Channing Hill has built up a nice clientele over the time he's been here in NY. He gets the mounts he gets, even during the Spa meet, primarily because he works very hard, follows instructions (and knows when it's time to abandon them as well), listens, communicates, and is reliable and dependent in that you can get him back, and back again, and again, and so on. This jock is out every single morning, getting on as many horses as he can. He's also a very nice guy. Channing is more than competent and the stats don't tell the story (check out the % of horses he rides that are 10-1+, 15-1+ and 20-1+) -- and no he doesn't get bad horses, poorly spotted horses, etc. because he is a bad jock.
Also, going to Monmouth vs. coming to the Spa is a decision that has everything to do with Belmont. His agent (who is a very sharp guy and a very nice guy) is lining up his Belmont meet NOW during the Spa meet. He's already picked out horses he can get on, sees where certain horses will be placed, etc. You can't do that from Monmouth. If he's at Monmouth, he can't do anything but make some calls (no pun intended) and he can show up to Belmont on day one with an empty condition book. On this side of the game, like others, it's never as easy as it appears.
Eric
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