Won a Derby.
End of story.

Same with jockeys too? You'd rather be Calvin Borel than Garret Gomez?

Calvin isn't exactly a slouch when it comes to purse money, so yes.

To each his own. I would rather do great all the time rather than be mediocre most of the time and have one big moment.

I wouldn't call Gomez's riding "great all the time." That's for sure...

Would you rather be Jeter or A-Rod?

Calvin is far from a mediocre jockey. Take away the woman problems he's had throughout his career and you could make a case that he's one of the top 20 jocks in the game.

He's the leading rider in the country for the second year in a row. If he's not a great rider, I'd like to know who is. He is doing great all the time. He's winning millions in purses every single month. I bet he doesn't have a single month where his mounts earn less than $1 million.

You guys are a tough crowd. You guys are very hard to please. Even being the best in the country is not good enough for you. I hope you're not that hard on yourself. If you got an "A" on a test, would you be upset if you got 98% but not 100%?

I used to be a huge baseball fan years ago but I'm really not any more. I know both of those guys are great players but I really don't know enough about their numbers to give an opinion. From what I do know, I would have to think that's it's a pretty close call.

I don't really think comparing those two guys is like comparing Pletcher to Shirreffs. Pletcher's horses are making over $20 million a year. Shireffs' horses probably make closer to $3 million a year. I think there is a much bigger gap between Pletcher and the other trainers than there is between Jeter and A-Rod.

If he's Top 20, that is certainly very good. But there is still a huge difference between being #20 and being #1.

Yes. :o

With that said, not knocking Gomez, but he has had his fair share of questionable rides.

Nobody is perfect. Tiger Woods has bad tournaments sometimes. But overall, these guys are the best. Over the course of the year, they are consistently the best. That's what it means to be the best. It doesn't mean that they are perfect. It doesn't mean that they don't make mistakes. It just means that over the course of the entire year, they are better than everyone else.

By the way, I find it hard to believe that you would be upset if you got 98% on a test in college.

If I got a 98% on a test, the red sea usually parted at the exact same time and that meant I could take the next month off of school :)

I would rather never have a Derby starter and have a stable half as good as Pletcher/Frankel.

And I would rather be in Gomez's shoes on a bad day than Calvin's on a good one.

It's tough to choose between being in Gomez or Borel's shoes. One taste of the yay and Gomez is broke again. If you choose to be in Borel's shoes you get that Cajun drawl and love your mama a little more than most would. :D

I agree 100%.

I don't know the numbers off hand, but how many Derby starters did Whittingham have? What is his win percentage in the Derby vs. Pletcher?

My memory is not good, but The Bald Eagle did not ship East unless he knew he had a big shot.

And run 6th, 8th, 9th, 16th, and 20th? No thanks.

Why?? Money isn't everything. The guy was one of the leading riders in Kentucky, and has been for quite a while. He does QUITE well for himself. He also has something that Gomez (and all other jockeys) would kill for, a win in the Kentucky Derby.

Ask John Velazquez whether he'd rather have his riding title from Saratoga or a win in the Kentucky Derby, and I guarantee the answer would be the Derby.

i bet pletcher would give up a lot of those millions and riding titles to have derby win next to his name. history is kind to those who win the big ones. and as the years go by, the pressure will only mount.
is it fair? maybe not. but it's the way it is. even those who know nothing, care nothing, about horse racing have heard of the derby. it's the race. and the longer todd goes without, the more he'll want it. those who win all, set records, have legions of fans, admit that the big one is the one that means the most. the superbowl for football, the world series, the daytona 500, and the kentucky derby....

and the July 4th Nathans World Championship Hot Dog eating Contest:D