Regis Philbin, co-host of the sports talk show 'Crowd Goes Wild' on Fox Sports 1, showed up for work Monday (Aug. 19) with no idea that he would be given a present to celebrate his 81st birthday.
That present was an Ontario-sired standardbred horse named after him, just about to race during his new show's first episode. Showing no stage-fright, George Teague Jr. Inc.'s Regis The Horse ($3.20, Montrell Teague) performed admirably in front of a national audience that includes his namesake in his maiden win Monday at Harrington Raceway in 1:56.4.
The two-year-old Shadow Play colt was featured on the inaugural edition of Fox Sports One's "Crowd Goes Wild," a sports discussion show hosted by long-time TV personality Regis Philbin. The show featured a package on the Regis The Horse training at the Teague stables, prefacing the live feed of his race.
Regis The Horse didn't crumble under the national spotlight as he was a two-length winner over Samcro and Hillbilly Kid for his maiden win.
"It's terrific to get that kind of attention for the sport," said trainer George Teague, owner/trainer of Regis The Horse. "We were thrilled to be a part of this and I'm really pleased the horse raced well."
The process of getting Regis The Horse on the air was a collaborative effort by the United States Trotting Association (USTA), Harrington Raceway, George Teague and Fox Sports that had been several months in the making. Roberts Communication Network supplied the live satellite feed to Fox Sports.
"Crowd Goes Wild" airs Monday through Friday on Fox Sports 1 at 5:00 p.m.
(with files from USTA and Harrington; photo courtesy Fotowon)