Overrated Jockeys

[SCUDSBROTHER]

Like I said,the guy put in a bad ride when I needed a good ride.He let me down,and I don't expect others to feel the same(about him) until he lets them down.It is as simple as that.If somebody rides poorly for you,then you care,and not before that.I understand that you don't give a sht about the ride on Bling.Most people don't care about rides until it keeps them from winning.I disagree with you about trainers though(they edit themselves hugely as far as public consumption concerning rides.) Most of them are too scared to even give a jock instructions.Almost every instance that I see an interview of a trainer before a race(when asked about where they want the horse to be in a race,)they say "I leave that up to my rider." If your saying a trainer has to say a jock gave a bad ride(before you consider it a bad ride,)then there aren't gunna be very many bad rides.They change jocks when they don't like a ride.I have heard Baffert complain more about less established type riders(Santiago,and some apprentices,)but not much about the main riders he uses.

[SCUDSBROTHER]

According to you,every jock on a horse breaking from the 1 hole (in one turn races) now has an iron clad excuse (if they lose.)Just can't be expected to win from there at all.Way too hard for a jockey to make decisions that will lead to a victory from there."Roll of the dice" ...."pray"

[ateamstupid]

I gotta agree with Scuds on this one.

Not that it was a terrible ride by Gomez, but that when you're on a chalk (or any horse that looks good on paper), you have to ride differently than if you're on a wild longshot. Prado knows who he has to beat in that situation, and it ain't Fabulous Strike.

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

I gotta agree with Scuds on this one.

Not that it was a terrible ride by Gomez, but that when you're on a chalk (or any horse that looks good on paper), you have to ride differently than if you're on a wild longshot. Prado knows who he has to beat in that situation, and it ain't Fabulous Strike.

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.

[SentToStud]

Fact is, you can't ride any pure speed horse from the inside the same way you can from an outside post. Doesn't matter if it's at 4/5 or 45-1. If you're outside you can break a half-step slow or choose to lay just off with still a clear path ahead of you. From the inside, no "in-race" options allowed. You either send hard or decide VERY quickly to tug and go around. I doubt TMB would have been good enough to go around Songster that day. I also thought Gomez was indecisive and laying about 1/2 off the top two down the back killed any chance he had. The only other explanation is that TMB just didn't run to his capability that day.

Originally Posted by SentToStud

Fact is, you can't ride any pure speed horse from the inside the same way you can from an outside post. Doesn't matter if it's at 4/5 or 45-1. If you're outside you can break a half-step slow or choose to lay just off with still a clear path ahead of you. From the inside, no "in-race" options allowed. You either send hard or decide VERY quickly to tug and go around. I doubt TMB would have been good enough to go around Songster that day. I also thought Gomez was indecisive and laying about 1/2 off the top two down the back killed any chance he had. The only other explanation is that TMB just didn't run to his capability that day.

This is more or less what I have been trying to say. Yeah Gomez has his share of bad rides like everyone else, but there is no denying the man is immensly talented. I just think this was a case more or circumstance than anything he did. I also think Baffert might have told Gomez to sit, or maybe they both came up with that, like with Behaving Badly, because in watching the replay he obviously takes a hold. I'm with you when you say that for TMB to swing 3 wide he wasn't going to run down Songster, who is a improving quality colt. Lets also not forget that Belmont, as usual on big racing days was a drag strip, and it was very difficult to pass horses. Songster got a perfect trip, and capitalized on it.

[SCUDSBROTHER]

Gomez will probably always be the best 7/2 jock,but I can't single the guy ever again on a chalk(no matter how deserving.)That is my point here(I just can't trust this guy to elude trouble while on the best horse.)