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View Full Version : Maragh Relocating to So Cal


nancy4487
12-14-2017, 07:59 PM
Didn't see this coming:

https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/225188/maragh-relocating-to-southern-california?utm_source=BHTW&utm_medium=social

Cholly
12-14-2017, 08:21 PM
speaking of jockey moves, I looked at Aqueduct today and was surprised to see Castellano still riding there and not at Gulfstream. Is he planning to ride at AQ all winter?

VigorsTheGrey
12-14-2017, 08:21 PM
Great news...! Perfect fit....should do well...looking forward to seeing him ride...!

Immortal6
12-14-2017, 08:58 PM
One of my favorite jocks in the sport I wish him luck but will sorely miss watching him on the NY and Fla circuit as those are what I follow and wager on the most. One thing I won't miss is his seeming inability to get a decent number of mounts that are competitive. Seems like the Saratoga and now AQ meet this far, damn near every horse he rides is a long shot (just my perception no stats to back that up).

I think given the opportunity he can certainly shine in California. I agree with the article he is a jock that is very multidimensional. Again, best of luck to him... maybe this will be the catalyst to get me more interested in California racing.

MonmouthParkJoe
12-14-2017, 09:50 PM
If Elliot can go over there and do well, Raj can too

onefast99
12-15-2017, 10:36 AM
He is a good guy he will tell you like it is. I have used him at GP when he went there for the winters. I wish him the best of luck in Cali. Sometimes a change of scenery can be a blessing in disguise. I don't know why he wasn't used more often in NY but there has been an influx of top riders there for quite sometime making the competition for mounts a tough one.

GMB@BP
12-15-2017, 10:47 AM
He should do well, its not like the old days going to socal when a few other prominent riders tried it and failed, the colony is not deep at all if you ask me. He can easily compete with Kent, Prat and Bajarano for the daily mounts.

Stakes level mounts will be a tad tougher but I am sure that will work out as well.

Lemon Drop Husker
12-15-2017, 10:50 AM
He should do well, its not like the old days going to socal when a few other prominent riders tried it and failed, the colony is not deep at all if you ask me. He can easily compete with Kent, Prat and Bajarano for the daily mounts.

Stakes level mounts will be a tad tougher but I am sure that will work out as well.

Can't disagree. The SoCal jockey colony is pretty thin on talent right now.

Kind of good actually, in which better horses win, but such is the quandry.

airford1
12-15-2017, 03:36 PM
6 horse fields make it pretty hard to get mounts.

onefast99
12-18-2017, 09:48 AM
I spoke to him yesterday he is very excited to be heading to the west coast. I wished him the best of luck.

molson721
12-18-2017, 01:59 PM
6 horse fields make it pretty hard to get mounts.

I give him 3 months for that reason alone. He won't like the pay cut that comes with the lack of mounts.

GMB@BP
12-18-2017, 03:07 PM
I give him 3 months for that reason alone. He won't like the pay cut that comes with the lack of mounts.

Well the money is different but Del Mar avg bigger fields than Saratoga on the 2017 HANA ratings and SA had more than Bel/Aqu. Though they are very similar, so less money but I dont think the mounts is an issue at those two tracks.

Los Al though, yea that place is trash for fields.

Honestly, your just trying to get into the high end stock and cut out a career, ie like Victor did.

molson721
12-19-2017, 06:48 PM
Well the money is different but Del Mar avg bigger fields than Saratoga on the 2017 HANA ratings and SA had more than Bel/Aqu. Though they are very similar, so less money but I dont think the mounts is an issue at those two tracks.

Los Al though, yea that place is trash for fields.

Honestly, your just trying to get into the high end stock and cut out a career, ie like Victor did.

You must be a west coast player that always whines about the east coast bias. You can quote the average field size, the typical stat that reinforces the quote that "statistics lie and liars use statistics". Check out where the top 5 Jockeys at Del mar would rank in Saratoga earnings from last summer and will realize you have to take a pay cut to ride in California and the difference is big. Take away Mike Smith and also look at the yearly earnings by jockeys. Riding on the west coast means you will earn less money. Smith and Espinoza have made their money so they can be very selective on their mounts but if you are young, staying in California means you will earn less money during the prime of you career. Stop living in the 1990's.
Also, will you west coast people stop using the field size stat(statistics lie etc.). Del Mar pays you to ship in a cheap claimer and most field size stats are inflated because the only races with large fields are the cheap maiden claimers. Oh, I forgot to mention, how many races does Saratoga run every week compared to Del Mar so MOUNTS WILL BE AN ISSUE. Keep quoting your field size stats while big money races have few horses if that will make you feel better about the racing product in California.

molson721
12-19-2017, 06:52 PM
I spoke to him yesterday he is very excited to be heading to the west coast. I wished him the best of luck.

I wish him the best of luck considering his injury history but he is too young to go to California to ride. Shorter racing weeks and short fields are not a recipe for success when trying to break into any jockey colony. Hope he beats the odds.

GMB@BP
12-19-2017, 07:22 PM
I wish him the best of luck considering his injury history but he is too young to go to California to ride. Shorter racing weeks and short fields are not a recipe for success when trying to break into any jockey colony. Hope he beats the odds.

I think you are severely overestimating the younger riders there, its Prat and really no one. Smith, Kent, Stevens and Nakatani only have a short time left, going to be a big void.

camourous
12-19-2017, 07:37 PM
I think you are severely overestimating the younger riders there, its Prat and really no one. Smith, Kent, Stevens and Nakatani only have a short time left, going to be a big void.

The main issue is he's a below average rider at best

clicknow
12-23-2017, 05:01 PM
I think you are severely overestimating the younger riders there, its Prat and really no one. Smith, Kent, Stevens and Nakatani only have a short time left, going to be a big void.

Stevens will be at Oaklawn this year. David Cohen coming back to racing this year and riding at Oaklawn.

I agree, the Calif. colony is surviving on oldsters, but I'm sure some new talented young jockeys will be coming into racing every year. Its sad to watch our favorites retire, but exciting to see the up-and-coming ones.

As for Maragh , never was a fan. Just doesn't do anything for me, and seems to go wide too often. But I wish him the best of luck.

Robert Fischer
12-24-2017, 01:51 PM
Maragh seems both competent and mediocre.

I'd never have a problem with him being on a horse that I liked.

I'd never look to him as an individual to seize a winning position and steal a race like a Jose Ortiz, and I'd never look to him as an individual to ride his ass off above his baseline for a time like a Luis Saez.

He's simply a capable rider.

Was good to see him come back from the injury and put in a full year for 2017.

No reason to think that he can't bring his game West.

airford1
12-25-2017, 02:32 PM
Some good young riders have left California. The future is not west coast racing.

maliksealy210
12-27-2017, 08:45 PM
Some good young riders have left California. The future is not west coast racing.

Watch Tyler Conner ride. He should pick up more and more SoCal mounts in 18. Always get your monies worth when he is riding.

AstrosFan
12-29-2017, 08:02 PM
Some good young riders have left California. The future is not west coast racing.

I second that!

Afleet
12-29-2017, 10:21 PM
I can't remember ever hitting a good bet on this guy. I do remember him almost knocking JR off of Animal Kingdom in the Belmont. JR was quoted as saying (paraphrasing) that was a bush league move by a jockey on a horse w/no chance