Bob Ehalt and Tom Pedulla became fast friends when they met on their first day at Fordham Preparatory School in the Bronx, N.Y., in 1970. Bob soon introduced Tom to the joys of Thoroughbred racing.

They have endured some rough moments at the track, with Tom taking exception when Bob repeatedly smacks him on the back with a program as one of their horses launches an all-out drive. Much to Tom’s chagrin and the amusement of onlookers, Bob has been known to call for security as he proceeds to cash a $27 triple.

D. Whitworth “Whit” Beckman has been a trainer since 2021. He’s sent out a modest 220 starters in the interim and owns 29 wins with earnings of $2.6 million through June 4. But when it comes to major New York stakes, he knows as well as anyone what goes into developing the kind of horses who win those races.