Ramon A. Dominguez

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by LARHAGE

Andy, and if he had won the Cigar it would have only made 6 Grade 1. I know what you are saying to an extent, but any way you look at it Ramon is not riding crap, he rides for all the top trainers and all the best horses from the lesser trainers, he is always on a top mount, Gomez did not have one single major barn he rode for, Baffert pulled that crap with Lucky, Pletcher used Castellano as much if not more than Garrett and his main number one trainer died! ( Frankel) Garrett rode fewer horses for Clement and Dutrow than Ramon did, he rode a hodge podge for mutliple trainers, he rode absolute filth the majority of the time at Belmont and Saratoga, hell not one of his Breeders Cup races were favored, I just think that Garrett had a much better year, and not even close really.

You didn't really answer my question.

Garrett didn't ride for the people you mentioned because they preferred others or didn't like that he spun them when he could be more choosy. What goes around comes around in this game.

He is a terrific rider....but he didn't deserve the Eclipse this year. It is NOT an award that only recognizes a rider's record in Big races. This is part of the equation. But far from the only thing to be recognized. Garrett was the best rider with far less mounts than most....but that's not the criteria for this award. Now, if you want to argue here that these awards were shown this year to have no criteria, that's fine, but then you better take back your argument with Dahoss.

[blackthroatedwind]

I'll give you an analogy that you might find reasonably fair...


If I came here and said Nick Zito deserved the Trainer of the Year over Todd because he came really close in many big races, won his share, and didn't have NEARLY the kind of stock, or the numbers, that Todd has, people would say I was crazily defending a friend.....and they would be right. They would not say I didn't necessarily make some fair points....but that my argument in its entirity was unsound and I was only making it because Nick is my close friend.

They would be right.

For the internet record....this was analogy....I don't believe what I was suggesting. Todd and Jerry Hollendorfer were the only two deserving candidates.

[LARHAGE]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

I'll give you an analogy that you might find reasonably fair...


If I came here and said Nick Zito deserved the Trainer of the Year over Todd because he came really close in many big races, won his share, and didn't have NEARLY the kind of stock, or the numbers, that Todd has, people would say I was crazily defending a friend.....and they would be right. They would not say I didn't necessarily make some fair points....but that my argument in its entirity was unsound and I was only making it because Nick is my close friend.

They would be right.

For the internet record....this was analogy....I don't believe what I was suggesting. Todd and Jerry Hollendorfer were the only two deserving candidates.

I'm just a little confused Andy, are you implying that Ramon just didn't have the stock? God knows he had the numbers, and plenty of backing. I also thought this trainer category was completely skewed, Baffert and Shirreffs had no business being nominated, I would have put Hollendorfer and Mott for the record, both won major races, but yeah, how could you deny Pletcher with a Derby and 3 Breeders Cup races? I'm not trying to be difficult, just not sure what the analogy is, I guess I don't see this big advantage that Garrett apparently is supposed to have over Ramon, where and when, and from whom?

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by LARHAGE

I'm just a little confused Andy, are you implying that Ramon just didn't have the stock? God knows he had the numbers, and plenty of backing. I also thought this trainer category was completely skewed, Baffert and Shirreffs had no business being nominated, I would have put Hollendorfer and Mott for the record, both won major races, but yeah, how could you deny Pletcher with a Derby and 3 Breeders Cup races? I'm not trying to be difficult, just not sure what the analogy is, I guess I don't see this big advantage that Garrett apparently is supposed to have over Ramon, where and when, and from whom?

I thought the analogy was pretty clear....but apparently it wasn't.

You are making a weak argument for someone because he is a friend. It doesn't go much beyond that.

[LARHAGE]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

You didn't really answer my question.

Garrett didn't ride for the people you mentioned because they preferred others or didn't like that he spun them when he could be more choosy. What goes around comes around in this game.

He is a terrific rider....but he didn't deserve the Eclipse this year. It is NOT an award that only recognizes a rider's record in Big races. This is part of the equation. But far from the only thing to be recognized. Garrett was the best rider with far less mounts than most....but that's not the criteria for this award. Now, if you want to argue here that these awards were shown this year to have no criteria, that's fine, but then you better take back your argument with Dahoss.

Well therein lays the problem, there apparently is no criteria, so we each move on with our own opinions on it.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by LARHAGE

Well therein lays the problem, there apparently is no criteria, so we each move on with our own opinions on it.

No, we make the best choice, and this year it was Ramon.