Good horses will get good trips

[PriceAnProbability]

A good trip is a sign of a good horse, whose jockey is able to manipulate it into favorable position. When a horse responds to a jockey so well that the jockey can get it into good position, that is not an accident, and it is likely to be repeated.

The old "good trip" theory on this (that good trips are a negative) is as dead as a doornail.

[rrbauer]

Jockeys are more responsible for "good trips" than horses. Go back and tally up your last 50 "good trip" notes. How many of those "good trips" have a sub-10% jockey in the boot? I have no idea who you are, what circuit(s) you play or what your claim to fame is.....BUT, I do know that "good trips" have a lot more to do with how the horse is ridden than who the horse might be.

[PriceAnProbability]

Jockeys are more responsible for "good trips" than horses. Go back and tally up your last 50 "good trip" notes. How many of those "good trips" have a sub-10% jockey in the boot? I have no idea who you are, what circuit(s) you play or what your claim to fame is.....BUT, I do know that "good trips" have a lot more to do with how the horse is ridden than who the horse might be.

So when a horse sits fifth, circles the field four wide, and draws away to win by six, it was the jockey?

[banacek]

Jockeys are more responsible for "good trips" than horses. Go back and tally up your last 50 "good trip" notes. How many of those "good trips" have a sub-10% jockey in the boot?

I haven't done a statistical study, but I do keep a "bad trip" file on BRIS. And a lot of those are with not just sub 10% jocks, but with sub 6% jocks. And when one of those comes back with a decent jock, good things often occur. I especially have had luck when a lousy jock gave a horrendous ride and the horse did ok despite that - and I get a decent 10-12% jock on the next time. (when the top couple of jocks take over the odds sometimes get hit too hard)

[JPinMaryland]

Do you have any stats on how many times horses that wear blinkers manage to find trouble?

That's one caveat I would put on the above postulate, put a good horse alongside a couple of blinker wearers and that can be a problem. See Henny Hughes at the BC.

Bob and John's a good example of a blinker wearing klutz. Horse manages to find trouble no matter where he is. I like the horse, but geez...

[Robert Fischer]

so many variables.

A lone speed horse, should not have trouble-as far as the trip is concerned.
Yet a classy speed animal, can be hampered in the company of several early speed types. Can the Jockey relax this horse?

Superior tactical speed will allow for maneuverability.

A closer could be by far the class of the race, yet face traffic issues when trying to get up.

Some horses will repeatedly have "bad trips" race after race. They race wide, fight gamely, and finish mid pack. Often victims of overzealous owner/trainers, who should be looking for softer company.

[Red Knave]

So when a horse sits fifth, circles the field four wide, and draws away to win by six ... To my mind, this is not a 'good' trip but certainly was a good horse, confidently ridden.

[classhandicapper]

A good trip is a sign of a good horse, whose jockey is able to manipulate it into favorable position. When a horse responds to a jockey so well that the jockey can get it into good position, that is not an accident, and it is likely to be repeated.

The old "good trip" theory on this (that good trips are a negative) is as dead as a doornail.

I think there is a lot of truth to this, but you are probably overstating the case.

I've seen very many horses over the years that seemed likely to be disadvantaged by the way a race was likely to set up, a bias, etc.... but the jockey was able to do things with the horse to get it into good positon and enable it to win because it had superior ability. You rarely see that kind of thing with a dud in a similarly disadvantaged spot.