Ride of the Day

[Jeff P]

CRC R3 MCLM 5f Dirt
I watched the post parade and warmups for this race. I saw #1 FIRST IN THE SAND exhibit a lot of positive signs. So I bet her. And lost. But my post really isn't about that. Ok, maybe just a little. I'm wondering about the ride MARAGH gave FIRST IN THE SAND in this one.

The gate opens, FIRST IN THE SAND breaks on top and makes the early lead all on her own. Nunez sends the #2 up after her and is quickly alongside. They enter the turn and here is where it gets interesting. If you watch the replay carefully you can see MARAGH stand up and take the horse back to 4th or 5th. If you watch the head on you'll notice there is clearly plenty of ROOM - the horse isn't being crowded in any way whatsoever. So, if FIRST IN THE SAND isn't being crowded and is showing interest in being in the race, why does the rider stand up? After taking the horse out of the race, MARAGH sits motionless until they're inside the 1/8th pole. Then, after it's too late to compete for the win, MARAGH then asks for run. Inside of about three strides FIRST IN THE SAND responds and takes 3rd.

Thoughts? Anyone else watching this race or the replay see it differently?

-jp

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[Jeff P]

The other day I highlighted a really bad ride - one which cost the horse all chance of winning. Today I'm going to point out just the opposite - a really good ride that resulted in a win instead of a third place finish.

Thurs 05/04/2006
CD R3 ALW 6f Dirt
#4 EXCITING METRO (9-2) - RENE DOUGLAS sends EXCITING METRO to the lead right from the gate, then takes hold and gives the horse a short breather in the run through the backstretch and into the turn. BEJARANO, aboard the 3/5 favorite KELLYS LANDING, sends his mount up on the outside after the leader midway on the turn. MCKEE's horse, PRO PRADO, while under restraint (watch the replay - you can see MCKEE standing up on the turn trying not to go to the front too early) also makes a move on the leader on the turn and that's where things start to get interesting.

As they turn for home both KELLYS LANDING and PRO PRADO have overtaken EXCITING METRO. In the stretch, as KELLYS LANDING begins to edge clear from PRO PRADO, BEJARANO, thinking he has it won, starts hand riding. And with 3/16th's to go it looks like the favorite is home and dry.

But there's one problem: RENE DOUGLAS doesn't let up on EXCITING METRO. Instead of "wrapping up" and accepting defeat like a lot of riders will do, DOUGLAS switches the stick to his left hand and rouses EXCITING METRO - who responds by rallying up the rail to nail the 3/5 favorite at the wire.

My comment here is pretty simple. I wish more riders would ride this way: RIDE to the wire. IMHO, too many simply wrap up way too early.

-jp

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[toetoe]

Jeff,

I had that exacta, but instead of banging it equally, I put Kelly's Landing over several, and the biggest bet with him over EM. EM/KL I had just as a saver. :bang: Monstrous effort after Pro Prado, a closer, gave up all chance to battle for the lead. :ThmbUp:

[Hosshead]

Jeff, In response to your 1st post - (Bad Ride)

If in fact there was (as you say), no apparent reason for the jock to stand up:

1. Although I didn't see the race, there is a reason that I've heard from jockeys before. Pretty simple: The jock feels like something is wrong with the horse (isn't moving right, thought he took a "bad step",etc) and starts to pull him up, then realizes that everything is O.K., and starts to ride again, thinking that he might still be able to get a "piece".

OR

2. The race is fixed.

[ryesteve]

I saw a good "ride of the day" candidate saturday: Edwin Perez in the 3rd at Penn. This race was already perversely interesting on paper... bottom maiden claimers, where a first-time starter was the 3/5 morning line favorite. Imagine what the competition looked like. Perez is on this horse, who ended up going off at 1/5. Easily takes over at the half-mile pole, and draws away by a wide margin coming down the stretch. Perez is still keeping busy with the horse, which I guess is ok in theory, but still, he seems a little too frenetic, given how far in front he is. Well, he could be thinking someone might be coming, so he doesn't want the horse to stop loafing. But then at the 16th pole, he takes a look back and sees that he's about 15 lengths in front... time to relax? Nope... he keeps working the horse like he just saw the four horseman of the apocalypse hot in his heels. Then, about 70 yards from the finish, the horse tries to jump the rail (can't say that I blame her), bounces off and totally loses her action and comes to a stop. Perez manages to get her jogging towards the finish line, and manages to get to the line a few inches ahead of the rest of the field.

[Jeff P]

The ride I'm going to point out today has to fall into the category of simply PATHETIC. It happened in CRC's R7 on Sunday May 07, 2006 - the EMERGENCY NURSE STAKES. The rider is Sebastian Madrid aboard #1 INDIA HALO. The gate opens and Madrid takes hold and places INDIA HALO in the back of the pack. If that was the game plan so be it. IMHO CRC is a speed favoring track where you probably don't want to be trailing a 48.0 half mile by 8 or so lengths. But that's just my opinion. Going around the far turn Madrid goes to the stick and it looks like INDIA HALO is starting to make some ground. Not enough to get to the eventual winner - Eddie Castro has the 3/5 favorite #6 MOCITA in good position with good momentum - but it is obvious that several of the other runners in front of INDIA HALO are tiring badly. So at the top of the stretch where INDIA HALO has a full head of steam with several faltering horses in front of him (but not MOCITA) what does Madrid do? He "wraps up." INDIA HALO is not asked for run of any kind in the stretch and finishes off the board. Watch the race replay carefully and let me know if you concur or if you see it in a different light than I do. My own opinion is that Madrid could have gotten a second or third place finish in here - simply by asking his horse to run. But instead of trying to compete... well, just watch from about the 1/16th pole on - Madrid is standing up in the irons. BTW this is a stakes race where you'd think a larger purse might provide a little incentive.

-jp

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