Chop Chop moves tack to SoCal

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

Will this article do?

http://drf.com/drfNewsArticle.do?NID=76803&subs=0&arc=1

New character playing well

By DAVID GRENING
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Despite a resume that included more than 4,500 wins, three Eclipse Awards, and a bust in racing's Hall of Fame, jockey Kent Desormeaux this spring felt the need to reinvent himself. So he picked up his tack and his family, and made the cross-country trek from Southern California to New York.
Thus far, Desormeaux couldn't be happier with the results. Coming off a Belmont meet where he won 36 races - good enough for a fifth-place tie in the standings - Desormeaux enters his first full Saratoga meet riding high and full of confidence that he can return to the heights he achieved early in his career.

"I'm just excited things are working out the way I thought they would," Desormeaux said last week in the Belmont Park jockeys' room. "Just the fact I'm riding again - I'm really happy I'm riding six or seven every day. I'm just really happy. I'm having fun again."

Desormeaux, who has won two Kentucky Derbies and rode the favorite for this year's Derby, Sweetnorthernsaint, said he had developed a bad reputation in Southern California as someone who did not want to ride cheap horses, and that left him in the jocks' room too much.

"I was so bored and having to work harder and harder at maintaining my weight because I wasn't riding," Desormeaux said. "What I was riding was good, don't get me wrong. I'd ride two a day and one of them would win. It just wasn't enough. I didn't have enough business.

"I built the wrong character. I couldn't break the mold," Desormeaux added. "I would come by the barn and the guys would say, 'Oh, I don't have one good enough for you to ride.' I said, 'What? I'll ride the hair off a $10,000 claimer if you give me the chance.' So I was trying to break that character. I came to New York to reinvent myself."

Desormeaux began riding in New York in late March when Aqueduct's main track opened. He finished with 13 wins, which was good enough for a third-place tie in the jockey standings. He won his only New York stakes during that meet, the Grade 2 Comely aboard Miraculous Miss.

His work ethic caught the eye of agent Mike Sellito, who parted ways with Mike Smith to take over Desormeaux's book in mid-June.

"He's a great guy to work for," Sellito said. "He's a workaholic in the mornings. There's mornings he worked eight or nine horses. That's unheard of for a Hall of Fame jockey."

Sellito was not the only one to notice a change in Desormeaux. Garrett Gomez, who has ridden in Southern California the past few years with Desormeaux, also sees it.




"His attitude's changed a little bit," said Gomez, who is also riding his first Saratoga meet. "It seems like he's a little more serious, a little more focused and stuff like that. It's good to see. Maybe he just needed a change, I don't know."

Bobby Frankel, a Hall of Fame trainer, said he wasn't using Desormeaux out West. He has used him on several horses here, including three that won. Frankel named Desormeaux on two live runners for Wednesday's opening-day card, including the Grade 1 winner I'm the Tiger.

"He's a good rider," Frankel said. "Horses run for him, for sure. He's working hard now. He's a good athlete, he takes care of himself, he's still going."

Jimmy Jerkens has used Desormeaux a bit, and likes his aggressiveness. Jerkens will use Desormeaux on Oh So Awesome, a longshot in Saturday's $500,000 Jim Dandy.

"He makes things happen," Jerkens said.

Sellito admits that Desormeaux's stakes business is lacking, but is pleased with his day-to-day business. Desormeaux rode winners for 21 different trainers at Belmont. Desormeaux had seven calls on Wednesday and five on Thursday and hopes that support continues throughout the meet.

"I'm hopeful to make it back to the top tier [of] riders, and having a good Saratoga meet could go a long way toward doing that," Desormeaux said.

Desormeaux said that he is still battling his weight, though it's not for a lack of work.

"It's got everything to do with age and the body, and I thought the food was good in California, but man, it's better here," Desormeaux said. "Even the mom-and-pop Italian shop on the corner; that food is 100 miles better. Italian food here is better than it is in Italy."

In that article, you have Desormeaux telling you that the reason he wasn't getting the mounts was because he built the wrong character. What would you expect him to say? Did you think he would say that he wasn't getting the mounts because he's not as good Victor, Garret, P Val, etc.?

The whole thing is ridiculous. The other article you showed me was from 1995. It said that he was working his butt off going to the track every morning. That was back in 1995. Now we're in 2006 and he claims he has a reputation for not working hard enough and not wanting to ride cheap horses. If he's been going out in the mornings for the last 10 years and telling guys that he's happy to ride cheap horses, he's not going to have a reputation for not wanting to ride cheap horses. That's absurd. If you were a trainer and Desormeaux was coming to your barn every morning for years and telling you that he's happy to ride cheap horses would you refuse to put him on cheap horses and think he doesn't want to ride cheap horses? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. That's not the reason he wasn't getting mounts.

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin

In that article, you have Desormeaux telling you that the reason he wasn't getting the mounts was because he built the wrong character. What would you expect him to say? Did you think he would say that he wasn't getting the mounts because he's not as good Victor, Garret, P Val, etc.?

The whole thing is ridiculous. The other article you showed me was from 1995. It said that he was working his butt off going to the track every morning. That was back in 1995. Now we're in 2006 and he claims he has a reputation for not working hard enough and not wanting to ride cheap horses. If he's been going out in the mornings for the last 10 years and telling guys that he's happy to ride cheap horses, he's not going to have a reputation for not wanting to ride cheap horses. That's absurd. If you were a trainer and Desormeaux was coming to your barn every morning for years and telling you that he's happy to ride cheap horses would you refuse to put him on cheap horses and think he doesn't want to ride cheap horses? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. That's not the reason he wasn't getting mounts.

Do you want me to put up more?

Everyone that has any knowledge of the jock situation in So Cal knows all about Kent's problems with trainers. I forgot about the weight issue as well but that ties in with his reputation for being lazy. Everyone knows that his rep in So Cal was that he doesnt ride cheap horses. I have to seriously question how in touch with things you really are out there Rupert.

Kent is a hall of fame rider. I dont think i have to go over his resume. The trainers never questioned his ability to ride horses, they just grew tired of wondering if he was going to make weight, show up in the mornings or ride out to the wire. The trainers wouldnt have given him the amount of chances that they did without him being exceptional.

Calling a rider with that resume "average" and implying that he would get outridden by the likes of Juan Ochoa is just dumb.

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

Do you want me to put up more?

Everyone that has any knowledge of the jock situation in So Cal knows all about Kent's problems with trainers. I forgot about the weight issue as well but that ties in with his reputation for being lazy. Everyone knows that his rep in So Cal was that he doesnt ride cheap horses. I have to seriously question how in touch with things you really are out there Rupert.

Kent is a hall of fame rider. I dont think i have to go over his resume. The trainers never questioned his ability to ride horses, they just grew tired of wondering if he was going to make weight, show up in the mornings or ride out to the wire. The trainers wouldnt have given him the amount of chances that they did without him being exceptional.

Calling a rider with that resume "average" and implying that he would get outridden by the likes of Juan Ochoa is just dumb.

There are plenty of riders that aren't great that are in the Hall of Fame. Mike Smith is in the Hall of Fame. He's alright but he's not as good as the top guys. I would say the same thing about Desormeaux.

As I said before, if Desormeuax is going out there every morning and working his butt off, he's not going to have a reputation of being lazy. It doesn't make sense.

I can practically guarantee you that if I ask Ron Ellis and Richard Mandella the following question, that I know what their answer will be. I will ask them the following question: I noticed that you rarely ride Kent Desormeaux. Is it beacause you don't like his attitude or is it because you think the other riders you use are better riders? I guarantee you that they will say that they think these other riders are better.

I can guarantee you that Baffert would say the same thing. He would say that Gomez, Espinoza, etc. are better riders. I don't really know Baffert well enough to ask him but I could have a friend ask him.

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin

There are plenty of riders that aren't great that are in the Hall of Fame. Mike Smith is in the Hall of Fame. He's alright but he's not as good as the top guys. I would say the same thing about Desormeaux.

As I said before, if Desormeuax is going out there every morning and working his butt off, he's not going to have a reputation of being lazy. It doesn't make sense.

I can practically guarantee you that if I ask Ron Ellis and Richard Mandella the following question, that I know what their answer will be. I will ask them the following question: I noticed that you rarely ride Kent Desormeaux. Is it beacause you don't like his attitude or is it because you think the other riders you use are better riders? I guarantee you that they will say that they think these other riders are better.

I can guarantee you that Baffert would say the same thing. He would say that Gomez, Espinoza, etc. are better riders. I don't really know Baffert well enough to ask him but I could have a friend ask him.

You mean the same baffert that once said "There are ten jockeys out there that you would put up in the toughest situations and Kent is one of them" (paraphrasing for "ride of their lives'). Or are you talking about the same Mandella that put Kent on the best horse he ever had in Kotashaan? Or the same Baffert that put Kent up on mounts such as Real Quiet? Same Baffert? Did Kent suddenly forget how to ride? How come Kent could not only compete but WIN riding titles and George woolf awards when the names were McCarron, Stevens, Delahoussaye, Pincay, etc and suddenly he cant compete with the likes of David Cohen, Ochoa, the bazes or Arias? Do you think he suddenly cant ride anymore? Or do you think there might be other factors like the ones being pointed out in those articles?

Mike Smith is a perfect example. Can he still ride? Yes, although he is past his prime for sure. Kent is still in the midst of his.

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

You mean the same baffert that once said "There are ten jockeys out there that you would put up in the toughest situations and Kent is one of them" (paraphrasing for "ride of their lives'). Or are you talking about the same Mandella that put Kent on the best horse he ever had in Kotashaan? Or the same Baffert that put Kent up on mounts such as Real Quiet? Same Baffert? Did Kent suddenly forget how to ride? How come Kent could not only compete but WIN riding titles and George woolf awards when the names were McCarron, Stevens, Delahoussaye, Pincay, etc and suddenly he cant compete with the likes of David Cohen, Ochoa, the bazes or Arias? Do you think he suddenly cant ride anymore? Or do you think there might be other factors like the ones being pointed out in those articles?

Mike Smith is a perfect example. Can he still ride? Yes, although he is past his prime for sure. Kent is still in the midst of his.

You could say the same thing about any rider who is not doing nearly as well as they used to. You could say, "Oh, it must be their attitude. They didn't forget how to ride."

I'm not saying that Kent is a bad rider. He's a decent rider but he's not as good as the top riders. He came out here and got hot for a while but after the trainers got a chance to watch to him for a long period of time, they didn't think he was that good. The same thing happened to Aaron Gryder in New York. He did very well for a while but after trainers got a chance to watch him ride for several years in New York, they decided that they thought a lot of the other jockeys were better.
By the way, I never said that Ochoa is better than Desormeaux. If Desormeaux was at Del Mar right now, I think he would be well ahead of Ochoa in the standings. I think he would be well ahead of Arias too.

Like I said, I will ask Ellis and Mandella. I'm pretty sure I know what their answer will be. By the way, just because a trainer puts a jockey on a really good horse, it does not mean that the trainer thinks that the jockey is a great jockey. Bobby Frankel had Jon Court riding his best horse last year. Court was riding Leroidisanimaux. That doesn't mean that Frankel thinks that Court is as good as Jerry Bailey. By the way, it was Court's decision to take off the horse. He had the mount but there was a weekend where the horse was running in New York but Court had some good mounts here that weekend. He decided to stay here so he lost the mount.

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin

You could say the same thing about any rider who is not doing nearly as well as they used to. You could say, "Oh, it must be their attitude. They didn't forget how to ride."

I'm not saying that Kent is a bad rider. He's a decent rider but he's not as good as the top riders. He came out here and got hot for a while but after the trainers got a chance to watch to him for a long period of time, they didn't think he was that good. The same thing happened to Aaron Gryder in New York. He did very well for a while but after trainers got a chance to watch him ride for several years in New York, they decided that they thought a lot of the other jockeys were better.
By the way, I never said that Ochoa is better than Desormeaux. If Desormeaux was at Del Mar right now, I think he would be well ahead of Ochoa in the standings. I think he would be well ahead of Arias too.

Like I said, I will ask Ellis and Mandella. I'm pretty sure I know what their answer will be. By the way, just because a trainer puts a jockey on a really good horse, it does not mean that the trainer thinks that the jockey is a great jockey. Bobby Frankel had Jon Court riding his best horse last year. Court was riding Leroidisanimaux. That doesn't mean that Frankel thinks that Court is as good as Jerry Bailey. By the way, it was Court's decision to take off the horse. He had the mount but there was a weekend where the horse was running in New York but Court had some good mounts here that weekend. He decided to stay here so he lost the mount.

Why are you making ridiculous statements and killing any credibility you might have had. This is worse than your LITF arguments that were just plain ridiculous.

Kent came to So Cal in 89. Did it take trainers 17 years and 10000 rides to figure out that he wasnt "that good"? LOL

There sure must be some dumb trainers out west if it took that long.

Bobby Frankel must be an idiot because he has ridden Kent first call for long stretches over the years.

Neil drysdale is another fool. He only rode Kent First call for about 10 years off and on. I think it was the 5000th ride for Drysdale where he figured out that Kent "wasnt that good". That was only after Kent rode his only derrby winner and had ridden a majority of his stake winners overr the last ten years. The fool!

Cassidy is even dumber! He rode his last year after all of the other trainers figured out that he wasnt that good.

All of the trainers in the east have to watch him a few more times. They dont have tvs in new york so they wouldnt know how "not that good" he really is.

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

Why are you making ridiculous statements and killing any credibility you might have had. This is worse than your LITF arguments that were just plain ridiculous.

Kent came to So Cal in 89. Did it take trainers 17 years and 10000 rides to figure out that he wasnt "that good"? LOL

There sure must be some dumb trainers out west if it took that long.

Bobby Frankel must be an idiot because he has ridden Kent first call for long stretches over the years.

Neil drysdale is another fool. He only rode Kent First call for about 10 years off and on. I think it was the 5000th ride for Drysdale where he figured out that Kent "wasnt that good". That was only after Kent rode his only derrby winner and had ridden a majority of his stake winners overr the last ten years. The fool!

Cassidy is even dumber! He rode his last year after all of the other trainers figured out that he wasnt that good.

All of the trainers in the east have to watch him a few more times. They dont have tvs in new york so they wouldnt know how "not that good" he really is.

No, it didn't take 17 years. That first article that you posted was from 1995 and the article said that his business had already gone way down. That was 6 years after he arrived and his business had aleady gone way down. Aaaron Gryder's business was good in New York for more years than that.

You argument is absurd. Just because big trainers used him for a while that doesn't mean they all think he's a superstar. Every top trainer out there has a bunch of different guys that they use. There are some guys like Pletcher out there who only use one guy but the majority of trainers have used multiple guys over the years. As I said before, Bobby Frankel was riding Jon Court on his best horse. That hardly means that Frankel thinks that Court is the best rider out there.
There are some trainers that are more loyal to jockey agents than jockeys. They will use whatever jockey a certain agent has. In another words, some trainers are riding certain jocks simply because they are friends the jock's agents. If the agent and the jock split up, the trainer will stop using that jock.

If you think that a trainer riding a certain jockey proves that that trainer thinks that jockey is great, you are wrong. Don't get me wrong, they're probably not going to use a guy they think is terrible. But if they think that a jock is at least sufficient and they are either friends with the jock or his agent, that may be why they ride that jock. I remeber backin the 1980s, the trainer Loren Rettele was friendly with the agent Bill Barisoff and Retttele would always use whatever jock Barisoff had. When Barisoff would split with a jock and get a new jock, then Rettele would stop using the old jock and starte using the new one. Another reason a trainer may use a certain jock is because the jock is a hard worker and he works a lot of horses for them in the morning.

As I said, I will ask a few of the trainers and we will see what they say. If you turn out to be right l will admit it. I once had a debate with the poster Dunbar and I told him that I would check with some people to see who was right and I ended up coming back to the board and admitting to him that he was right. That's why I have credibility with many of the posters here. I am not afraid to admit when I am wrong.