John R. Velazquez

[Linny]

They all make mistakes. JV may have made a mistake on EC but the fact remains that the Pletcher barn is winning at 12% this meet, rather than 25% and that is a significant stat. JV rides first call for Todd and if Todd is leaning to running in a given spot, it's assumed that he has the call. If Todd's horse doesn't go, JV may end up sitting out. If it does go, he's (statistically) not as likely sitting on a "live mount" as he was last year.
That JV has won as many as he has with Todd being cold is testament to his skills and Angel's as well.

[GPK]

Originally Posted by Linny

They all make mistakes. JV may have made a mistake on EC but the fact remains that the Pletcher barn is winning at 12% this meet, rather than 25% and that is a significant stat. JV rides first call for Todd and if Todd is leaning to running in a given spot, it's assumed that he has the call. If Todd's horse doesn't go, JV may end up sitting out. If it does go, he's (statistically) not as likely sitting on a "live mount" as he was last year.
That JV has won as many as he has with Todd being cold is testament to his skills and Angel's as well.

That is kind of the point of this thread. He is making FAR more mistakes and not riding nearly as well as he has in the past.

[Linny]

I think that overall, he's riding on par with before but is, overall, sitting on far fewer "live" mounts. You can get away with far more when you are sitting on "much the best" horse.

[GPK]

Originally Posted by Linny

I think that overall, he's riding on par with before but is, overall, sitting on far fewer "live" mounts. You can get away with far more when you are sitting on "much the best" horse.

Thats the beauty of different opinions.

I happen to agree with others on here in that he is not riding anywhere near was well as normal. I tend to think the Keen spill and the couple of falls this meet have him a bit shy.

[deltagulf]

the spills and a
its cause todds horses aren't winning.

so j.v. is doing as good as tood.

todd is winning at 12 %.

[DJK]

I suspect he was riding with bruises on top of bruises ... which I'm sure had to affect him, at least physically.

[PSH]

JV now an average rider at NYRA?
Let me preface with saying i had a large exacta wager in the nightcap at Saratoga with Gomez on top who won for fun and JV in second who got in traffic and once he weaved his way out could not get up for second place. I understand riders get in traffic all the time but clearly he was on the second best horse and clearly he made a bad call by settling behind horses and not going wide to get second. Also, i realize his book relies on Pletcher who has been ice cold for Pletcher this meet. But, clearly he is not the same rider that he used to be and has fallen behind Gomez, Prado, Kent D., Dominguez and probably one or two others.

Sad but true?