'Cookin' Wit Cat' -- Catalano Shares Barbecue Tips Ahead of Memorial Day Weekend

May 24, 2024 Kevin Kerstein

A 2023 survey from the Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association revealed that Memorial Day ranks as the third-most popular grilling day of the year, trailing only Fourth of July and Labor Day. To aid in the post-live racing cookouts this Monday evening, trainer Wayne Catalano offered expert tips for grilling the perfect ribs and chicken.

Catalano, known for sharing his favorite recipes on his X account @CATRacingStable, emphasized the importance of a “low and slow” approach when cooking ribs.

“Depending on what you’re using to cook ribs, you always want to make sure it’s low and slow,” Catalano said. “Even if you don’t break out the grill, you can put them in the oven for about an hour at 300 degrees. You really only need to season them with salt and pepper. The flavor is all in the meat. You’ll know they’re done when they bend.”

According to a 2023 USA Today article, chicken was the most searched barbecue recipe in North America. Catalano stated his essential ingredients for cooking the perfect barbecued chicken always includes Chef Paul Magic Seasoning and Stubb’s Chicken Marinade.

“I always keep Chef Paul’s around the kitchen for all of my cooking, not just chicken,” Catalano said. “Sometimes people will let their chicken marinade before cooking it. I’ve done it where I just season the chicken, cook it then pour the marinade over it after it’s already done. It’s delicious.”

While Catalano is never shy about diving into his recipe book, the veteran trainer is in hot pursuit of a major-career milestone. He began Friday just eight wins away from 3,000-career victories, a mark he’s had his eye on for several months.

“I won my first race as a jockey here at Churchill Downs 50 years ago on May 20, 1974,” said Catalano, who tallied a total of 1,972 trips to the winner’s circle in nine years as a rider. “We’re getting closer to 3,000 wins as a trainer. It will be a great accomplishment.”

Catalano had seven horses entered Saturday-Monday at Churchill Downs and Hawthorne.

DAZZLING BLUE TABBED AS 5-2 FAVORITE IN GRADE III, $250,000 WINNING COLORS – Juddmonte’s ultra-consistent 4-year-old filly Dazzling Blue, a stakes winner and multiple graded stakes-placed sprinter, was tabbed as the 5-2 morning line favorite as she’ll face 10 rivals that entered Monday’s 21st running of the $250,000 Winning Colors (Grade III), the featured race on a special Memorial Day card from Churchill Downs.

Run at six furlongs in Race 8, the Winning Colors field will go to post at 4:22 p.m. (all times Eastern). First post on the nine-race card is 12:45 p.m.

Dazzling Blue, trained by Churchill Downs’ Spring Meet leading trainer Brad Cox, made her seasonal debut one month ago when she was narrowly defeated by Zeitlos in the Roxelana Stakes, her first race in more than six months. As a 3-year-old, Dazzling Blue finished second to Maple Leaf Mel in the Victory Ride (GIII) at Belmont and third to Vahva and Alva Starr in the Raven Run (GII) at Keeneland. Jockey Florent Geroux, who has ridden Dazzling Blue in four of her seven-lifetime starts, will have the call in the Winning Colors from the outside post No. 11.

Here is the complete field for the Winning Colors from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds):

• Royal Spa (Ricardo Santana Jr., Rodolphe Brisset, 8-1)
• B G Warrior (Albin Jimnez, Hugo Andrade, 12-1)
• Clearly Unhinged (Joel Rosario, Steve Asmussen, 4-1)
• Miss Arlington (Jareth Loveberry, Brian Williamson, 20-1)
• Spirit Wind (Jose Ortiz, Saffie Joseph Jr., 3-1)
• Positano Sunset (Julien Leparoux, Ian Wilkes, 12-1
• Unsung Melody (Jaime Torres, John Ortiz, 20-1)
• Backyard Money (Gabe Saez, Wayne Lukas, 20-1)
• Happy Am I (Brian Hernandez Jr., Dallas Stewart, 8-1)
• Leeloo (Cristian Torres, Ignacio Correas IV, 15-1)
• Dazzling Blue (Geroux, Cox, 5-2)

Monday is Military Appreciation Day at Churchill Downs and all active and retired military members, with a valid ID, receive free General Admission Tickets. Gates open at 11:30 a.m. For tickets and more information, visit www.churchilldowns.com.

DOWN THE STRETCH – Friday’s nine-race card got underway at 12:45 p.m. The main track was listed as “sloppy” for the first three hours of training then upgraded to “muddy” following the 8:30 a.m. track renovation break. There was no turf racing following steady rainfall Thursday evening. … “Inside Churchill Downs” will resume Friday at 6 p.m. on ESPN 680/105.7. The one-hour broadcast, hosted by Churchill Downs’ Darren Rogers and Kevin Kerstein, will look back on the Preakness Stakes (GI) and preview the Saturday program at Churchill Downs with racing analyst and the voice of Ellis Park and Turfway Park, Tony Calo. Entries for Stephen Foster Preview Day, which takes place June 1, will be taken Saturday. The stellar 11-race card will feature six stakes events led by the $275,000 Arlington (Grade III), $275,000 Blame (GIII), $275,000 Regret (GIII) and $275,000 Shawnee (GIII). Also scheduled are the $275,000 Aristides (Listed) and $275,000 Audubon (Listed). For more information about racing from Churchill Downs, visit www.churchilldowns.com.