Ateam great post. And I have to admit when I am wrong and at the end of last year I scoffed at Scuds notion that the guy blows chalk rides and told him that was nonsense. Scuds I apologize. After watching the guy ride closely the last 6 months I have concluded exactly that and what Ateam says.
The reason for it is that its become painfully obvious to me that Gomez does not do the prepatory work required to ride consistently at the very highest level. As Ateam said, you don't ride to beat Fabulous Strike when Songster is in the race. Hes also obviously a hothead in the saddle(I don't know him so I don't know anything at all about what he is like in real life, seems like a very nice guy to me who is respectful to everyone in that venue). The guy doesnt like being put in a box or trap by another rider and instead of just grabbing and going wide to get out of the trap, he gets intent on getting through as if proving a point to the guy who locked him in, I've witnessed this on more occasions than just the bizarre ride on Too Much Bling.
To be consistent like Edgar and Johnny at the very highest level of the game you must study the pp's and know who your competition is and how your opponents run and enter battle with some sort of plan a, plan b, and plan c. Its impossible to always have a plan because things happen all the time to screw up what should develop on paper. But that doesnt mean you just make things up as you go along. You have to plan out your rides and expect to be race ridden by your opponents.
I haven't seen a rider posess as much strength as Gomez( I bet he could bench press a volkswagen) since Chris Antley as a younger man, Antley was strong as an ox when he was young. I've seen Gomez seemingly carry a horse to the lead and been in total awe of some of his rides. Of course then he gets on a 4-5 shot in the next race and gets him locked on the rail in traffic when all he needs to do is stay clear and out of trouble. This guy is the single most frustrating rider I have ever seen in 23 years of following the sport, never seen anything even close to his Jekyl and Hide act. One minute you wanna erect a statue of the guy, an hour later you are wishing him painful hemmorhoids.
There isn't anyone alive who can convince me that he fails to read the DRF and do his homework. he just makes it up as he goes along. If he learns to keep his emotions in check while in the saddle and start learning how to study PP's and craft rides he has no boundaries. Thing is he is no spring chicken and you would think if he was ever gonna do those things he would have started already. Johnny and Edgar's prep work sets them aside from the rest, they always choose the right course of action if it is at all available to them.