Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind (Post 869794)

I love when Vic copies the same post on multiple message boards. It makes me, the reader, feel special.

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind (Post 869846)

It's also pretty interesting that Vic conveniently left Richard Migliore's West Coast success out of his argument. I guess when you are knocking Hall of Famers that ventured West when the majority of board members weren't even born yet, it's easy to dismiss the efforts and successes of one of the true good guys in this industry, especially when it happened just a few years ago. Why applaud the truly deserving when you can unfairly besmirch the achievements of others.

Originally Posted by ateamstupid (Post 869854)

I liked the part where he implied that California has stiffer competition in its jockey colony than NY. An absolute gem of myopic hysteria from the king himself.

Originally Posted by v j stauffer (Post 869856)

Where did I imply that?

Originally Posted by pointman (Post 869857)

Fair point. You actually flat out stated it.

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie (Post 869859)

Four pages of posts about a stupid person from a profession loaded with stupid people, making perhaps a really stupid decision?

Woah.

Originally Posted by Alabama Stakes (Post 869841)

Rosario will be the leading rider at Saratoga. Y'all forget about the most important thing....hosses run for him. He's damn good.

Originally Posted by v j stauffer (Post 869858)

Show me the quote. Us myopic whatever's sometimes lose track since we're always thinking of ourseleves.

Originally Posted by v j stauffer (Post 869791)

Not a move I would advise. He's 6th in the nation in earnings. That with having a very quiet last 30 days because of chasing the Triple Crown, sadly having to attend to his brother and suspensions.

Not sure what the desired goal would be. Top 5 in the nation in total earnings? Already there. Live Triple Crown mounts? Already there. Breeders' Cup Prospects? Already there. Has won two.

Here's the thing. He's dominant in California. Something that is VERY VERY hard to accomplish. For some reason riders from back east with equal talent have tried it out here and failed. Never understood why but many have crawled home with their tail between their legs.

Also riding here is about 50,000 times easier logistically than bouncing around back east. Saratoga? Of course. What about the winter? Aqueduct ( inner ) don't think so for a kid from the Dominican. Keeneland? Sure. Will have build relationships. Gulfstream? Sure. Same story there.

California on the other hand is Valhalla for a guy that has his business. Fantastic weather year round. Live in the same house all but 7 weeks when somehow he has to endure a condo on a San Diego beach.

His morning work here is a total piece of cake. Breeze your stakes horses. Help out at Sadler's and a couple of marquee barns and kick around the backside politicing and visiting. Take some mornings off ( not an option at Belmont ) and ride nothing but 6/5 shots.

He and Bejarano are friends. More importantly their agents work together to freeze out other riders and keep the business in the top two family. VERY IMPORTANT! Also not possible back east.

I understand when you're young and super talented new adventures seem exciting. I say try river rafting, bungee jumping or of course musicals.

There's a certain little girl with Ruby slippers that said it best. And she was from Kansas for crying out loud. Not the paradise that So. Cal is.

Don't do it Joel.

Originally Posted by paulo537 (Post 869876)

Ok.

For 2012, through May, Rosario is 4th in Graded wins behind JRV, Castellano and Ramon D.

For 2011:

Rank/Jockey/ Tot Graded Wins/ (G1-G2-G3) Graded Stakes W%

1, Velasquez/32/(7,5,15)/ 13%
2. Dominguez/27/(10,5,12)/ 8%
3. Castellano/26/(11,8,7)/ 9%
4. Rosario/ 25/(9-8-8)/ 9%

Other Graded win %'s for the rest of the top 10:

Bejarano 9%
Gomez 15%
Garcia 13%
Lezcano 10%
Leparoux 7%
Maragh 10%

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord (Post 869880)

Kerwin John rode regularly at Mountaineer Park in 2002 and 2003 and was a 3% jockey there. You could have taken a poll of trainers asking to rate the top 20 jockeys at MNR and no one would have named Kerwin.

The very next year - Kerwin John finished 8th in the standings at Del Mar and had more wins and a higher win percentage than a very accomplished jockey like Mike Smith (who also moved East to West) Kerwin was 6th in the standings at Hollywood Park.

Kerwin went from a 3% win percentage and having no luck finding a decent mount anywhere in West Virginia in 2003 - to having three mounts on the Breeders Cup card in 2004.

One of them, Island Fashion, was like 5/1 or so in the $2 million BC Distaff off her win in the Lady's Secret last out. He was a nobuddy in West Virginia and Ohio -- and in a snap of a finger -- he's winning Grade 1 races and live on the Breeders Cup card.

It's all about opportunity and fashion. When these guys without much ability finally fall out of favor - they tank. Just as a guy without an ounce of ability will put up big surprisingly strong numbers if they stumble into opportunity.

Originally Posted by Dahoss (Post 869911)

He made John Grabowski look like Cordero.

Originally Posted by Dahoss (Post 869911)

I remember Kerwin John riding at Finger Lakes before Mountaineer. He made John Grabowski look like Cordero.

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord (Post 869925)

John Grabowski -- "The Polish Rifle"