Mike Smith - hot and cold
 

Big Money Mike Smith... What was that ride on Abel Tasman? Better yet, was he so exhausted from the travel to Charles Town that he couldn't be bothered to ride out to the wire in a 300k race?

Maybe Abel Tasman was simply a workout? No one could think launching from were he did on the PARX rail was a move that could win.

Watched Cotillion with Baffert who is now a little concerned how to solve the Abel Tasman quandary of breaking slow and rushing full throttle into contention. Said once she gets going the way she did, she becomes hard to handle, so he understands Smith just having to let her roll.

Will see what he thinks tomorrow 11:30 on ATR including consideration of F&M Sprint v. Distaff.

Smith is a $$ rider that can get a little more out of many horses, but he basically goes two ways...last to first, or first to first. If he's stuck in between, you'll see some odd rides.

Just my opinion and I'm sure I'll get roasted for it.

I think he had the best horse by far in that race and could have waited. However I'm 45 years from being jockey so who knows but think
It was s bad ride

I'm convinced that to be a jockey that you have to secretly fail a test that finds out your intelligence.

Any really good rides are purely accidental.

It's ridiculous to label Smith doing what he could under the scenario of Abel Tasman running off as 'a bad ride'.

I agree I wasn't aware Money Mike had no control of the situation.

It's probably more ridiculous to defend it.

Right.. Because horses are race cars that can be controlled with brakes and a steering wheel.

You aren't really going to start with all the clichés, are you?

The ride was poor. So was the ride in the CCA Oaks.

He is not the first to find out about a dead rail the hard way. He adjusted andmade sure West Coast was out there in the 4 path. I think the plan was probably blow by them and get outside for the stretch run. If you bet on Abel Talisman were you saying ....no mike no! ? Or were you thinking... wow what a filly ?

I just don't count reacting to her running off as a ride decision..

But, Baffert did say something just now that was interesting which was Smith thought afterwards he might have been better off staying wide then taking the opening inside which particularly set her off..

Wouldn't a runoff go and take the lead by 3-4+ lengths? Why do his "runoffs" only hustle to just near the lead and barely in the clear?

God this is silly.