Mott obviously wants JR to ride his horse otherwise he would have gotten someone else. When was the last time the 1-2 horses early in their three year old season both were 1-2 choices when the gates opened the first Saturday in May. JR should ride all the good horses and make as much money as he can, that is his job.

For JV its great. Im talking for Mott. How long do you wait to get another fit for the horse? Of course JV should ride this horse, this horse could be better then UM.

I went to dinner with JV and his family last year after the Wood. If you told JV that night that he would NOT be on Eskendereya in the Derby gate he'd have laughed. Anything can happen.
Mott clearly likes the way Jon rides THAS. If he didn't, Sleepy would be riding the colt. If Mott and Mrs. Weber are happy knowing the JV is also the "go to" rider on UM, then why should we worry about it? It's not like the principals here are unaware that come early May a decision will have to be made. Meanwhile, they dance with the one that bring 'em. Look if UM goes to Tampa and gets his head handed to him (unlikely) or gets sick or hurt, then they gan keep their jock. I guess they will have to make a decision at some point (if all goes smoothly in Mo-Land) but why now?

Maybe Im making to big a deal out of it.

:tro: That's what I was saying but didn't want to type all that. Also I didn't have dinner with JR last year.

There's no choice to be made - JV is going to ride Mo. Mott should have chosen a new jock so THAS could get used to him. The one argument I saw against this is that since JV knows THAS, he could advise Mott after the FOY just how well (or not) the horse has progressed.

The horse can rate - he did in his maiden win under JV. There was absolutely no speed in either the Nashua or Remsen and THAS, the best horse, fell onto the lead - it wasn't because he wouldn't rate. Mott had previously indicated that he wanted a new jock on THAS as soon as possible, so clearly he had a change of heart - and that DRF article gave us nothing. That said, as others have mentioned, Mott and Webber don't think it's a big deal, so I guess it's not.

Who is Sleepy?

Kent D.

Alternate nickname: 'Meaux

Stupid question. Had my head up my @ss momentarily. Thanks.

SATURDAY (2/12) 8th Race (04:16 PM) MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT

6 Furlongs Dirt. Purse $48,500. FOR MAIDENS, THREE YEARS OLD. Weight, 122 lbs.

1 Show Me The Way (KY) 15/1 Rajiv Maragh 122 3 C L Todd Quast
2 Mr. Valentine (PA) 6/1 Jose Lezcano 122 3 C L Jason Servis
3 Flexappeal (KY) 20/1 Jose L. Alvarez 117 3 G L Mary Hartmann
4 Rattlesnake Bridge (KY) 6/1 John R. Velazquez 122 3 C L Kiaran P. McLaughlin
5 Follow The Rhythm (KY) 20/1 Josue Arce 122 3 C L Jason DaCosta
6 Harbor Breeze (KY) 12/1 Paco Lopez 122 3 G L Timothy A. Hills
7 On Lockdown (KY) 10/1 Elvis Trujillo 122 3 C L Nicholas P. Zito
8 Back Alley Deal (KY) 10/1 Eibar Coa 122 3 C L Seth Benzel
9 Big Herman (KY) 4/1 Javier Castellano 122 3 C L Barclay Tagg
10 Pacmanstephen (KY) 20/1 Juan C. Leyva 122 3 C L Sharon McGlinchey
11 Backdown (KY) 7/2 Jesus Lopez Castanon 122 3 G L John P. Terranova, II
12 Pawnee Red (NY) 6/1 Victor Lebron 122 3 C L Wayne M. Catalano

How fast did Rattlesnake Bridge work at the 2YO sale to fetch $450K with that pedigree?

A quarter in 22.1.

Plus Tapit is a fairly hot stallion

Any info on the horse? The field looks weak for the most part.

Kent does that a lot too...his not yours.

Nothing in particular. I was surprised the horse sold for that much, but adding to what Freddy said, Young bought Trappe Shot (also by Tapit) at the same sale in 2009 for the same connections. The horse at the sale that really impressed me, both in workout and physically, was a $240K Lion Hearted named Amazing Hearted. He has not yet started but he's been working steadily on West Coast - my understanding was that Baffert was going to get him.

What did rattlesnake bridge beyer? That was a nice close.

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