Rafael's ride on Rail Trip--Jon White comments

[perkinpeak]

OK--I have watched the replay several times now and I think it was an OK ride unless you go from a hindsight point of view -- which really isn't fair. Rail Trip was wide all the way around but RB really did not have an opportunity to get close to rail without taking back (suicide with the pace scenario) or risk using the horse too early. Awesome Gem had a lucky trip up the rail in the stretch run--racing luck -- he could have had trouble. Rail Trip was the best horse but he got beat this time- that's why we run em. Ron Ellis and Jon White's comments seem to me to be pretty much sour grapes. And Jon--if you want to see a bad Chris McCarron ride check, out his ride on Alysheba in the Belmont Stakes!

[the_fat_man]

Originally Posted by perkinpeak

Ron Ellis and Jon White's comments seem to me to be pretty much sour grapes.

I have no idea who Jon White is but Ellis lost ALL credibility with me when he continued to ride Valdivia on this horse last year. This, of course, resulted in the horse getting beat in races where he was best. Now, I realize that Valdivia FINALLY got a clue (or just lucked into a good ride) in the Gold Cup but since Ellis kept riding him (before that) I'll just assume that he was clueless as to the poor rides that the horse was getting. It thus follows, that Ellis is CLUELESS when it comes to evaluating rides/trips and really needs to STFU or risk embarrassing himself (even further). Not saying RT got the best of rides by Bejarano but ELLIS really adds nothing to the mix with whatever he had to say in terms of evaluating the race.

I wonder how Ellis, and the other Southern Cali trainers who seem to specialize in the stretchout (the sprint once then beat routers routing next time out angle) would do at other tracks, as this seems to be a Southern CAL 'specialty'.

[perkinpeak]

Jon White made comment on ATR this morning that he could not recall McCarron ever riding a race poorly. Jon is an HRTV analyst, DRF contributor, chartmaker, track handicapper and much more -- but I don't think he has ever been a jockey.

[Scav]

Originally Posted by perkinpeak

Jon White made comment on ATR this morning that he could not recall McCarron ever riding a race poorly. Jon is an HRTV analyst, DRF contributor, chartmaker, track handicapper and much more -- but I don't think he has ever been a jockey.

Jon White forgets that there are other horses besides Grade 1 and Grade 2 winners. I turned the sound on the other day and he introduces a field of 5k claimers at Arlington, then went on to yap about Quality Road. Introduced another race that was an allowance race, starting talking about Zenyatta. Didn't say anything about the actual races that were going off. Aaron Vercruysse is great at this as he introduces the field, and then TALKS ABOUT THE SPECIFIC RACE. Novel concept.

How about the race you are about to watch Jon.