he has a magical eye for horses........

Jockeys dont keep horses from changing leads. A horse that changes leads in the stretch 5 times is a horse that has some issues. About the only thing that you can accurately glean from lead changes is that a horse that wont change or changes back to the wrong lead is probably hurting. Everything else is pretty much horse specific.

Rip Van Winkle

Kent D.

You're missing the point. MOST good jocks can keep horses on righty lead in the drive. If you watch enough races you realize that while horses do win when they don't change leads, they win even less when they stay on righty lead briefly, changing back lefty. This is because, obviously, they've gone around the turn lefty. Watching a few of Lezcano's rides makes it obvious that he not only is a very weak handler of horses when it counts, in the lane, but he's unable to keep them on righty lead. Clearly, there are horses that don't change leads or, even, more rarely, horses that change repeatedly. Typically, multiple changers are cheaper horses, mostly fillies, and sore horses. This isn't the case with Stevil. In fact, I believe that just about any other jock wins with Stevil last time out.

Is there an argument that maintaining the same lead, and thus continuity of stride, is a huge plus in winning a race? Your better jocks, those, in particular, that can finish well, excel at this. Your weaker finishers don't.

Any credibility gets lost with the inclusion of these names.

Do you believe in Santa everytime you see him on TV too?

Go to class.

Written in class. When do I get your job?

Co-sign.

All four win the Travers on Fly Down.

I made my first trip to Saratoga the first week in August. I can see why so many of you love the place. It's a very special track and a wonderful experience. I'm so glad I decided to go.

My very special moment came when I got to see Rachel in her stall. I recognized her very distinctive blaze and knew it was her. I'm thrilled I got to see her and especially at that moment. It was cool to see her chilled out in her stall munching on her hay like every other horse that morning.

Oh, and I got to meet Steve B. and Steve H. Not comparable to meeting Rachel but still exciting enough. ;)

All four would have found traffic.

David Flores? Are you on crack?

Simply not true at all.

The point is, when a furlong out on the wrong lead in a million dollar race, you at least try to get him on the right lead. There was not even an attempt to get him to switch leads, he should have won the race, theres no other way to put it.

And ill take my time to bump this thread when Lezcano is nowhere to be found on the NY circuit in 2 years.

Your "point" is debateable. Lezcano had a dreadful meet, no denying that. But he's hardly the rider that many are making him. People go through slumps. The funny thing is I didn't see anyone saying many negative things about his riding before this meet. He's 25 years old. He has his entire career ahead of him.

We'll see where he is two years.

Its a lose lose for him after this meet. I dont totally disagree with you that he might be OK, but even if he bounces back strong he is still not better then Ramon, JV, JC, JL, GG,AG, and at least a few others... Maybe Maragh, and thats just on that Fla-NY circuit. Is he even that much better then Corny or a guy like Cohen that Todd is throwing bones 2.

Lose lose? How so? He still rides for Zito, Chad Brown, Carlos Martin, Tom Proctor, etc. He had a bad...okay, really bad meet. No one is denying that. But to act like a 25 year old jock's career is over because of a bad meet is ridiculous.

Here are the stats for Gulfstream this past winter.

http://www.gulfstreampark.com/RACING...ll+Statistics/

Lezcano rode more winners than Velazquez, Garcia, maragh and Leparoux. He won at a rate of 18%. Leparoux was 13%.

Here are the stats for the Spring Belmont meet.

http://www.equibase.com/premium/eqbT...AT=J&STYLE=BEL

Lezcano won with 23% of his mounts and was 4th in wins despite riding many fewer horses than many of the top jocks.

Again, he had a bad meet. His career is far from over.

Wasn't getting my money enough?