Edgar Prado's Book

[the_fat_man]

I think, right now, Kent D is the top jock in the country. With any number of others possibly in the top five. I particularly like the way Dominguez rides and, lately, Maragh. Any of the top jocks can get a mount home. All of them, including Kent D, have major weaknesses and can screw up a race bigtime.

I appreciate Kent for a number of reasons:

1) He's the most articulate of the jocks when it comes to discussing trips. At least, with him, I get the sense that he understands pace and HOW he's supposed to ride. He understands that the way to take the turn on a horse going into the pace is SLOWLY, as bidding all out on the turn spells certain defeat. He doesn't do this as consistently as I'd want, unfortunately, but he does it enough to where I can appreciate his fine rides and 'understand' his screwups. As an example: his most recent ride on Stormy West. Clearly, she's best in the race but by sending her he nicely takes all the sprinters out of the race and is able to hold the lone closer off.

2) He's an extremely talented 'handler' of horses, being able to easily handle horses other jocks struggle with and is probably the least abusive of the jocks other than Dominguez (with Maragh right up there as well.) So, he's able to handle the very headstrong Sharp Susan, while Castro and Cornelio feel the need to fight were her as if it were a personal thing. Most recently, look at his ride on Remarkable Remy (2 races back) and compare it with Cornelio's the race before. Kent is not only stronger, thus being able to restrain her easier but he's much smoother or 'quiet' in doing so.


But this all means nothing. While I absolutely loathe certain jocks, I'd still bet them if I thought they fit a particular horse OR if the price was right. Well, with the exception of Ariel Smith; I wouldn't bet that hack under any circumstances.

This game sucks in that every possible way to lose seems to be in play in very race. It's a fulltime job to keep from tripping yourself up.