CT jock rant

[takeout]

Saturday 1-26-13: I assume that CT has canceled again but it appears that no one told Equibase. Forty-six workouts this morning but no scratches or program changes listed. Couldn’t get anyone on the phone either, not even an operator. (another well oiled operation)

Thursday, when the CT jocks quit after the 2nd race, Pen ran its whole card. Am I supposed to believe it was warmer north of CT?

Here’s what I don’t get: When there’s a pari-mutuel clerk strike, management brings in scabs to fill in until it’s settled. Yet when a couple of so-called “private contractors” go home they shut the whole place down. There must be hundreds of wannabe jocks out there. Why let a couple of prima donnas shut down the whole show? Am I to believe that the whole jockey colony at CT didn’t want to ride the rest of the card Thursday night? Poleeze!

Perhaps they need a reality check. I saw a news thing the other night where they were getting ready to open a new casino/s (?) somewhere and they were accepting 800 people to go to dealer school. (Didn't say they were hiring 800, they don't all make it.) The point: Over FORTY THOUSAND showed up just trying to go to the dealer school. (No guaranteed job.) Perhaps management should show that news clip to the jockeys. It might help them see the bigger picture. IMO, they’re overpaid and I think their actions make that obvious.

[Stillriledup]

I told someone this recently, if a fancy trainer or jock says the track is 'unsafe' they just call off the whole thing. If the track forces them to ride and there is a bad accident, the track will get sued and that's the last thing they want, especially a slots track that doesnt care at all about the horse races.

Big A cancelled because of 'cold' but it was probably just as cold at Meadowlands and they ran harness races at NIGHT, it didnt seem to bother those guys. But, most harness drivers and trainers are from Canada so cold weather doesnt bother tham...most jocks are NOT from Canada, maybe that's the difference.

[castaway01]

It was 20 degrees that night. Was it really so important that those guys went out and risked their lives in crappy conditions? Did you really need to wager on Charles Town that badly? I have no idea what dealer school has to do with being a jockey. It's a specious example at best. Everything else you wrote was speculation.

Then "Stillriledup" says "I told someone this recently"....does that make it true? Another guy from his recliner criticizing people for not riding.

I think nighttime tracks that race when it's 10 degrees should take the winter off. So, count one for "I'm okay with them not running if they don't feel it's safe".

[Stillriledup]

It was 20 degrees that night. Was it really so important that those guys went out and risked their lives in crappy conditions? Did you really need to wager on Charles Town that badly? I have no idea what dealer school has to do with being a jockey. It's a specious example at best. Everything else you wrote was speculation.

Then "Stillriledup" says "I told someone this recently"....does that make it true? Another guy from his recliner criticizing people for not riding.

I think nighttime tracks that race when it's 10 degrees should take the winter off. So, count one for "I'm okay with them not running if they don't feel it's safe".

The point isnt sitting in a recliner criticizing jocks for not riding, the point is that other jocks in very cold areas found it acceptable to ride.....if there was a rule that no horse races ever take place if the temps are under 30 degrees than we would all know the 'rules' and there would be no complaints, but as it stands now, jockey colonies just pick and choose which days they feel like riding...and if you spent a few hours of your precious time handicapping races that arent going to run, i can see someone getting a little peeved.

[cj]

I know one thing for sure, and that is you can't compare the weather in Charles Town to Penn just because Penn is farther north. That is laugh out loud funny.

[mountainman]

Saturday 1-26-13: I assume that CT has canceled again but it appears that no one told Equibase. Forty-six workouts this morning but no scratches or program changes listed. Couldn’t get anyone on the phone either, not even an operator. (another well oiled operation)

Thursday, when the CT jocks quit after the 2nd race, Pen ran its whole card. Am I supposed to believe it was warmer north of CT?

Here’s what I don’t get: When there’s a pari-mutuel clerk strike, management brings in scabs to fill in until it’s settled. Yet when a couple of so-called “private contractors” go home they shut the whole place down. There must be hundreds of wannabe jocks out there. Why let a couple of prima donnas shut down the whole show? Am I to believe that the whole jockey colony at CT didn’t want to ride the rest of the card Thursday night? Poleeze!

Perhaps they need a reality check. I saw a news thing the other night where they were getting ready to open a new casino/s (?) somewhere and they were accepting 800 people to go to dealer school. (Didn't say they were hiring 800, they don't all make it.) The point: Over FORTY THOUSAND showed up just trying to go to the dealer school. (No guaranteed job.) Perhaps management should show that news clip to the jockeys. It might help them see the bigger picture. IMO, they’re overpaid and I think their actions make that obvious.

I'll never understand why, but higher echelon riders ALWAYS wan't to cancel when given the slightest excuse. First, however, they make sure that lower ranked peers have been intimidated or convinced to not ride the card.

The clerk of scales generally tries to thwart a vote amongst the jocks by ushering the unwilling out of the room before the whole colony can be poisoned and join in lockstep. Usually, the clerk is unsuccessful and the whiners get their way.

[Stillriledup]

I'll never understand why, but higher echelon riders ALWAYS wan't to cancel when given the slightest excuse. First, however, they make sure that lower ranked peers have been intimidated or convinced to not ride the card.

The clerk of scales generally tries to thwart a vote amongst the jocks by ushering the unwilling out of the room before the whole colony can be poisoned and join in lockstep. Usually, the clerk is unsuccessful and the whiners get their way.

They dont need the money, what else could it be?

[takeout]

It was 20 degrees that night. They ran the whole card the previous night. How cold was it then?

[takeout]

I know one thing for sure, and that is you can't compare the weather in Charles Town to Penn just because Penn is farther north. That is laugh out loud funny.Glad you liked it.

[Tom]

When I put MY ass in a saddle at 20 degrees, and maybe wet, I will criticize.

Until then, it is THEIR lives that might come to a sad end or be forever ruined just for my two minutes of entertainment?

Let me ask a rhetoric question: If you were at the track, and the heaters went off, and it was 20 degrees inside the clubhouse, would you stay and bet of go home?

[mountainman]

They dont need the money, what else could it be?

My brother has been a successful agent for some time and believes that fear plays a role in many cancellations. He says jocks must steel themselves to ride races, and would prefer not to if given a face-saving out.

[mountainman]

When I put MY ass in a saddle at 20 degrees, and maybe wet, I will criticize.

Until then, it is THEIR lives that might come to a sad end or be forever ruined just for my two minutes of entertainment?

Let me ask a rhetoric question: If you were at the track, and the heaters went off, and it was 20 degrees inside the clubhouse, would you stay and bet of go home?

Well put and applicable in most cases. But sometimes riders are like kids who want school to be cancelled. It is what it is.

[takeout]

I'll never understand why, but higher echelon riders ALWAYS wan't to cancel when given the slightest excuse. First, however, they make sure that lower ranked peers have been intimidated or convinced to not ride the card.

The clerk of scales generally tries to thwart a vote amongst the jocks by ushering the unwilling out of the room before the whole colony can be poisoned and join in lockstep. Usually, the clerk is unsuccessful and the whiners get their way.I’ve often wondered why the lower ranked riders can’t figure out that they’re getting screwed on that deal.

I’m not advocating forcing anyone to ride when it’s unsafe. I’ve just seen this crap pulled way too often at CT and I’m calling bullshit. I don’t understand why management and horse owners can’t find some jockeys that want to ride. If jocks are private contractors then each one should be thinking for himself and not following along like a bunch of sheep. If some hungry jocks come back and say it’s too cold or dangerous then I’ll believe it.

I think owners are also somewhat to blame because they keep using these prima donnas. If they won’t ride for you when it’s uncomfortable then why let them ride for you when it’s nice?

[HUSKER55]

Rember a few years back when they cancelled races because the air conditioners in the jockey rooms quit working. I believe it was a NYRA track, but maybe not.

[OTM Al]

Rember a few years back when they cancelled races because the air conditioners in the jockey rooms quit working. I believe it was a NYRA track, but maybe not.

2008 at Belmont. The transformer blew. The jocks room was up near 90 degrees with no ventillation as it is in the basement. It was nasty hot out that weekend.

[OTM Al]

I’m not advocating forcing anyone to ride when it’s unsafe. I’ve just seen this crap pulled way too often at CT and I’m calling bullshit. I don’t understand why management and horse owners can’t find some jockeys that want to ride. If jocks are private contractors then each one should be thinking for himself and not following along like a bunch of sheep. If some hungry jocks come back and say it’s too cold or dangerous then I’ll believe it.



Problem is that hungry jocks won't do it because they are hungry. So in fact you are advocating for them to ride when it is unsafe if this is your criteria.

[duncan04]

:eek: People actually play Charles Town? :p

[Stillriledup]

:eek: People actually play Charles Town? :p

I play that place. But then, i play a lot of places! :jump:

[pele polo]

I honestly can't understand how this is being questioned. I'm sure the condition of the track and how the horses might handle it had also had something to do with it.

How many of you would take frozen clumps of dirt kicked in your face at 40 mph?

I think the surface at Charles Town has always been considered suspect when the weather gets sh*tty.

[johnhannibalsmith]

Being a jockey is never safe...so, if a jock or prospective jock only wanted to ride when it was safe, they would never get a leg up.

Yeah and people that don't drive their cars in two feet of snow would never drive either. Driving is always dangerous, but the degrees of danger vary and some situations of elevated danger are avoidable. I'm not sure what point you are trying to even make if you take this obvious caveat into consideration, so what about horses? Or the people that care for them? Should they just not engage the risky activity known as racing if they are able to grade risk and danger and make some fairly educated decisions about when the risk is just too great? Or should they just plow on along saying "ah hell, it's a risky game" and then take any old risk that can be defined as a risk just because there's always some risk?

Not wanting to ride because of a situation where safety is compromised beyond its normal level of safety is hardly the same thing as never wanting to ride in any scenario that isn't 100% safe.

This is all something of a tangent. Everyone here is at least partially accurate. It's not like management/stews/both have never drawn the line in the sand where they put up the list to sign in and tell everyone on the card that they have until such and such time to sign in to ride or be excused for the day.

The jocks want a room rep. The room rep is almost always a crusty old veteran that isn't afraid to take the heat for making/reporting a decision on their behalf. Most jocks don't want the heat. Sometimes the gung-ho, hungry types want to ride that day, sometimes they don't either. When you tell them that you will no longer speak on their behalf when they too don't want to ride and they can take the heat on their own for their own personal choice not to ride by not signing the list, suddenly having a scapegoat that makes decisions for them isn't such a bad thing. When Johnny Bigshot decides not to ride, chances are, it's just a momentary speedbump in his life and business. When Chico Nocash is forced between choosing to ride on a day when safety may be compromised and alleviating his fears by not riding, you are asking him to choose between taking a risk he doesn't feel comfortable taking or further destroy his reputation and business by not taking the risk.

These counterfeit "votes" are a joke anyway. Does anyone really want to bet on races knowing that a little less than half the room voted not to ride at all and the slight majority decided to ride? The 22% jock on the 4-5 favorite in the first that wants to go home... you want to bet on that horse not knowing how he "voted"?

It's pathetic when you can't run your horse or bet on the races because one or two jocks that may not have everyone's best interest in mind made a decision and the others played follow the leader despite a contrary opinion. But, this is just a lousy scenario and there is no ideal resolution. I've seen a trainer with the favorite in an early race scratched down to five because of conditions turn around and walk back to the barn when the clerk came out and offered up (NAME REDACTED) to ride the horse because the prima donnas left the room and let the "hungry riders" go out there and screw around in the ooze. I've seen a room rep go from telling all the other jocks to stay home because they were cancelling to making frantic calls when a trainer hunted him down while walking the track and told him he better find another mount for the futurity because he was changing riders when they redrew the soon-to-be-cancelled race.

Jocks are a necessary evil. They'll drive you crazy, but it's a shitty tough job for most of them. And most of them do want to go out there and do the best job that they can do and the rules require that. I've seen enough episodes of "gentleman rider" over bad tracks that I just assume they cancel if they can't perform and ride the way that they are expected to. I've been on enough sides of this scenario that it's just hard for me to even see it in black and white terms anymore. I have no problem with jocks acting as a unified group with one ringleader pissing in my cheerios on raceday, just as I have no problem with me chasing them down in the parking lot and asking them if perhaps they need to get tested for "Low T" or perhaps get back on the shit so we can run some races again.

The only thing that actually pisses me off in these situations anymore is when people stop thinking and just get pissed/emotional/greedy and start pressuring others into taking a risk that culminates in an avoidable mishap that gets a rider or horse hurt. This happens a lot it seems if you read the criticisms of "horseman" attitudes towards horses' health around these parts. Yep, racing is not safe, but luckily some people get it right from time to time and recognize when racing is unusually unsafe on that day and make unpopular decisions that can almost never be proven to be smart decisions.

[mountainman]

Yeah and people that don't drive their cars in two feet of snow would never drive either. Driving is always dangerous, but the degrees of danger vary and some situations of elevated danger are avoidable. I'm not sure what point you are trying to even make if you take this obvious caveat into consideration, so what about horses? Or the people that care for them? Should they just not engage the risky activity known as racing if they are able to grade risk and danger and make some fairly educated decisions about when the risk is just too great? Or should they just plow on along saying "ah hell, it's a risky game" and then take any old risk that can be defined as a risk just because there's always some risk?

Not wanting to ride because of a situation where safety is compromised beyond its normal level of safety is hardly the same thing as never wanting to ride in any scenario that isn't 100% safe.

This is all something of a tangent. Everyone here is at least partially accurate. It's not like management/stews/both have never drawn the line in the sand where they put up the list to sign in and tell everyone on the card that they have until such and such time to sign in to ride or be excused for the day.

The jocks want a room rep. The room rep is almost always a crusty old veteran that isn't afraid to take the heat for making/reporting a decision on their behalf. Most jocks don't want the heat. Sometimes the gung-ho, hungry types want to ride that day, sometimes they don't either. When you tell them that you will no longer speak on their behalf when they too don't want to ride and they can take the heat on their own for their own personal choice not to ride by not signing the list, suddenly having a scapegoat that makes decisions for them isn't such a bad thing. When Johnny Bigshot decides not to ride, chances are, it's just a momentary speedbump in his life and business. When Chico Nocash is forced between choosing to ride on a day when safety may be compromised and alleviating his fears by not riding, you are asking him to choose between taking a risk he doesn't feel comfortable taking or further destroy his reputation and business by not taking the risk.

These counterfeit "votes" are a joke anyway. Does anyone really want to bet on races knowing that a little less than half the room voted not to ride at all and the slight majority decided to ride? The 22% jock on the 4-5 favorite in the first that wants to go home... you want to bet on that horse not knowing how he "voted"?

It's pathetic when you can't run your horse or bet on the races because one or two jocks that may not have everyone's best interest in mind made a decision and the others played follow the leader despite a contrary opinion. But, this is just a lousy scenario and there is no ideal resolution. I've seen a trainer with the favorite in an early race scratched down to five because of conditions turn around and walk back to the barn when the clerk came out and offered up (NAME REDACTED) to ride the horse because the prima donnas left the room and let the "hungry riders" go out there and screw around in the ooze. I've seen a room rep go from telling all the other jocks to stay home because they were cancelling to making frantic calls when a trainer hunted him down while walking the track and told him he better find another mount for the futurity because he was changing riders when they redrew the soon-to-be-cancelled race.

Jocks are a necessary evil. They'll drive you crazy, but it's a shitty tough job for most of them. And most of them do want to go out there and do the best job that they can do and the rules require that. I've seen enough episodes of "gentleman rider" over bad tracks that I just assume they cancel if they can't perform and ride the way that they are expected to. I've been on enough sides of this scenario that it's just hard for me to even see it in black and white terms anymore. I have no problem with jocks acting as a unified group with one ringleader pissing in my cheerios on raceday, just as I have no problem with me chasing them down in the parking lot and asking them if perhaps they need to get tested for "Low T" or perhaps get back on the shit so we can run some races again.

The only thing that actually pisses me off in these situations anymore is when people stop thinking and just get pissed/emotional/greedy and start pressuring others into taking a risk that culminates in an avoidable mishap that gets a rider or horse hurt. This happens a lot it seems if you read the criticisms of "horseman" attitudes towards horses' health around these parts. Yep, racing is not safe, but luckily some people get it right from time to time and recognize when racing is unusually unsafe on that day and make unpopular decisions that can almost never be proven to be smart decisions.

You, sir, are no poser.

[castaway01]

The point isnt sitting in a recliner criticizing jocks for not riding, the point is that other jocks in very cold areas found it acceptable to ride.....if there was a rule that no horse races ever take place if the temps are under 30 degrees than we would all know the 'rules' and there would be no complaints, but as it stands now, jockey colonies just pick and choose which days they feel like riding...and if you spent a few hours of your precious time handicapping races that arent going to run, i can see someone getting a little peeved.

Then again, when it's 15 degrees, anyone with a brain would not plan to be wagering on such a place that night (you excluded due to the brain rule). I'm sorry, but what is the cost---you bought a program? Gee, $2 down the drain. Sorry, I have to side with the people who do it for a living.

Not posting for a living, I mean riding.

[castaway01]

They ran the whole card the previous night. How cold was it then?


But your point is what? Were you out on the track that night? Did you see the condition? You were at home. That's my whole point---they know, we don't. They have to do it, we don't.

[Stillriledup]

Then again, when it's 15 degrees, anyone with a brain would not plan to be wagering on such a place that night (you excluded due to the brain rule). I'm sorry, but what is the cost---you bought a program? Gee, $2 down the drain. Sorry, I have to side with the people who do it for a living.

Not posting for a living, I mean riding.

You're missing the pernt. Weather reports have said that it was colder at Penn National than it was at Charlestown...so, im not sure how the '15 degrees' holds water. They cancelled last night and the temps were 37 degrees according to weather.com

Since it can't possibly be just cold weather related, it has to be something more than cold weather, what that something is is anyone's guess. (and, as message board pundits, we're free to guess what that might be)

[castaway01]

You're missing the pernt. Weather reports have said that it was colder at Penn National than it was at Charlestown...so, im not sure how the '15 degrees' holds water. They cancelled last night and the temps were 37 degrees according to weather.com

Since it can't possibly be just cold weather related, it has to be something more than cold weather, what that something is is anyone's guess. (and, as message board pundits, we're free to guess what that might be)


I'm out of ways to express this, but were you on the track? If it was safe, why would people who need to ride to make a living and need safety say it was dangerous? Do you think if it was icy (as it was when it was 15) and then melted it might be hazardous? You weren't there so your point is what exactly? If the surface was frozen and then melted, would it be safe to ride a horse? Maybe, maybe not, but I am not there.

[Stillriledup]

I'm out of ways to express this, but were you on the track? If it was safe, why would people who need to ride to make a living and need safety say it was dangerous? Do you think if it was icy (as it was when it was 15) and then melted it might be hazardous? You weren't there so your point is what exactly? If the surface was frozen and then melted, would it be safe to ride a horse? Maybe, maybe not, but I am not there.

My point was that your point referenced cold weather and i said that it was colder at Penn National than it was at CT.

[takeout]

Since it can't possibly be just cold weather related, it has to be something more than cold weather, what that something is is anyone's guess. (and, as message board pundits, we're free to guess what that might be)I’ll take a stab at it. I theorize it goes something like this:

1. Jocks don’t ride on a night when they could have.

2. This irritates management and I’m sure they get an earful from outfits that shipped in (at considerable expense), hourly track workers who got sent home early with short (or no) pay, and of course, customers, and maybe even a couple of the local outfits that have witnessed this a few too many times.

3. Management automatically shuts down the next day, partly in a defensive posture and partly as tit for tat.

Saturday morning was probably interesting. They were late getting that cancellation up. Maybe a meeting or something. ??

[brivolta]

You're missing the pernt. Weather reports have said that it was colder at Penn National than it was at Charlestown...so, im not sure how the '15 degrees' holds water. They cancelled last night and the temps were 37 degrees according to weather.com

Since it can't possibly be just cold weather related, it has to be something more than cold weather, what that something is is anyone's guess. (and, as message board pundits, we're free to guess what that might be)

The temp at each track isn't a be all end all. Some tracks freeze quicker than others. The dirt isn't a consistent mix of clay, dirt, sand, etc at every track.

[5k-claim]

I'll never understand why, but higher echelon riders ALWAYS wan't to cancel when given the slightest excuse. First, however, they make sure that lower ranked peers have been intimidated or convinced to not ride the card.

The clerk of scales generally tries to thwart a vote amongst the jocks by ushering the unwilling out of the room before the whole colony can be poisoned and join in lockstep. Usually, the clerk is unsuccessful and the whiners get their way. Would you happen to remember, or have notes about, any specific dates at Mountaineer in 2012 where a cancellation was in deference to "whiners" and not because of what could have been a legitimate concern about weather, temperature or bad spots on the track?

Thanks.

.

[proximity]

Thursday, when the CT jocks quit after the 2nd race, Pen ran its whole card. Am I supposed to believe it was warmer north of CT?


personally, i couldn't believe pen ran that night.

[takeout]

personally, i couldn't believe pen ran that night.
Tuesday, 1/22, the first day CT cancelled last week, Beulah ran its whole card in 11 to 14 degree weather. How did they do that? Do they have super jocks up there? Serious question.
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/instant_pdf.cgi?type=inc&country=USA&track=BEU&date=2013-01-22&race=0

[rastajenk]

Well, they allowed a lot of scratches, there were some really short fields, and it only required a few jocks to tough it out.

[mountainman]

Would you happen to remember, or have notes about, any specific dates at Mountaineer in 2012 where a cancellation was in deference to "whiners" and not because of what could have been a legitimate concern about weather, temperature or bad spots on the track?

Thanks.

.

Actually, the weather was above par here last year, which ensured that our racing schedule went off without a hitch. I do recall the jocks once citing "bad roads" as the reason for voting not to ride one night in 2011. Fair enough, except that their stated concern was not for their own safety, but rather for that of fans who might unwisely brave bad roads. Pretty considerate, huh? I wish I could recall the specific date. I do recall laughing until I had tears in my eyes.

On a similar note, jocks here were once notorious for staging tuesday walkouts after the completion of just one or two races. Tuesday is payday for them, so you can connect the dots. Management now withholds their checks for an hour or two, and it's amazing how much safer the riders have found track conditions since that simple measure was taken.

[Tom]

Here's a thought.
Have alternate weights assigned, one set at a much higher scale, that would allow owners, trainers, and other non-essential track personnel to jump into the saddles and have at when the whiners don't want to ride.

Everyone is happy!

[senortout]

freezing and thawing conditions cause abnormal variations in the condition of the track surface.

[duncan04]

Tuesday, 1/22, the first day CT cancelled last week, Beulah ran its whole card in 11 to 14 degree weather. How did they do that? Do they have super jocks up there? Serious question.
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/instant_pdf.cgi?type=inc&country=USA&track=BEU&date=2013-01-22&race=0

Beulah probably has a better racing surface than Charles Town. Just my guess

[proximity]

Tuesday, 1/22, the first day CT cancelled last week, Beulah ran its whole card in 11 to 14 degree weather. How did they do that? Do they have super jocks up there? Serious question.
http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/instant_pdf.cgi?type=inc&country=USA&track=BEU&date=2013-01-22&race=0

i understand your frustration with inconsistencies in the cancellations and i don't know anything about beu's overall conditions and history with such things.

on the day in question i stopped for gas out by pen and it was freezing cold and windy. and the sun was still out. imo pen has cancelled in much tamer conditions so i took a road trip out to sands to use some of my poker comp money and was very surprised when i found out they ran.

[5k-claim]

Actually, the weather was above par here last year, which ensured that our racing schedule went off without a hitch. I do recall the jocks once citing "bad roads" as the reason for voting not to ride one night in 2011. Fair enough, except that their stated concern was not for their own safety, but rather for that of fans who might unwisely brave bad roads. Pretty considerate, huh? I wish I could recall the specific date. I do recall laughing until I had tears in my eyes.

On a similar note, jocks here were once notorious for staging tuesday walkouts after the completion of just one or two races. Tuesday is payday for them, so you can connect the dots. Management now withholds their checks for an hour or two, and it's amazing how much safer the riders have found track conditions since that simple measure was taken. 2011?

Look, I am stabled in Lexington and ship to Mountaineer to race. I like Mountaineer. I also like dealing with your brother. And Luis.

I guess what I was not liking so much was this thread as a dumping ground to just be creative and sit around the campfire telling stories about jockeys being "whiners" and causing cancellations.

As for bad roads: shipping from Lexington you can imagine how I might actually appreciate concerns about that... on behalf of the horses. Even as far back as 2011.

And for the guy who still doesn't understand after several posts pointing it out to him that TRACK CONDITIONS are not the same thing as TEMPERATURE READINGS... not much to say.

.

[mountainman]

As for bad roads: shipping from Lexington you can imagine how I might actually appreciate concerns about that... on behalf of the horses. Even as far back as 2011.


.

The notion that jockies consider patron safety when determining whether to ride is ludicrous. But as excuses go, it WAS creative.

And on the topic of your trek from ky: Are you aware that sometimes just one or two riders can be bothered to attend the 12:00 pm meetings that management customarily schedules to determine the fate of a snow card? That's why ship in barns are so often left hanging or sent home after an 11th hour cancellation. And, trust me, "appreciation" is NOT the tone of consequent phone calls we get from horsemen who van here.

By the way, my brother and Rivera divorced in dec.

[5k-claim]

The notion that jockies consider patron safety when determining whether to ride is ludicrous. But as excuses go, it WAS creative. I don't really buy that either. But at least they remembered that "road conditions" is an important thing to think about since the horses are out there vanning around on them- and therefore a possible excuse.

One thing we can agree on about cancellations: whether 100% warranted or not, the horses do get a chance to come back and fight another day. And that is better than stepping in some hole somewhere on the track that I cannot even see.

By the way, my brother and Rivera divorced in dec. That's too bad. Like I said, I like them both.

.

[5k-claim]

And on the topic of your trek from ky: Are you aware that sometimes just one or two riders can be bothered to attend the 12:00 pm meetings that management customarily schedules to determine the fate of a snow card? That's why ship in barns are so often left hanging or sent home after an 11th hour cancellation. And, trust me, "appreciation" is NOT the tone of consequent phone calls we get from horsemen who van here. Well, things worked out for the better THIS MORNING at Turfway Park.

The first I heard of today's cancellation at the barn was at around 10:30am. That is about one hour before the first group of guys from here (Lexington) would have to hit the road to make it to Turfway with time to spare before Lasix.

I do not know whether they had enough jockey representatives to tell them it was going to be too cold for them to ride tonight, or if possible weather/road conditions played a part, or if someone in management just went ahead and had the balls to call tonight off... without just passing that responsibility over to the jockeys later tonight... but whatever/whoever it was, I think they made the right call.

Tomorrow will be better since it is afternoon racing.

.

[mountainman]

Well, things worked out for the better THIS MORNING at Turfway Park.

The first I heard of today's cancellation at the barn was at around 10:30am. That is about one hour before the first group of guys from here (Lexington) would have to hit the road to make it to Turfway with time to spare before Lasix.

I do not know whether they had enough jockey representatives to tell them it was going to be too cold for them to ride tonight, or if possible weather/road conditions played a part, or if someone in management just went ahead and had the balls to call tonight off... without just passing that responsibility over to the jockeys later tonight... but whatever/whoever it was, I think they made the right call.

Tomorrow will be better since it is afternoon racing.

.

Good to know. Glad you weren't inconvenienced or left hanging. But the synthetic track at TP is less of an issue in cold weather than the mountain main, which puts the ball more in management's court down there. Conversely, rider input is critical to most cancellation calls up here.

Passed your condolences along to my bro. He likes you, too. Gary is a survivor and always lands on his feet.

[5k-claim]

Good to know. Glad you weren't inconvenienced or left hanging. But the synthetic track at TP is less of an issue in cold weather than the mountain main, which puts the ball more in management's court down there. Conversely, rider input is critical to most cancellation calls up here. Fair enough.

Passed your condolences along to my bro. He likes you, too. Gary is a survivor and always lands on his feet. No doubt. Your brother is a good guy.

As a matter of fact, there are lots of good people at Mountaineer. People try to put the track down a lot, but everyone I know there is helpful and nice if you're in a jam. I do not have anything negative to say about Mountaineer.

(Although why can't you guys from the office work out a better "horseman's rate" at the casino hotel... and also the buffet? I have stayed at the Andrews Inn Motel the last couple of times.)

.

[Valuist]

The notion that jockies consider patron safety when determining whether to ride is ludicrous. But as excuses go, it WAS creative.



That is funny. What percent of handle is on track there, 5%?

[mountainman]

That is funny. What percent of handle is on track there, 5%?

God, I love this country.

[lamboguy]

its only 21 days for the MOUNTAIN, and i can't wait!

[bob60566]

its only 21 days for the MOUNTAIN, and i can't wait!
Weather permitting, I thought last year lot more shippers?

[MightBeSosa]

Years ago, I think they ran just about no matter what.

Does anyone know how often racing was cancelled pre 1970 for weather?

[cj]

Years ago, I think they ran just about no matter what.

Does anyone know how often racing was cancelled pre 1970 for weather?

I can't speak for pre-1970, but they certainly canceled plenty in the mid 80s (pre slots). The weather there can be awful.

[thespaah]

Saturday 1-26-13: I assume that CT has canceled again but it appears that no one told Equibase. Forty-six workouts this morning but no scratches or program changes listed. Couldn’t get anyone on the phone either, not even an operator. (another well oiled operation)

Thursday, when the CT jocks quit after the 2nd race, Pen ran its whole card. Am I supposed to believe it was warmer north of CT?

Here’s what I don’t get: When there’s a pari-mutuel clerk strike, management brings in scabs to fill in until it’s settled. Yet when a couple of so-called “private contractors” go home they shut the whole place down. There must be hundreds of wannabe jocks out there. Why let a couple of prima donnas shut down the whole show? Am I to believe that the whole jockey colony at CT didn’t want to ride the rest of the card Thursday night? Poleeze!

Perhaps they need a reality check. I saw a news thing the other night where they were getting ready to open a new casino/s (?) somewhere and they were accepting 800 people to go to dealer school. (Didn't say they were hiring 800, they don't all make it.) The point: Over FORTY THOUSAND showed up just trying to go to the dealer school. (No guaranteed job.) Perhaps management should show that news clip to the jockeys. It might help them see the bigger picture. IMO, they’re overpaid and I think their actions make that obvious.
From the tone of your post you seem upset. Over what, I have no clue. CT is NOT the only track on which to wager.
To say that Jockeys are over paid is ABSURD.