Just in case anyone still thinks Prado can ride

[VOL JACK]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Of course. He's just not riding as well as he's capable of. The bottom line is that he gets good mounts and he still pretty much wins when he should.

I know what you mean, I see plenty of dumb rides from gogo, johnny v, and prado who are widely considered the best we have to offer.

I just hate to be the guy that bashes Tiger woods because he missed a ten foot putt.

[blackthroatedwind]

I don't pay that much attention to be honest but I feel like Gomez is the best rider out there. Then again, maybe I'm just partial to him because he stopped me in the Clubhouse at Saratoga last year to tell me how much he likes the Siro's Seminars.

The again, Johnny almost hit a guy once who gave me a bag of sh it on an airplane.....and I never defend his riding. But, I like him.

[jcs11204]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

I don't pay that much attention to be honest but I feel like Gomez is the best rider out there. Then again, maybe I'm just partial to him because he stopped me in the Clubhouse at Saratoga last year to tell me how much he likes the Siro's Seminars.

The again, Johnny almost hit a guy once who gave me a bag of sh it on an airplane.....and I never defend his riding. But, I like him.

gomez is far from the best... he is easily the most overated though.
we could go on for days about who the best is, there is really no way to tell, because trainers go hot/cold all the time, and when that happens, its sometimes not the jocks fault. as for gomez, IMO i would rather have... JV, kent, coa, julian l.... thats just 4, im sure there are more.

[declansharbor]

Originally Posted by jcs11204

gomez is far from the best... he is easily the most overated though.
we could go on for days about who the best is, there is really no way to tell, because trainers go hot/cold all the time, and when that happens, its sometimes not the jocks fault. as for gomez, IMO i would rather have... JV, kent, coa, julian l.... thats just 4, im sure there are more.

After seeing your top 15 jock list a ways back, Im not so sure anyone can take what you say seriously when it comes to riders. Horses too for that matter.

[zippyneedsawin]

I wasn't thrilled with Gomez' ride on Jazzy.

[the_fat_man]

Originally Posted by zippyneedsawin

I wasn't thrilled with Gomez' ride on Jazzy.

THAT was a GOOD ride.

[zippyneedsawin]

Originally Posted by the_fat_man

THAT was a GOOD ride.

I guess you're right, it takes skill to find trouble and get trapped on the rail in a 5-horse field.

[Indian Charlie]

Post of the year for me!!

Originally Posted by Originally Posted by jcs11204

gomez is far from the best... he is easily the most overated though.
we could go on for days about who the best is, there is really no way to tell, because trainers go hot/cold all the time, and when that happens, its sometimes not the jocks fault. as for gomez, IMO i would rather have... JV, kent, coa, julian l.... thats just 4, im sure there are more.

Originally Posted by declansharbor

After seeing your top 15 jock list a ways back, Im not so sure anyone can take what you say seriously when it comes to riders. Horses too for that matter.

[Handicappy]

Originally Posted by jcs11204

gomez is far from the best... he is easily the most overated though.
we could go on for days about who the best is, there is really no way to tell, because trainers go hot/cold all the time, and when that happens, its sometimes not the jocks fault. as for gomez, IMO i would rather have... JV, kent, coa, julian l.... thats just 4, im sure there are more.

Agree with BlackThroat, I haven't always been a fan of Gomez on a ride by ride basis but he is the most consistent and he can get a horse to the wire first who might not normally get there. JV is very solid but he has his very poor periods. Last summer when he could stay on a mount he was absolutely terrible. Kenny D. (he hates being called Kenny) has an occasional good to great ride but is incredibly unpredictable. He is a know it all and if he feels your horse has a chance he'll ride him/her. If not, he doesn't. And given that his judgement is not good on that question, he's cost horse players money over the years. Surely you don't think Big Brown was a unique ride for him. And there is more than one trainer who has went to Sellito, his agent, and told him to "lose my number". But he now has his house up for sale in NY and hopefully he'll be gone from here for awhile.

[Handicappy]

Originally Posted by jcs11204

gomez is far from the best... he is easily the most overated though.
we could go on for days about who the best is, there is really no way to tell, because trainers go hot/cold all the time, and when that happens, its sometimes not the jocks fault. as for gomez, IMO i would rather have... JV, kent, coa, julian l.... thats just 4, im sure there are more.

Now Coa is interesting. He is a good rider but his aggressiveness gets to him and he'll race ride himself out of contention. Plus I don't tend to like Joc's who don't like horses. So I am not sure where I am with him. Julian, where for arte thou, Julian. His head has gotten too big I hear and is having problems this year. That Cobra Venem sunk more than one boat!

[jcs11204]

Originally Posted by Handicappy

Now Coa is interesting. He is a good rider but his aggressiveness gets to him and he'll race ride himself out of contention. Plus I don't tend to like Joc's who don't like horses. So I am not sure where I am with him. Julian, where for arte thou, Julian. His head has gotten too big I hear and is having problems this year. That Cobra Venem sunk more than one boat!

julian has the most upside of anyone... great hands, and considering he was first call for patrick b, i think he's done very well under the circumstances.

[Handicappy]

Originally Posted by jcs11204

julian has the most upside of anyone... great hands, and considering he was first call for patrick b, i think he's done very well under the circumstances.

True. I may be biased against anyone connected to Biancone.

[Bobby Fischer]

if we are talking all about jockeys, give me Dominguez, Flores or Mike Smith in a turf route with the controlling speed. Even better with an inside post and short run to the turn.

Borel or Desormeaux on a dirt route

I'll take Gomez on synthetic track. Bejarano aint bad either.

[jcs11204]

Originally Posted by Bobby Fischer

if we are talking all about jockeys, give me Dominguez, Flores or Mike Smith in a turf route with the controlling speed. Even better with an inside post and short run to the turn.

Borel or Desormeaux on a dirt route

I'll take Gomez on synthetic track. Bejarano aint bad either.

i love borel

[hoovesupsideyourhead]

Originally Posted by Bobby Fischer

if we are talking all about jockeys, give me Dominguez, Flores or Mike Smith in a turf route with the controlling speed. Even better with an inside post and short run to the turn.

Borel or Desormeaux on a dirt route

I'll take Gomez on synthetic track. Bejarano aint bad either.

did you say mike smith?lolololoololololol

[Bobby Fischer]

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

You know it's the horses that actually do the work right?

Just like no sane man will phuck with a jockey on an airplane, there are situations at the track that suit certain skill sets more than others.

[GBBob]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

I don't pay that much attention to be honest but I feel like Gomez is the best rider out there. Then again, maybe I'm just partial to him because he stopped me in the Clubhouse at Saratoga last year to tell me how much he likes the Siro's Seminars.

The again, Johnny almost hit a guy once who gave me a bag of sh it on an airplane.....and I never defend his riding. But, I like him.

huh??
do tell

[zippyneedsawin]

Originally Posted by GBBob

huh??
do tell

LOL... yeah, is a bag of sh it considered carry-on? I'd think you would have to check that.

[Bobby Fischer]

Prado is generally a solid jockey.

He generally sits a nice trip from gate to backstretch. He can get out of the gate and also race-ride others out of the gate.

If use of the whip were banned, only Jeremy Rose would benefit more than edgar. His slow deliberate action does little to rouse a horse. He probably gets as much from showing the whip as he does with his metronome action. With his left he is talented at getting a horse to swing to the outside when needed.

When Prado has much the best horse he wins his share. He very rarely wins with a worse horse than his competition. In other words he doesn't win surprising tactics or exploiting a track configuration or bias.

With certain types of horses on dirt, Prado can be counted on to preserve a top three finish.


In the replay of Contentious, he appears to allow Contentious to make headway too fast, almost as if he let out "too much". However I do not disagree with the idea of him making some gradual headway at that point. Contentious showed no response in the stretch and would not have won with any jockey, regardless of any toll that the headway on the backstretch.
We are bitching about the difference between 6th and 3rd or 4th. I do not see Contentious as contesting the top two spots in that lane. The #8 was the superior animal that day. You can see the #8 stampede at the break and secure a rail spot. Racing close to the pace he still finished well. The #5 had the superior kick that race, even accounting for rides. Contentious(#10) was simply not as good as either that day, no matter who or how we imagine a dream trip moving her up.

[Linny]

I was less than thrilled with the ride I got from Prado on Waquoit's Love in that same race (as Jazzy.) She's a big mare and they lost position and ended up dropping out the back of a tightly bunched field. When they turned for hom he was stuck trying to get this huge mare out from a tangle. She came flying late and missed by a nose. He's not as sharp at grass sprints as some.
Of course then he comes back to beat me in the next 2 races.