his life by joining FanDuel TV as a full-time host and racing analyst. He reflected on his years as a jockey and discussed his new role during a question-and-answer session conducted on behalf of America’s Best Racing.

PEDULLA: How did you develop an interest in racing?

TALAMO: We had horses in our backyard growing up. I think I first sat on a horse when I was 2 or 3 years old. There is a picture of my dad holding me on a horse and I was in diapers. I first started going to the track when I was 6 or 7. That’s pretty much when I fell in love with horse racing.

PEDULLA: What did it mean to you when you won the Eclipse Award as leading apprentice?

TALAMO: Oh, that meant the world to me. It’s such a great honor. I tried not to think about it too much, but it was one of the top things in my career.

PEDULLA: You won the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint with California Flag in 2009. Was that your greatest victory?

TALAMO: That’s a tough one. The [2009] Wood Memorial with I Want Revenge definitely sticks out.

PEDULLA: Why that race?

TALAMO: He was kind of left at the gate. He was 15 lengths back. I still can’t believe he won that race.

PEDULLA: I guess that is a great example of a rider having to stay cool no matter what.

TALAMO: Yeah. He was a really good horse, too. That definitely helps.

PEDULLA: What led you to stop riding at an age when you could have continued?

TALAMO: I really wanted to take a couple of months off just to chill and relax. As far as being a jockey, it’s 365 days a year. There is pretty much no offseason at all for us. You’re getting up at 4:30 or 5 in the morning to grind out mounts. I really just wanted to take a break. This came up with FanDuel after a couple of months, and I fell in love with it.

PEDULLA: What do you hope to bring to broadcasts?

TALAMO: Maybe some things the average viewer wouldn’t know but coming from a former jockey would definitely help.

PEDULLA: You have been around horses all of your life. Does that allow you to read their body language from a distance?

TALAMO: Absolutely. From riding thousands of races, I can do that pretty easily. It’s second nature.

PEDULLA: Is there one analyst you really admire and would like to pattern yourself after?

TALAMO: Since I started, I’ve tried to take bits and pieces from everyone I’ve worked with. In working with FanDuel, the culture they’ve made is truly unbelievable to be a part of it. That’s a testament to all the analysts and the talent there.

PEDULLA: You have studied so many past performances, are you at the point where you can read between the lines?

Talamo with Hall of Famer Gary Stevens (Eclipse Sportswire)

TALAMO: One hundred percent. I’ve been reading the Racing Form since I was 12 years old, something like that.

PEDULLA: There may be times when you need to criticize a trainer you worked for or someone you rode with. Do you accept that as part of the job?

TALAMO: I’ve done that on the air already. I don’t do it in a mean way. I’m not going to say, ‘That was horrible. That was absolutely ridiculous. They need to take this jockey off.’ I do point out that ‘Maybe that wasn’t the best decision.’ But I’m not afraid to say it and I have said it.

PEDULLA: What is the most challenging aspect of your new position?

TALAMO: I wouldn’t say challenging but you have to put the work in. You have to study and do your homework and go over all of the horses, whether it’s a longshot or not. You have to study and know every single horse. Everyone I work with is so professional and has done it for so long, it really makes what I’m doing easier.

PEDULLA: What do you think can be done to bring young fans into racing?

TALAMO: That’s a good question. For young fans, it’s one thing to watch it on TV and another thing to go to the racetrack. If I would say one thing, it’s go to the track and watch a race from the rail. I still get a rush standing and watching at the rail. If you come out and watch it live, I bet you some people would get hooked on it. It’s one of the greatest sports and one of the oldest sports.

PEDULLA: How do you feel about racing’s future?

TALAMO: That’s a pretty big question. Obviously, I hope horse racing is going to be around as long as I’m alive and hopefully hundreds of years longer. It’s no secret that some tracks are doing better than others. Some people say horse racing is dying. Not if you look at the Keeneland sale and the [Fasig-Tipton] Saratoga sale. I don’t see it going anywhere.

PEDULLA: Do you have career goals beyond FanDuel?

Talamo winning 2009 Wood Memorial on I Want Revenge. (Coglianese photos)

TALAMO: I like what I’m doing with FanDuel. I’m in a really happy place mentally. It is work and you have to put in the time studying. On the flip side, I’m having a really good time, having a blast talking on the air and bringing a different dynamic from a jockey’s perspective. Right now, I’m pretty much all in on this.

PEDULLA: Did the opportunity to retire healthy factor into your decision?

TALAMO: It was just the opportunities. Being a jockey is dangerous, but that was one thing that never crossed my mind at all. I don’t think you should be a jockey if you think about the danger.

PEDULLA: Is there any part of you that feels unfulfilled as a jockey? Is there any part of you that wants to go back to it?

TALAMO: Not at this time. If I ever do get the itch and really want to come back, I’m fortunate that I don’t think I’d have an issue weight-wise and even fitness-wise. I will always stay physically fit. If I were to go back, I’d want to be all in on it and try to do really well. I wouldn’t want to go back and ride just to ride. I don’t want to ride two horses a day that are 10- or 20-1 [odds]. That does absolutely nothing for me. That was one of the reasons I took some time off. I felt I wasn’t getting the opportunities to do well. At this time, I’m all in on FanDuel and I’m happy doing it.