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Jessica Paquette, long-time handicapper at Suffolk Downs and most recently Sam Houston, will make her debut at Colonial Downs this summer. She replaces Merv Huber, who is unable to travel to Colonial Downs this season, but will stay on as morning line odds maker and provide guest analysis.

“I've heard the Secretariat Turf Course is the best grass surface in the country, and it's my favorite kind of racing,” Paquette said. “Being able to talk about beautiful pedigrees on a great grass course just lights my soul on fire. Turf is a much more specific surface than dirt. Some horses will love it and some will only take to that specific course.”

Since Suffolk closed, Paquette served as on-camera handicapper for the Sam Houston Thoroughbred meet this past winter. In a Covid-pandemic environment, she performed the job remotely, from a studio she set up in her closet. And in March, she became the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation's Director of Communications & the Annual Fund. The position allows her to work from home in the Northern Shore of Massachusetts where she owns two off-track Thoroughbreds.

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Jimmy McNerney, Ellis Park's announcer who also does the morning line and race selections for the program, is resuming his role as pre-race analyst from his booth. Rocco O'Connor, the paddock analyst the past two years, has left horse racing.

McNerney also is the race-caller at Turfway Park during the winter and a top jockey agent at Indiana Grand. He believes having a bird's-eye view of so many races helps him in his handicapping.

“I think I have unique insight just from my other duty as announcer,” said McNerney, who had been the Ellis broadcast analyst several years ago and also holds that position at Turfway Park. “Not that other people can't see it on replays, but I do catch stuff. I watch the horses on the gallop-out, whereas the normal replay stops and goes back to odds or slow-mo finish. I can see them galloping out. I watch all that stuff, really critique a race. When I prepare, I watch the last couple of replays of most horses, not only for handicapping purposes but I do it also because sometimes you need the pronunciation of a name. Probably being an announcer gives me a little more insight.

“And I'm so close to all those people down there that I have a lot of insight with the local horsemen. I know how horses are training. I hope I can bring a little more educated angles.”

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