news keeps getting better and better.

Hopefully she will like the Arlington poly. I was thinking she would go farther than a mile and with post 10 she will

;)

see you there

not me...i'll be there in spirit tho! we planned for months to go up in july--one week later! oh the humanity!

you guys have fun.

To maximize our chances for a win. The $300 is well worth it to have a rider who knows exactly what the horse is capable of.. exactly what the horse's indiosyncracies are.. exactly what to expect when asking the horse to go, to rate, to back off, etc..

I think the mere fact that he WANTS to travel to ride the horse is a good sign. He must certainly think she has something and he has said as much after races. This certainly isn't a massive money grab he's chasing here. Seems to me like he wants to keep the mount for possibilities of bigger things ahead.

(other than Brass Hat, I don't know of any other "big time" horses he has ridden...not sure.)

i think it's a good sign, and i am glad he wants to keep riding her, and that he has taken the time to work her several times now in the am.

Tom,

You're right, and I apologize for the tone of the response. And I've edited it appropriately.

i'm glad willie wants to ride our girl. he MUST think she is something special. i Honestly did NOT like the fact, willie didn't have the ride at first.
i'm much more comfortable with this race now.

We'll miss you, sorry you guys can't be there - hope Tony is healing well!

I'm telling you guys, we need a traveling manniquin that represents "All the Dee Tee partners that are not present today" - dressed in a Dee Tee hat and tee, crumpled loosing mutual tickets in the pockets, scraggly DRF clutched in one hand .... we'll prop that sucker up in the winner's circle for the picture :cool:

Me, too - I know these guys are pros and get on horses cold all the time, but I see it as just one more advantage in our corner, and something familiar for Sumwon. Who wouldn't want to keep the mount on a good horse, with upside, for a good stable?

Where does Willie go after CD closes? Anybody else notice he's ridden another horse in the race, Queen of the Ridge, three times previously?

IMO Queen is the only horse that really pops on the paper besides your filly

I was thinking that a bit, too - Bid, we have to go over to the "Handicap Sumwon's Race" thread :)

seems like the right move to me. It's done all the time for very good reasons.
As in everything, people make the difference.

The decision to bring Willie in for this race was mine and mine alone. There are a few reasons that you may or may not agree with but let me lay them out for all.

I was not really comfortable with the Arlington regulars that we could have had for different reasons. One was the few jockeys that I know and think would fit the horse were already committed to regular customers or were not willing to commit. Number 2 reason is that Willie was eager to go to ride her which is always a plus considering she is the only shot for him to make a buck on Wed. Also he has been willing to come and work her and work with her in the morning which I very much appreciate. Dont forget he was willing to give her a shot when she was 40-1 and has been great with the partners that have been at the races.

The fact that he knows her always helps and the few hundred bucks that it costs to get him there to ride her is really insignifigant considering that the money is already in the account and is costing no one any out of pocket expenses.

If we are lucky enough to win next week and go on to Saratoga I doubt that Willie will be making the trip, but for the upcoming race I felt he gave us the best chance of success.

Then that makes all of this a moot point, Chuck. Had this been the info we were given from the git-go, my question wouldn't even have been raised. If my trainer asks for and wants a specific jock for a given race and the jock has to travel on my behalf, I certainly would feel compelled to pay the related expenses - it's the right thing to do.

My question was based on a jock, in this case Wille, ASKING for a mount.

So let me ask this general question to you - if a jock or jock's agent comes up to you and ASKS to ride your horse at a track down the road, do you feel obligated to pay his/her expenses?

It isn't like Willie hasn't rode Arlington before either. He owned this place a while back

There is no steadfast rule but usually you would cover the jocks travel expense and pay them 10% across the board regardless of who asks who to ride.