I believe I remember this day, it was on Blue Grass Day/Wood Memorial Weekend 2004, also Artie Schiller won an allowance against older horses that day as well...

Silver Train didn't come out well. Thats the difference here, something I guess you can't grasp.
Obviously had Songster not come out well according to Tom, before his dreadful perforomance agaisnt Henny, I would not have held it against him or anyone.
Perhaps you aren't in the business, but I can tell you that no trainer can help a horse getting banged up in a race or injured.
Gomez is guilty of serious judgement lapses like the one on this thread far more often than any jock of his talent level alive. If you don't like that its demonstrated, thats too bad.
Greatness while consistent is always appreciated more than greatness that zigs and zags. Just ask Arod.:)

Wrong, Arties allowance win came on Derby Day 2004. I'm quite sure of this because the pik-6 paid 94 grand that day.:) Two guys I know were quite pleased about that day!!!!

We're you even around last year, or the past years? You must be new to the group. Most of us from the ESPN Board heard nothing but Bailey bashings, and no praises on anybody whatsoever. Now he's retired. Then the Gomez is a GOD threads started, then it was time to take him down. Which goes on and on and on and on. Trust me, it hasn't even come close to how much we heard about Jerry Bailey blown rides. But the Bailey bashers is not even here. Still the Bailey bashing pretty much equates on the same acceptance as Gomez is getting. Some agree and some disagree.

Da Hoss you should also note that my last Gomez knocking post was in mid to late August. Its not like its a weekly thing.
But I watch races, its what I do. And some of the great rides he gives are noted by me, but in my life watching races I've never seen such a Jekyll and Hyde as he is. One race he looks like Arcaro, the next like a ten pound bug. Its not a 50-50 mix, don't get me wrong. But the other big three don't give rides like that, not once a year.

You got me!

You are right, I remember that now, I was at River Downs that day, now that I remember it, I would have been at Keeneland on Blue Grass Day...That's the day I scared Shane Sellers to death at Furlongs after the races...

Silver Train has thrown in bad races before. Just not at Belmont. I hope hes okay, just a marvelous horse.

Any idea when during the race this happened? Obviously something was very amiss.

Look, you don't get it. Leparoux got boxed in that race, I don't think you understand the game. Leparoux saved ground that day and simply couldn't get through. They shut him off in the lane, I just don't see that as tragic. he didn't form a plan at the start of the race to get himself locked in down the lane.
You are really missing it here, totally. Gomez is the strongest jock alive, no doubt about it. Hes also agile. But hes so stupid. That ride I've shown you here, don't you see the difference?!!!!!!!! HE CHOSE TO DO WHAT HE DID!!! Nobody forced him into a bad spot, he chose to take one. He does it very often, and YES that makes him inconsistent.
I'm sorry but getting locked in with a closer, well thats unavoidable. YOu really aren't getting the difference at all. Sometimes racing luck lands you in a bad spot, like happy Ticket. Anyone who would criticize Garret for that ride is a moron. He had poor racing luck early, and his only chance was to try to get through that hole. No problem with that. But you can't seem to distinguish the difference between a roach like Pulpiteer(which is why hes still a maiden!!!) witha lack of speed getting locked in, and a guy standing up and grabbing a speed horse so hard to dead last after breaking great, that the track announcer uses the word wrangled. The fact that you wer reluctant to identify that ride initially as as bad as it was, tells me you must just worship the guy and be blinded to its horrendousness.
You won't see any posts on me knocking guys who get locked in a jam on closers in tight big fields, its gonna happen.

Once again, its not about differing. You are the ONLY guy who saw that race who thinks it wasn't horrendous ok? Thats fine.
But if you feel the need to run to his defense even after he gives a butcher job like that? I dunno what to say.
You find it odd that anyone who saw the race questions if he was stiffing or just plain incredibly stupid except you? Its not about anything else but that ride, and I just don't see how you could defend it, that ride.

Next time he gives a butcher job you will read about it, but only when he gives one. I guess I have to show the inconsistency and display it.

No problem. I'm on it.
:)

To read this board, one would think that Gomez is the worst rider in the country and the only guy that ever gives bad rides. Thats what i think is really funny.

These trainers are all idiots i tell you. Idiots. Anyone wanna bet that Gomez gets another Violette mount before the meet is out? Surely after that "butcher job" a trainer as good as violette would find someone else to ride his horses. No?

Why do these trainers consistently put a guy up that is so wildly inconsistent? Can ANYONE answer that question?

hes good.
a very good big race rider.
but he makes mistakes, and probably more than most other top echelon riders.
thats all anyone is saying I think.

I know this,
I want him on my horse on Breeders Cup day over just about anyone besides PVal or Bejerano.
but on Thursday afternoon at Belmont? well, I'd just assume have Coa or another capable jock.


Repent

Hey, thats fair. I respect that. I dont agree as far as more than most top echelon riders but thats a fair way to put it and i respect that opinion.

As far as thursday afternoon at Belmont, I think i would rather have Coa than ANY other jockey. Either him or Cornelio.