Jake Delhomme Goes 1-on-1 With CasinoBeats, Dishes on Bryce Young, Horse Racing, Betting & More

Jake Delhomme is one of the most decorated quarterbacks in Carolina Panthers history. 

The 11-year NFL veteran helped Carolina reach the Super Bowl in 2003, made the Pro Bowl in 2005, and is now a radio analyst for the team. He also played for the Saints, Browns, and Texans.

Delhomme recently sat down with Casino Beats to share his thoughts on quarterbacks around the league, NFL games in Germany, betting on horses, and much more.

Q: I want to start with the Panthers. What are your general thoughts on the season?

Jake Delhomme: “I couldn’t be more optimistic about the direction that the Panthers are going right now. I started doing the radio there in 2019, and really and truly, I think, toward the back half of the 2024 season, you kind of felt, okay, ‘I like the direction (Dave) Canales is going.’ Bryce (Young) started playing some pretty good football because I think we all know the quarterback is the key, right, in the NFL. And I like what we did defensively in the offseason and draft-wise. 

“I think there’s a general consensus that we’re moving in the right direction. I think we made a big jump this year. I kind of thought we could have been a seven-win team, and if the ball bounced our way, get eight or nine. But I think that’s the progression you take. And we did that. We were able to win the division and gave the Rams everything they wanted in the wild-card round.”

Q: To me, Bryce is such a big key to it. He had some ups and downs in his first three years, but the numbers have gotten better, though he’s never quite been a star-level player. Is he a guy that can be a franchise quarterback for Carolina, or do you think the jury’s still out? 

Jake Delhomme: “I think a lot of the questions are starting to be answered. I think certainly early on, there were many questions and, rightfully so. But I just didn’t think we were a good team around him, to be very honest. That’s what I truly believe. And I think this year you saw him take some steps, right? 

“We’re young in the wide receiver position. Tetaroa McMillan, the rookie top-10 pick, was outstanding for us. Jalen Coker really ascended. Second-year player, undrafted. We traded Adam Thielen right before the season started, who was the security blanket. But I think Coach Canales and Dan Morgan were like, ‘Hey, we’ve got some young, talented guys. Let’s grow together. This is what we need to do.’ And I think you saw those two really develop chemistry.

“Xavier Leggette‘s one that’s very talented. It’s been kind of a slow process with him. We’ve seen some flashes, and then we’ve seen some kind of bumps in the road. But I still think there’s a lot of talent there. I just think he’s a young player. 

“Bryce, he’s very intelligent, and he sees the game extremely well. And I just think Bryce working with those guys, you saw him develop chemistry as the season went on, and there’s nothing like another offseason, another year in the system. We’re so quick to want to ascend guys and then tear them down. It takes time, right? I was a huge fan of Sam Darnold when he was in Carolina with us. And look what he’s doing now. I just think sometimes it takes time, and we want to rush the judgment. And so I like the direction we’re going.”

Q: From a physical capability, a guy like Sam probably has more tools than somebody like Bryce, where the arm strength and escapability aren’t quite at the level of elite to me. Do you think Bryce’s intelligence and ability to process are enough to make up for some of those? And do you see things similarly?

Jake Delhomme: “Yeah, listen, Bryce will never have the strongest arm. I think everybody knows that. But his anticipation and accuracy is uncanny. And I don’t think he gets enough credit for the way he can maneuver in the pocket, and he can get out and run. He’s not the biggest guy. I think we all know that. And that’s why you’d love to be very strong internally in protection, right? You’re center and two guards. I think of the whole Drew Brees factor. The Saints were outstanding at center and guard when Drew played. Yeah, they had good tackles, but Drew was so gifted in climbing the pocket. 

“Bryce has shown plenty this year. He really and truly has. I thought Seattle was the one that gave us trouble, but they should have given us trouble. I think that defense, I’m not calling them elite, but they’re special, man. That’s a special defense, very fast, very big up front, can cause problems. I truly believe you just add some more pieces and another year with Bryce, and if we can stay healthy on the offensive line, I think the confidence is there for the Panthers.

“Listen, I’m a fan of Bryce, and I know Dan Morgan said at the end-of-the-year press conference that we’re going to pick up his option, which I think is great. That’s two more years left to continue to build a team, and you’re not paying that crazy salary, whereas you kind of hurt your roster, so you can still build that roster right now.”

Q: Yeah, that’s what I was going to ask about. Bryce gets to the point now where he’s played three years and all the chatter is going to be, will they extend him? You say they’re ascending, but do they need to prove it for one more season and reach that level? When you lock him in, it’s possibly $40, $50, $60 million for these quarterbacks now.

Jake Delhomme: “Yeah, it’s insane. I’m talking over 20 years ago, but we go to the Super Bowl, and I signed a very nice deal in the offseason, but I think I signed one comparable to where I was probably at in the NFL. I think there’s a few elite quarterbacks in the NFL, and yeah, they should be getting paid that. The rest of them? I don’t know. 

“I don’t understand the whole, ‘Well, the next guy is going to get the biggest contract.’ I’m not sure if I see that. So, we’ll see how it all plays out with Bryce’s representatives and how the Panthers maneuver. I’m not exactly sure. He’s gotten paid a decent amount of money so far, being the first overall pick. And if you pick up an option, I don’t know what the number is. Maybe in 2027 it would be – is it $27 million? It’s something of that nature. That’s nothing to sneeze at. 

“But with the way the salary cap continues to ascend, it’s all relative on how much of the cap a quarterback gets paid. But I just think you still got to build the roster and see. And I think we’re doing some good things. I don’t think you need to be in a rush. I think you build the roster the right way.”

Q: I’m wondering how much you watched Tyler Shough with the Saints. It seemed like he had a good rookie year. What were your thoughts on how he played? 

Jake Delhomme: “Yeah, I watched him play live twice. His second start this year was against Carolina at home, and then we played them again in New Orleans a little later. Yeah, very impressed with the kid. I thought it was a brilliant move on their part by Kellen Moore. He probably could have started the season, but it’s okay. Let him sit. He’s played the preseason, and then let him sit and watch. Let him digest the season and how things go. Preseason is one thing. The regular season is very different. Preseason, you’re installing a playbook. So each day you’re building, building, building. Then once the season starts, it’s game-plan week. It’s game-plan specific. What is Kellen Moore like during the course of the season? And I think for a young kid to truly understand, this is not college, where you have some penciled-in wins along the way. That just doesn’t exist in the NFL. And so I thought they were brilliant in the way they handled him. They let him sit. 

“I thought the kid played well. He played well in Charlotte against us. We had him for a couple of sacks. He broke through those sacks and stepped up in the pocket, made big plays to Juwan Johnson. And then to Chris Olave. They got a win. And you saw them give him more and more as the season went on. Very big. Big kid, strong kid, strong arm. Ball comes out of his hand. 

“Give them credit. I liked what I saw from them, and I think everyone in New Orleans is pretty excited. It’s funny, he’s going into year two, and he’s two years older than Bryce Young, who’s going into year four. So big, strong, mature kid, coached very well in college. Especially his last year, playing for Jeff Brohm at Louisville. I love Jeff. Jeff’s maybe a little older than me, played in the NFL, but they develop quarterbacks. Footwork-wise. And so there’s a pretty good understanding when those kids get to the league playing for him. So, yeah, I think the ceiling’s pretty darn high for Shough. And I know people in New Orleans are pretty excited about it.”

Q: That’s what I was going to ask about with the age – you did NFL Europe and didn’t start in your NFL career until you were older. A guy like Kurt Warner came in and was really hot early on because you guys had a lot of experience beforehand. Now that he’s seen it for a year, can the Saints come together quicker than people think while Tyler becomes quite the quarterback?

Jake Delhomme:  “Yeah, I think they could. They surrounded him with some pretty good weapons, right? And you’re on a young quarterback contract. And he’s not a first rounder. He’s a second rounder. So really and truly, he’s not getting paid any money. For the Saints, I think everyone kind of thought there were going to be some salary-cap issues with the Drew Brees contract for all those years, punting it down the road, and then the Derek Carr contract. But by Derek retiring, I believe that saved the Saints. And I don’t know the exact numbers. It saved them a ton of money. I don’t want to say that was a gift, but that was something that they didn’t factor in. 

“Mickey Loomis does a really good job there. And that’s a team that defensively, they were a pretty stout defense. They played some young guys. And their offensive line, they invested in that offensive line pretty heavily. You win on both sides of the ball up front. That’s just my opinion. I just think that’s the easiest way to win in the NFL or the quickest way. And I think the Saints have done that. So it will be interesting to see the way they go about it. Certainly, the division is so wide open, right?”

Q: I wanted to look at Cleveland, which has an interesting quarterback room. Shedeur Sanders had some good moments and some bad moments. The draft is a bit murky after Fernando Mendoza, so I was wondering how you think that quarterback situation shakes out next season.

Jake Delhomme: “Yeah, that’s going to be interesting. I’m anxious to see the hire. Who’s going to be the hire, right? And, you know, I called Shedeur’s first game this year, a preseason game. They played in Carolina. So I was actually there and watched him play. I spoke with a couple of people before the game from Cleveland, and they had high praise for the kid. Loved him, loved his attitude, loved everything about him. And they all said the same thing. It was like, ‘We just don’t think he’s ready yet, but we like him a lot as a person.’ That was one of the big things because he’s such a lightning rod. 

“But, man, he can pass the football. That’s one thing that he can do. I think rush-wise, like any young quarterback, he doesn’t feel it sometimes. But I think that can come. He escapes out the back of the pocket sometimes, and that’s hard in the NFL. But, listen, he did a pretty good job this year. And that team, it’s just going to be interesting – who’s going to be the head coach? What kind of offense do they implement? And I think they’ve got a lot of offensive linemen that are either expiring contracts or some are retiring. So, yeah, they have a couple of first-round picks. They’re going to have to retool that roster offensively. 

“It just depends on what the head coach wants to do, what kind of offense they want to run. Because, yeah, I don’t see a quarterback (in the draft). It certainly looks like Mendoza will be one. Where does Ty Simpson fall in that category? Is he a first-rounder, somewhere around there? I don’t know where. But, man, it just depends on what the organization wants to do. But that roster offensively, especially offensive line-wise, you’ve got to retool it, man, because defensively they’re pretty darn special.”

Q: So, from what you heard and what you saw, it feels like Shedeur showed enough promise to be in the conversation as their long-term guy?

Jake Delhomme: “He’s got a chance. I tried to watch a couple of the games this year. Passing the football – he passes it. There’s two different types of quarterbacks, right? There’s a thrower, and there’s a passer.  A thrower, usually those strong arm guys, they don’t know how to pass the football, where you can layer the football, you can manipulate some throws. And I think he has that. I believe he possesses it, because I’ve seen too many layered throws from him.

“It looked like him and (Jerry) Jeudy developed a little relationship. Harold Fannin Jr., he’s a nice pass-catching tight end. So, yeah, there’s some things there. I just think it all is going to be predicated on what kind of system you’re going to run, and let’s insulate the quarterback. We can all look at Josh Allen, and we know he’s Superman, right? And it’s difficult if you don’t have all the pieces around him because he kind of covers up some issues they might have. But, yeah, (anywhere else) it’s about the whole team. That’s usually your better football team. It’s a team game.”

Q: Let’s talk about Josh since you mentioned him. The Bills fired Sean McDermott after he couldn’t get over the hump. Obviously, Josh is super talented. How much pressure do you think they’re feeling as a whole?

Jake Delhomme: “That’s a tough situation, man. I know Sean personally. I know Brandon Beane extremely well, the general manager. He came from the Panthers. I was with him for years. Sean came from Carolina, got to know him. Yeah, that’s a tough deal. Those guys have done a marvelous job of making that team a contender year in and year out. And that’s what’s tough about the NFL. There’s only one that’s happy at the end of the year. 

“I’m anxious to see the direction they go. I’m sure Josh will have a heavy hand in that, you would think. That was tough, and it was a great game to watch, and certainly we can talk about the call in the game with the pass. 

“You think you can always get back, right? We go to the Super Bowl in 2003 in Carolina. It’s so hard to get back. You think you’re going to be back. Fairly young nucleus. It’s hard. It’s so difficult. Things have got to go your way with these long seasons and health. I’m a huge fan of Josh. Really kind of broke my heart to watch his press conference. Because he gives everything. It’s not like he’s one that’s just a talented guy that goes and plays and, oh well, (try again) next year. I mean, no, it’s his life. He gives everything.”

Q: You mentioned Sam Darnold earlier. He was in Charlotte when he hadn’t quite put it all together. Now he’s playing great, and the Seahawks are great. What are your thoughts on his ascension and having a shot to win a Super Bowl?

Jake Delhomme: “I’m super excited for Sam. Great human being. He goes to Carolina for two years and was 8-9 as a starter, which is actually pretty good. That was a tough time. Matt Rhule was hired there, and the direction of the franchise, not really sure if it was pointing in (the right) direction. It just was all over the place. And so I thought Sam played decent football. He really and truly did for us. I just don’t know roster-wise if we were there yet, to be very honest. 

“Sam’s very tough, very big, very strong, very smart. Then he goes to San Fran, where he hooks up with Klint Kubiak. That’s where they got to know each other, and he went to sit behind Brock Purdy and play in the Shanahan system. Really and truly, if you think about it, it’s Year 3 in that system for him, from San Fran, Minnesota, and now there. But, yeah, they’ve done a marvelous job. That’s an impressive football team. Very proud of Sam. Happy for Sam. I like to see guys that do things the right way get rewarded, and he’s getting rewarded.”

Q: How did he carry himself back in Carolina? He was at an interesting point in his career after it didn’t quite work out with the Jets. Was he trying to find his way, but still confident? 

Jake Delhomme: “Very confident in himself. Good-looking kid. And what I mean by that, he looks the part, right? He’s going to pass the eyeball test. Big, strong, tough. Sam was a good player for us. I mean, really did some good things, but we were really and truly trying to find our way in Carolina. And it was just one of those deals. Sam did some good things, and I saw him make some marvelous throws. If there’s one bugaboo with Sam, sometimes he almost tries to do too much. Sometimes it’s like, ‘Hey, take the sack or, hey, throw it away.’ But you don’t want to take some of his aggression away because I’ve seen him make some plays in the pocket this year where he can shrug someone off, and he’s big and strong and can make that big throw that you need. So, yeah, just very, very happy for him. That’s for sure.”

Q: I wanted to talk about Aaron Rodgers, a guy I believe was playing when you were still playing, and he’s still out there. Do you think he’ll probably hang them up at this point?

Jake Delhomme: “That’s going to be interesting. It gets so much harder as you get older. I still marvel at what Philip Rivers was able to do to come back to play. Now, he’s a different animal. I mean, you want to talk about big, country strong. That’s Philip Rivers. 

“The thing with Aaron, his arm, it’s still there. That arm strength is still there. That was a rough game watching them play the Texans. But listen, that’s a Super Bowl defense if I’ve ever seen one. They were unbelievable. I don’t know what’s going to happen there. Certainly, with Tomlin hanging it up, what’s going to be the coaching situation? Does Aaron want to come back? Because that’s going to be Pittsburgh’s biggest deal: who’s going to be the quarterback moving forward? Where they’re drafting at, not sure you find one there. I don’t know what he’s going to do, really and truly. It seems like maybe there’s a chance he comes back. Pittsburgh might want him back, but does the new head coach come in, and they finally decide, ‘Hey, we’ve got to start over because you’re getting Aaron for, what, one more year if he does come back?’

“I love it. I wish he would come back. I just think he’s so gifted throwing the football. That was evident this year, some of the throws that he can still make. It’s just hard with the body. It’s hard to overcome. I mean, he had the broken wrist, and we know how tough he is. And the thing that he doesn’t do quite as well, because he was so gifted, was the running. He could really and truly run, and he was so gifted. But he’s not supposed to be able to do that at that age. You’re supposed to have some decline, but the arm hasn’t declined at all. And the mind hasn’t. He’s still sharp as can be.”

Q: I wanted to take a look at one of the Panthers’ divisional rivals, Atlanta. What do you think of the quarterback position. Does someone make sense there with Michael Penix recovering from the knee injury?

Jake Delhomme: “That’s going to be interesting what’s going to happen there. Penix with the whole knee deal. There was some injury concerns coming out, and when will he be ready? Will he be ready at the start of camp, start of the season? That remains to be seen. 

“That offense that they run, Kirk (Cousins) is very familiar with it. He can run that system extremely well with (Kevin) Stefanski. So that’s going to be the wild card. Kirk really played some decent football. He struggled in ‘24, and I think a lot was due to certainly coming off the Achilles injury, but he got hit against the Saints in the ‘24 season in the elbow/shoulder region. I remember watching it, and I was like, ‘Yeah, that’s not good.’  You can tell he struggled some after that, but man, he’s still a really good football player, still fairly young compared to some of the others that have played. He has to probably feel good about his career moving forward if he wants to continue to play, which you would assume he does. Because he played really good football, and Atlanta does have some weapons. 

“Kyle Pitts, Drake London, and probably the best football player in the league, which I don’t think gets talked about nearly enough, in Bijan Robinson. He’s unbelievable. Unbelievable. Not only as a running back, but as a receiver, too. So, yeah, there’s some weapons there in Atlanta. And that’s going to be interesting to see which way they go. Because you’re going to have to have some type of fallback with the Penix deal. I don’t know exactly what the timeline is. I don’t think anybody knows yet. It’s still early in the rehab process for him.”

Q: Have you gotten to know Matt Ryan over the years from being in the same division? 

Jake Dellhomme: “Yeah, I’ve gotten to know Matt. Can’t say I know him great, but I know him well enough. We all know how intelligent he is, and he is all ball, all the time. Certainly, there’ll probably be some rough edges he needs to clear up being the president, the process, when that takes place. But I’d feel pretty confident if I were an Atlanta fan with him being at the helm. He’s not one that’s worried to hurry up and go make a tee time. He’s going to be there early, stay late, fully invested, and is going to try to surround himself with the best people possible.”

Q: I wanted to get your thoughts on Fernando Mendoza, what you’ve seen out of him. Does he have the talent of a clear-cut No. 1 overall pick?

Jake Delhomme: “It sure looks that way. Big, strong kid, really accurate with the football. I was very unfamiliar with him going into this year, to be very honest. I travel on most Saturdays, so I do miss some college, but really focused in on him this year, the Penn State game. I was lucky enough to be in my hotel at that point and watch that game and watch that last drive, and that’s what you want to see with these quarterbacks, right? The gotta-have-it downs, the third downs, the red zones, the fourth down, the big moments in games. 

“And he seems like he’s a pretty high processor. I think the head coach is really good, and there’s a process they go by, very diligent in what they do. You can tell he makes the right checks. The young kid, he’s accurate. Strong arm, can move better than you think. He’s actually a pretty good athlete. 

“I was talking to someone the other day, and it’s almost like it’s a Sam Bradford type. Sam Bradford was a very accurate thrower of the football. He just had so many health problems. I think that was the biggest thing. Mendoza might be bigger in the lower half than Sam was. We always try to compare people, and that’s not fair, because everybody’s their own guy, but that’s (who I see). Pretty impressed. He makes the throws. He seems like he’s really sharp. Players seem like they love him. So, yeah, he certainly seems like he’s the clear-cut number one.”

Q: It seems like a tough spot for the Jets now picking number two. That seemed like a very easy marriage with Dante Moore, but now what?

Jake Delhomme: “That situation has been pretty difficult. I know Aaron Glenn’s trying to go in and get it the right way. They have a collection of picks. I think the biggest thing, you’ve got to retool that roster. They need players. That was a tough watch this year. We played them in Carolina this year. There’s some young talent on that football team, and with all their draft picks, they need a hit. They’re going to have to get a quarterback at some point, but I don’t know who you go get right now, to be quite honest.”

Q: I wanted to ask about CJ Stroud. Great rookie year. Not as good the last couple of seasons. What do you make of him?

Jake Delhomme: “That was a tough watch against New England. That was a tough watch. And certainly I’ve been there before. I had a bad playoff game at one point, and it’s tough. And, you know, I was watching him, and it seemed like someone that was shell-shocked. Even the easy passes, and yes, the conditions were not the best, but even with the easy passes, he was struggling. And I thought he struggled mightily against Pittsburgh. It ended up not being close, but that game should have been a blowout.

“I don’t know what’s going on there. Certainly, yes, he did not have Nico Collins, and (Dalton) Schultz went out of the game early. His rookie year, he came out and did some really good things. Now, I know there’s a different offensive coordinator, don’t get me wrong, but it’s been a struggle. So I don’t know what exactly is going on there. The kid does have some talent. I’ve seen him make some unbelievable throws. But there’s been somewhat of a regression. But he’s still so young. This can get turned around pretty quick.”

Q: Is it hard mentally when you have to sit on a bad game for months when it’s the last one of the season?

Jake Delhomme: “Yeah, it is. For me, when that happened, that was toward the latter part of my career. Yeah, that was difficult. Certainly it was. Listen, when you sign the contract to play quarterback in second, third, fourth grade, whatever it may be, you don’t know the contract you’re signing, but you’ve got to have thick skin, and you’ve got to have amnesia. It’s got to roll off your back, and you’ve got to go forward. I mean, that’s part of playing any sport, but especially quarterback, right? Way too much praise, way too much blame.

“I think the same thing with Josh Allen. You know, you watched him in this final presser. He was devastated. And he felt that he was the problem. He caused the team to lose. I know CJ probably feels the same way. And that’s just part of it, man. You deal with it, you get yourself back up, and you go to work. And that’s what makes some of the highs so high. It’s so worth it and fulfilling when you do overcome that demon. But he’s just got to get back on the horse, get back on that saddle and go. It’s difficult, but it’s part of it.”

Q: You played in NFL Europe when that was still around. There has always been talk about an NFL team potentially being located overseas. How would you feel about a team playing there full-time, and is there a city in Europe that you think would be a good location for the first NFL team?

Jake Delhomme: “If it ever gets there, that would be very interesting to see how that would work. I played in Amsterdam, and I played in Frankfurt. Really enjoyed Amsterdam. Kurt Warner and I were teammates the year we played together there. That was fun. But if I have to give a nod, it would be to Germany. I just think they had a little more of an understanding of football. This was back in 1999. And I believe there was some version of Pop Warner football. So there was some knowledge of the game. 

“They are passionate fans. You talk to any player that has played over there, and it’s a different feel for that game. They’re sold out. They love it. It’s a different vibe. The fans in Europe, it’s just different. The singing along with the music. It’s like a buzz all game long. It’s almost like a playoff atmosphere. So if I had my pick, it would be in Frankfurt or (broader) Germany.”

Q: The last thing I wanted to ask you about was horse racing. How did you originally get into it? 

Jake Delhomme: “I’m a third-generation with the racehorses. My grandfather was an old cattleman, old farmer, and back in Louisiana way back then that was kind of a way of life. People had to race horses. It was more of the quarter horses, and my dad had a state job, but we lived off property, and we had a barn, and we didn’t have a track that far. So that’s what we did. 

“I didn’t grow up hunting, fishing, or golfing. I went to school, I played sports, and free time I spent it at the barn. And I loved it, man. It’s in my blood. Football gave me a chance to kind of expand on it, and ever since I retired after the 2011 season, I went full force into it. And that’s kind of what I do every day. The season gets busy for me because of the games with Carolina, but man, it helps fill that competitive void for me. 

“It’s very difficult, and it’s almost like building a team. I have my own stables, ‘Set, Hut Stables,’ and I’m the general manager. I have to pick the right players. And if I don’t pick the right players, the horses, to perform on the track, then it’s my fault. That’s what I love about it. It’s so competitive. If you can win 20% of the time, 22% of the time with the horses, you’re doing great. I don’t think you find any coach or quarterback with a 22% winning percentage. They’re not going to have a job long. I love it, man. As you can see by the smile it puts on my face.”

Q: In the UK, horse racing is really big, and I think a decent part of it is the betting on the horses. In the US, sports betting has entered the mainstream. Do you think that could help horse racing’s popularity, where people are going from the NFL and now switching over to betting on horses?

Jake Delhomme: “The betting realm in football. Listen, we couldn’t touch it. I don’t even know if you could talk about it when I played way back when. We had meeting after meeting, and you understood it. And I laugh at, how do you bet NFL football? I don’t know how you do it. I mean, these guys are giving their life week in and week out to go and play. I mean, you don’t know who’s coming (out on top). I just don’t get it. 

“But listen, the horse racing gambling kind of kicked back up a lot during COVID when other sports (were postponed). I think it’s great. I think it’s awesome. It’s funny, I was at the racetrack this weekend, and I was in the elevator with a father and his daughter. She was like 11 or 12, and she was having a ball there. She asked me, ‘Is there a horse you like in this race? And I said, ‘Why don’t you tell me which one looks the best? What name do you like?’ That’s how people bet. And she was just having the time of her life, seeing these majestic animals that get so well taken care of. So, yeah, I’d love for it to make a resurgence because I think it’s so much fun.”

Q: The Kentucky Derby is such a spectacle. You’re technical, and you’re into the ins and outs of horse racing. How do you feel about it when casuals come out to watch?

Jake Delhomme: “I enjoy it. People love to dress up and go to the event. And when they go, they’re like, ‘Oh, my gosh, these horses look unbelievable. Look how beautiful. And look at the silks the jockey wears and the grooms that bring them up.’ They’re showing off their child. And it’s funny. It’s innate in these horses. They want to compete. That’s what they want to do. And so that’s what I enjoy. I enjoy those big days because it gets people talking about it a little bit more. And I think we’re kind of going to more of these big premier days. Certainly, it’s huge overseas in England, Ireland, and all those places. And it’s awesome. It’s just such a wonderful sport. I just can’t speak highly enough about it.”