I've been following Martin Garcia since I first realized he was the guy who once made a sandwich for me at the deli up the street, and then was on a horse I was looking at in the form.

I've been following thoroughbreds for 51 years. Started when my parents took me to the track at the age of 3. First thing I ever read aloud was the DRF, and THAT's a true story.

Martin Garcia has only been on thoroughbreds for about 60 months.

I've met him, and know as a fact he is a smart and intuitive guy. I do speak a good bit of albeit midwestern US learned Spanish.

I made pretty good money handicapping and wagering on Martin Garcia mounts when I realized he was a firestorm happening in the year he won a riding title over Russell Baze out here.

Martin Garcia is of course still on a learning curve at the top levels.

My only suggestion is to never get off betting a horse just because you doubt Martin Garcia.

If it's the horse's day to compete, Martin will find a way.

what I gathered was it would have been 42% of his total wins on the year, which seems to be correct. 44/105

Rupert,

Agree about Baffert not hesitating giving a jockey the boot, throughout his training career he has had a love hate relationship with his riders, he's one of the most outspoken trainer's in the game that will not hesitate switching things up at a drop of a hat. He has used Expinoza on and off, Flores, Smith, Solis, Gomez, he even replaced HOF jock Mccarron once, used Antley for a short time so it is inevitable that Martin Garcia's time will come; however as long as they have success together and Garcia continues to develop as a rider, and more importantly do the things that Baffert likes on the track he will continue to get the choice mounts from his stable. I liken it to what happened to Alan Garcia when he broke through when he became Kieran Mclaughlin's go to rider, he got his break with him, his profile grew and he has parlayed that into better mounts with other stables. Regardless here is what Baffert said of Garcia's ride yesterday and in particular losing ground.

"He broke fine and Martin eased him to the outside," Baffert said of the winner. "I knew we’d lose a little bit of ground, but that was the winning move.

“At the three-eighths pole, that’s when you know you’ve got a good horse because they’ll be pulling you. Martin was still sitting, but when he pushed the button, the horse really took off. You can’t make that move on synthetic, but on dirt it was the winning move. That’s really what I like to see -- running fast horses on fast tracks.

Fernando Jara could have been on been LAL yesterday and nothing would change.

That might be a stretch, remember his ride in the Donn when he was stopped cold but Invasor bailed him out BIG TIME.

Jara was a glorified sack of oats .. and not a very good judge of a lot of things - and yeah, Garcia is a little better than him I will admit ... but it doesn't take much to win on Caddy's.

If your hay is built on being the main rider in Baffert barn my advice would be not to get too comfortable and be very careful about flipping other trainers, what goes around comes around.

Javier Santiago was running #1 call for Baffert a few years back. How's he doing now?

Was he really first call? I thought the story was that he was a tall kid that Baffert stumbled upon/discovered in Puerto Rico and gave him a few mounts. I remember Santiago riding and winning a few races for him, but I think those were the days that Victor was his go to guy.

yes for about 8 weeks or so he was.

One difference though is that Martin Garcia has a meet riding title notch in his belt.

Albeit NorCal circuit.

But facts are facts, he bested the all time winning jockey in the world in that meet. Something rarely done in NorCal.

Take your Baze and NorCal shots all you want, and I'll agree on some.

But Martin Garcia is very solid jockey that I would put on any horse I ever own any day of the week.

If it's the horse's day, Martin will be in the thick of the finish line action.

For those who are saying Lookin at Lucky is just the best of a weak 3 year old crop, I'll offer THAT is EXACTLY what was said of Seattle Slew real time in 1977.

I'll wonder how things might have been if Martin Garcia was aboard Lookin at Lucky in the Santa Anita Derby and Kentucky Derby....


Martin has certainly gotten him nice routes in his Preakness and Haskell.

Come on.

Ridiculous.

I think the Giacamo crop was comparable to the 73 (3yo) crop, with Giacamo being the equal to the to the top one from that year.

Come on, you honestly think a mediocre Garcia would have won the Derby from the #1 hole? His Preakness and Haskell rides could have been duplicated by Barrington Harvey and been the same result, wide, premature moves against complete filth, that ride wouldn't have gotten close to Sidneys Candy. If anyone thinks Garcia is the reason Lucky has won his last two, than I have a bridge to sell, take away Baffert and Garca's numbers speak for themself. This whole thing is ridiculous, he's an average jock at best. Gomez has gotten a completely ridiculous rap here, I'd rather have him in a coma on my horse over Garcia, anyday of the week.

You are in luck then, because G. Gomez has been riding like he is in a coma the last few months.

And despite that he still outrides Garcia. Gomez is riding a lot of longshots at the elite meet in the world, Garcia is competing in short fields on Baffert caddies, take away Baffert and Garcia
would be spreading mayo on wheat.

Gomez may be a better rider at this stage of their careers, I will not argue that point. But in terms of the only thing that matters, results. Garcia has better results on Lookin at Lucky and has ridden him better than Gomez has, I think you would agree with this. If being a caddie was a forgone conclusion, Gomez would be riding Lookin At Lucky and for Baffert right now.

Garcia has yet to ride him on synthetic. Those trips he gave him would be 0 for 2 on the stuff Gomez had to ride him on. And I don't care about the KD because Jesus would have lost from the 1-hole there, assuming he could ride horses like he rationed bread.