Mike Penna

President / Host

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.