Gomez Leading Standings at Saratoga But...

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by ArlJim78

Didn't we have some bold predictions some time back regarding how bad Gomez would stink up the place at Saratoga? How all the regular east coast riders would do nothing but school him each day? And that when Johnny V came back for Pletcher, Gomez would sink like a stone amongst the leaders?

I vaguely remember a post or two alone these lines.

Yes, you are correct. There were a few posters on here that were saying how poorly Gomez would do in New York and how JV and the others would school him. I told them they were completely wrong. I feel somewhat vindicated since Gomez is leading the standings at Saratoga but I don't feel totally vindicated because I know that Gomez can ride far better than he's been riding. If he starts riding his best, I think he will totally dominate in NY. I want people to see him at his best so they will know how good he really is. When he gets into "the zone", he is absolutely spectacular.

[ArlJim78]

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin

Yes, you are correct. There were a few posters on here that were saying how poorly Gomez would do in New York and how JV and the others would school him. I told them they were completely wrong. I feel somewhat vindicated since Gomez is leading the standings at Saratoga but I don't feel totally vindicated because I know that Gomez can ride far better than he's been riding. If he starts riding his best, I think he will totally dominate in NY. I want people to see him at his best so they will know how good he really is. When he gets into "the zone", he is absolutely spectacular.

Well no one stays in "the zone" all the time. Even if he's not at his best like you say, he's shown that he's one of the best around. What's funny to me is that I never paid much attention to him until I started reading the posts about how horrible and inconsistent he was. After paying more attention, I began to realize how good he really is.

After the ride he gave in the 9th race today you have a hell of a lot of nerve trying to tell me this guy is anything but stupid. He may be lucky but that will run out, either that or he will head back to rehab. Anyone who wants to see a very sick joke should watch the replay of Gomez' ride on #7 Milwaukee in the Waya today at the Spa. I watched with another Derby trailer and he was even more sickened than I was. By the way, Johnny schooled that junkie very nicely in the last race today!!!

[Gander]

Anyone see the ride Edgar Prado gave Shared Dreams in the feature today?
Now that was one of the better rides I have seen this meet.

Originally Posted by Gander

Anyone see the ride Edgar Prado gave Shared Dreams in the feature today?
Now that was one of the better rides I have seen this meet.

Tim, Edgar is very lucky that Gomez was on the 7. If even a ten pound apprentice had ridden the 7 she would have won under wraps. You absolutely have to see this ride to believe how awful it was, it was so bad that I cannot do it justice with words.

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by oracle80

After the ride he gave in the 9th race today you have a hell of a lot of nerve trying to tell me this guy is anything but stupid. He may be lucky but that will run out, either that or he will head back to rehab. Anyone who wants to see a very sick joke should watch the replay of Gomez' ride on #7 Milwaukee in the Waya today at the Spa. I watched with another Derby trailer and he was even more sickened than I was. By the way, Johnny schooled that junkie very nicely in the last race today!!!

Yes, I saw that race. What was unbelievable was that the race was 1 1/2 miles and the horse was in trouble for over 1 3/8 miles. But it had nothing to do with stupidity. No jockey wants to be in tight, checking the entire race. It was just one of those things where everything went wrong. The fact that the filly was a little rank and pilling the whole time had a lot do with it.

Sometimes it's simply bad luck when a jockey gets into trouble. But obviously the bad jockeys tend to get into more trouble than the good jockeys. When you see the same jockey always getting into trouble, you have to think that there is a problem. I'm not sure why Gomez has been getting into so much trouble this year. Last year he always seemed to avoid trouble.

[DiscreetCat=Monster]

Odds are all jacked up now that everyone is on his jock, I used to score on him when he 1st went to so cal before the problems he had.

[Gander]

He actually seems to ride better on 3/1 to 5/1 shots than he does on heavy chalks.

[PSH]

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin

Yes, I saw that race. What was unbelievable was that the race was 1 1/2 miles and the horse was in trouble for over 1 3/8 miles. But it had nothing to do with stupidity. It was just one of those things where everything went wrong. No jockey wants to be in tight checking the entire race.

Sometimes it's simply bad luck when a jockey gets into trouble. But obviously the bad jockeys tend to get into more trouble than the good jockeys. When you see the same jockey always getting into trouble, you have to think that there is a problem. I'm not sure why Gomez has been getting into so much trouble this year. Last year he always seemed to avoid trouble.

That race cost me the Pick 4...
Ugghhh

PSH

[ateamstupid]

On a semi-related note, does anyone want to tell me what Prado was doing on Chattahoochee War in today's 8th? Inside, outside, inside, outside.. Let's go Edgar, make a decision.

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin

Yes, I saw that race. What was unbelievable was that the race was 1 1/2 miles and the horse was in trouble for over 1 3/8 miles. But it had nothing to do with stupidity. No jockey wants to be in tight, checking the entire race. It was just one of those things where everything went wrong. The fact that the filly was a little rank and pilling the whole time had a lot do with it.

Sometimes it's simply bad luck when a jockey gets into trouble. But obviously the bad jockeys tend to get into more trouble than the good jockeys. When you see the same jockey always getting into trouble, you have to think that there is a problem. I'm not sure why Gomez has been getting into so much trouble this year. Last year he always seemed to avoid trouble.

Rupert thats just an incredibly crazy thing to say. I mean, you really think its just "bad luck" that the horse was in trouble for for a mile and 3/8 but it wasnt the dirty little junkie's fault? It was just bad luck? The sooner that disgusting little junkie goes back to rehab the better off we will all be. You don't EVER see Prado or Velazquez giving a ride like that. That ride should go straight to the hall of fame across the street for worst rides ever by a junkie, oops I meant jockey.

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by oracle80

Rupert thats just an incredibly crazy thing to say. I mean, you really think its just "bad luck" that the horse was in trouble for for a mile and 3/8 but it wasnt the dirty little junkie's fault? It was just bad luck? The sooner that disgusting little junkie goes back to rehab the better off we will all be. You don't EVER see Prado or Velazquez giving a ride like that. That ride should go straight to the hall of fame across the street for worst rides ever by a junkie, oops I meant jockey.

The mare was pretty much rank the entire race. When you have a horse than is rank and pulling in a 12 horse field, you are going to have problems. I'm not going to hold Gomez totally blameless because this type of thing has been happening to him more than it should. When it happens once or twice, it can be bad luck. When it happens over and over again, you start to wonder.

By the way, I don't know if she would have won the race with a clean trip. She flattened out badly and really shortened stride the final 100 yards. I'm not so sure she would have won with a clean trip.

With regard to your contention that Velasquez schooled Gomez in the final race, I strongly disagree. If anything, it was the other way around. JV's horse was running really well on his right lead and striding out nicely. Gomez' horse was was taking these short strides on his left lead and wouldn't switch leads. I was shocked that the race ended up being so close. It was incredible that Gomez kept that horse going so long as badly as the horse was being outrun. I can pick the winner at the 1/8th pole about 90% of the time in these situations. The horse on the right lead will win almost every time in thse situations. When you see one horse taking nice, big strides on their right lead and the other horse is taking short strides on their left lead, the horse on their right lead will win 90% of the times. I don't care if Superman is on the other horse.