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Originally Posted by DaHoss9698
Come on Rupert, that ride by Kent D. in the Sword Dancer was awful. It wasn't his first time on the horse, and RG has always struck me as a horse who does his best making one run, ala the Manhatten this year, and Canadian Int'l last year. He didn't take back in the early stages, then wrestled him back 5 furlongs in, I think he took out the fight in the horse by doing it. I think he would have been better off staying with the pace, or taking back at the beginning of the race.
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I don't think he really tried to go to the lead. There was no pace and he ended up on the lead. That was fine because I believe the horse has gone wire to wire before. Anyway, when someone challenged him for the lead going into the clubhouse turn, he took back and let the other horse have the lead. That was the smart thing to do. It's not as if they were at the 3/8 pole. If someone comes outside of you at the 3/8 pole, they pretty much force your hand. Even if you wanted to wait a little longer before asking your horse, your hand is forced if someone is starting to pass you. It's a totally different story going into the clubhouse turn. It's not too late to take back at that point. If someone else wants the lead, I would let them have it every time. The last thing you want is to go head and head the entire race. You have very little chance if you do that.
Anyway, Relaxed Gesture had no real excuses for the most part. He got into a little traffic trouble on the far turn. That was the only excuse he had. He was not the best horse that day and there was no way he was going to win the race. You guys should stop blaming Desormeaux and admit you bet the wrong horse. I have no problem criticizing a jockey if he makes a mistake and costs his horse the race but that was not the case with Relaxed Gesture.
It's ironic that as well as Victor Espinoza rode yesterday, he actually cost his horse the race in the finale yesterday. I had no action on the race but I did watch it. Victor moved much too soon and opened up at the 3/16 pole only to get run down and lose by less than a length. Now that was a bad ride.