California Racing
 

It's interesting that for the first time since Lafitte and Shoe Cali has the three best riders making their base out there at this time. Rosario, Bejarano and Gomez.

They also have 3 out of the 4 best trainers at the moment with Sadler, O'Neil and Dorf. ll they're missing is R. Dutrow.

The three best riders in the country are Rosario, Bejarano and Gomez? Really?
Where do Ramon Dominguez and Javier Castellano fit in?

You're obviously kidding about the second part, so I won't ask about that one. Funny though.

I'm a huge fan of Cali racing, and Rosario is definitely in the discussion, but I completely agree with Hossy - IMO Dominguez and Castellano would ride circles around GG and Bejarano. They are good riders that get top mounts...Talamo is just as talented as those two and would get his ass handed to him in the NY colony.

Maybe I'm missing something, and I really don't see enough day to day racing to be fair, but every time I see Rosario I am unimpressed. His ride in the Citation on Saturday was too bad for him to be considered one of the best riders in the country. He's young, and may well end up the best of the best, but I doubt he is right now.

Welcome.

I think Julien Leparoux is in the discussion, especially if you are talking turf and Synth.

Key phrase being "he's young"...At times he is brilliant, but there is still a good amount of immaturity.

I don't think it's really his 2nd post...cynic that I am.

None of the three best riders base in Cali right now, in addition to Dominguez and Castellano, John Velazquez is right there as well.

The three best jockeys? Is this a joke? Rosario might make it into the top 6 the other 2 maybe the top 10 if that. Top 3 would have to be Ramon, Javier and JV or Leparoux. I would barley have any of your 3 in the top 5. Trainers I wont even say anything your so far off its not even worth responding.

Put me in the camp that believes Rosario is overrated.

Rosario reminds me an awful lot of Dominguez when he was @ Delaware. He's young and granted makes his fair share of mistakes that you'd expect from a young jock, but he seems to possess that same uncanny ability to get horses to settle under him, coupled with a strong knowledge of race dynamics and placing his mount where he needs to be... Very few jocks actually have the ability to move a horse up, but I'd put all 5 in the discussion, with Rosario being the only Cali representative.

I have a love/hate thing with Leparoux although to be honest it's mostly hate. Not that I don't think he's a very talented rider, but I think his penchant for trying to turn many of the horses he rides into closers bothers me. But, this is what generally works on synth/turf, so there is a reason he rides like that.

He's like Pat Day part deux for me. When I bet him he just misses and when I don't he usually seems to beat me.

:tro:

Most shiny, new people on any horsie board don't start threads this quickly...

Dixie Porter back in the house?

I almost changed my avatar to Coaltown last night to see if i could get an answer to that.

Dixie is that you?

Am I the only one who thinks Johnny V is without question the best rider in the nation?

I agree. In order I would make it JV, Ramon, Javier, Leparoux and then I really dont know who else. I think those are the top 4 though.

Personally, even though I'm not a big fan of his, I think I would put Gomez in front of Javy and Frenchy on your little list there.

I think Hollywood Park did a good job with the card they offered thanksgiving weekend.

There has been a huge turnaround in Johnny since Saratoga 2010 I think. He is willing to save ground and get out of his comfort zone, especially on turf, and it has helped him immensely.

Look at his two winning rides at this year's Breeders' Cup. Prior to 2010 JV was notorious for mailing it in on longshots or horses who it seemed like he thought were overmatched. He'd do stupid things on them like send them to the lead when they had no speed or bury them with hopelessly wide trips. He rode Perfect Shirl incredibly well and his ride on Stephanie's Kitten was arguably better.

I like Garrett Gomez but he has become more inconsistent as the years have gone by and if not for a great 2010 Breeders' Cup he'd have had a career worst year. His experiment at Monmouth was a disaster, he was replaced aboard his top 3YO after the Derby, and he had a lower win percentage at Saratoga than Desormeaux, Garcia, Dominguez, Castellano, and Velazquez.

When the chips are down and you need a big ride, to me it's Johnny V.

FTFY

Ditto.

Gomez was but not latley. What has he done? I dont recall JV being replaced on Triple Crown horses..... I do recall JV winning 2 BC races this year, and the Derby.

That answers that. :D

Certainly not and the stats support his alleged ability and your opinion.

I just do not use stats or times in evaluating anything pertaining to this business.

The stats dont back anything up. The stats say he is one of the best. 2 BC wins and the Kentucky Derby. Thats just this year. Another big thing for him is that none of the wins I mentioned this year were for Todd. He branches out and still does well.

???????

I think I'm a little out of my depth on here.

Even if we dont call JV #1, to suggest that any of the 3 you mentioned from Cali are better then JV is silly in my opinion. JV is more accomplised then any of them and is still in the prime of his career.

This is so great. Like an early Christmas present.

Sorry it was so short buddy but I will not tolerate that dwarf's cheap shots and inaccurate posts that are nothing more than sick speculation.

I hear ya pal. Nothing worse than someone posting inaccurate stuff based on some sort of sick fantasy they have built up in their head.

Steve should ban him and beg you to stay. I'll call him now and try and put in a good word.

Nobody has mentioned Gerard Melancon.

Good luck with that if you are not being sarcastic. Either way I wish you well.

Unfortunately I do not know if you have a history with that mutt.

Steve's a good guy when it's all said and done. He takes a lot of bad raps and the guy is just trying to earn a living.

I'm serious my good man. I called Steve but he was too busy going through the dictionary looking for more words to use to confuse that other mutt GPK. I'll let you know if I get anywhere with this.

:tro::tro:

I never said that I would put him ahead of JV, but if I had to choose between Gomez, Julien and Javy, I would take Gomez. Even though it seemed that he had a below par year, I still think that he's a big race rider.