Patrick Valenzuela Returns

[David-LV]

He's back.

Good luck Patrick, we missed you.

________
David


Valenzuela Returns to Hollywood
Date Posted: November 15, 2007
Last Updated: November 15, 2007


http://channels.bloodhorse.com/images/content/PatrickValenzuela_298_Ben.jpgPatrick Valenzuela
Photo: Benoit

Jockey Patrick Valenzuela returns to California for the first time in nearly one year Nov. 17 at Hollywood Park.


http://racing.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=42049

[kenwoodallpromos]

I guess PVal and others like the jockeys disability program in Ca!

[JustRalph]

I prefer JVal..............Jose Valdivia

[Shenanigans]

OK, who wants to wager on when he falls off the wagon? I'll give him till June of next year. I know, I know, that's stretching it, but let's give him a shot.:p

[Tom Barrister]

If he isn't smart enough to realize that at age 45, he needs to be squeaky clean hereafter, then there isn't much hope for him. One would think that he is well aware of this and is going to make a concerted effort to walk the straight and narrow, but the lure of drugs is always there, and it takes a lot of willpower to stay the course.

[NY BRED]

While I will never argue that P Val is a great jockey, his history of
substance abuse and the various reinstatements create, inmho
a terrible benchmark for jockeys throughout
the U.S.

While P Val's issues on the surface are self destructive, his use of drugs
place other jockeys and horses at a high degree of risk,
aside from the usual exposures they face while riding.

[Buddha]

OK, who wants to wager on when he falls off the wagon? I'll give him till June of next year. I know, I know, that's stretching it, but let's give him a shot.:p

Hasn't he been clean for the last couple years? Other than the injuries the last year, the reason he hasn't rode in a year, he hasn't been banned for substance abuse.

[OTM Al]

The injuries he had were probably very painful. Consider the care that someone with addiction problems has to take when recovering from injury. Heavy duty pain killers that someone who has never had a problem would take in a minute can't be readily administered. Instead of getting back to a level of pain that can be managed with the aid of drugs, the addict had pretty much got to sit it out until fully healed

[Ron]

I bet he doesn't make it through the end of the year. I question whether he was really hurt or just on another bender. He knows his way around the system.

[David-LV]

I bet he doesn't make it through the end of the year. I question whether he was really hurt or just on another bender. He knows his way around the system.


This is the United States Of America where we give everybody and anybody many chances.

You let me know how you would feel if you got kicked in the ribs by a 1500 lb. horse. He also had surgery on his knee this past year.

It is a well known fact on the Southern Calif. circuit that he has been clean for the last few years.

This post is written with personal knowledge of Patrick's situation.

Patrick has nothing to prove to anybody that does not have personal knowledge of his situation.

At 45 he soon will be riding circles around the Southern Calif. jockeys colony.

___________
David

[Tom]

Yeah, he and Barry.
Barry never tested positive either.
I never saw New York City either, but I bet it exists.
And I bet IT tests positive, too! :lol:

[garyoz]

His first race back and he makes a frivilous jockey's objection against Nakatani. PVal's act gets old. Over/under for winning mounts for the Holly Meet? I'd guess about 6 or so.

[boomman]

This is the United States Of America where we give everybody and anybody many chances.

You let me know how you would feel if you got kicked in the ribs by a 1500 lb. horse. He also had surgery on his knee this past year.

It is a well known fact on the Southern Calif. circuit that he has been clean for the last few years.

This post is written with personal knowledge of Patrick's situation.

Patrick has nothing to prove to anybody that does not have personal knowledge of his situation.




___________
David


I agree that P Val is a great rider, but how do you personally know that he's been clean the last year? Has he been testing with you on a regular basis? That's the only way anyone could know for sure, and excuse me, but as someone who has worked in this business promoting the game for over 25 years, he has EVERYTHING to prove!!!! Given his past record, and extended leave of absence, it certainly DOES smell of possibly falling off the wagon again, so to say that you have personal knowledge that he has been clean the last few years makes your post suspicious in itself. I will give you the benefit of the doubt and certainly hope you're right and that Patrick has gotten his life put together, as we in The US do give people many chances, but I strongly feel that this should be his very last one!!!!!:bang:

Boomer

[njcurveball]

Over/under for winning mounts for the Holly Meet? I'd guess about 6 or so.

I would love to bet the over on this one. The rubber band would be coming off the wallet! :ThmbUp:

[sammy the sage]

"Over/under for winning mounts for the Holly Meet? I'd guess about 6 or so.'"

really...I'll take the over for 1k alex!

care too book it?

[David-LV]

I agree that P Val is a great rider, but how do you personally know that he's been clean the last year? Has he been testing with you on a regular basis? That's the only way anyone could know for sure, and excuse me, but as someone who has worked in this business promoting the game for over 25 years, he has EVERYTHING to prove!!!! Given his past record, and extended leave of absence, it certainly DOES smell of possibly falling off the wagon again, so to say that you have personal knowledge that he has been clean the last few years makes your post suspicious in itself. I will give you the benefit of the doubt and certainly hope you're right and that Patrick has gotten his life put together, as we in The US do give people many chances, but I strongly feel that this should be his very last one!!!!!:bang:

Boomer
Don't hurt yourself banging your head against that brick wall.

I've been involved in all facets of the sport for over 50 years.

I never lie, so don't go calling my posts suspicious.

_______
David

[David-LV]

Over/under for winning mounts for the Holly Meet? I'd guess about 6 or so.

You can also put me down for the Over for any amount with zero cap.

________
David

[JustRalph]

His first race back and he makes a frivilous jockey's objection against Nakatani. PVal's act gets old. Over/under for winning mounts for the Holly Meet? I'd guess about 6 or so.

I will take the over. I knew he would file an objection when I saw it. I think he likes to set himself up in the colony, early on. He has always done this. He is just marking his territory. I think he is going to have a tougher time.......there are bound to be some relationships that have grown between some of the guys, that weren't there before. I think he will find Tyler Baze to be a little tougher on him now...........Tyler seems to be coming into his own........

[boomman]

Don't hurt yourself banging your head against that brick wall.

I've been involved in all facets of the sport for over 50 years.

I never lie, so don't go calling my posts suspicious.

_______
David

When it comes to PVal, the ENTIRE industry has banged it's head against the wall for many years, over how an athlete who has been blessed with so much talent would continue to throw it away via a drug addiction. I did not call you a liar sir, because if I was going to do that it would appear in exactly those words. But what I did do was question exactly how you know positively that he was clean the last few years and you have not provided any facts whatsoever to back up your claim. All of us who have careers in horse racing have watched this saga play out over the years and there is no way a logical thinking person could possibly think that he is 100% clean until he proves it many times over while being tested on a consistent basis. Don't get me wrong: I want Patrick to succeed, I really do. But as folks from Missouri say: "He's going to have to SHOW me". If and when that happens then I will be more than happy to acknowledge it, but just agreeing after this most recent lay-off that I'm sure he's clean after his track record? Gimme a break!

Boomer

[rrpic6]

I will take the over. I knew he would file an objection when I saw it. I think he likes to set himself up in the colony, early on. He has always done this. He is just marking his territory. I think he is going to have a tougher time.......there are bound to be some relationships that have grown between some of the guys, that weren't there before. I think he will find Tyler Baze to be a little tougher on him now...........Tyler seems to be coming into his own........

Not knowing PVal personally, but who really does...I had a feeling he'd file that objection the moment he shifted in a little. I think he enjoys the cat and mouse game with the Stewards as much as riding. He must really get under their skin, as it seems over the years, he will rarely get a call go his way in inquiries or objections.

Its good for the sport that he's back. He makes people talk and write and pass opinions. He seems to be the most polarizing personality in horseracing. Only the guys in the White House seem to have the same effect in the blogosphere.

I don't know if the profile is still there, but a few months ago I stumbled onto a woman's homepage on MySpace, that included some nasty comments about her lying, meth-head, ex-jockey boyfriend that won a Stakes race on the horse she took care of while being stoned, and continues to fool everyone about his drug use. Great National Enquire-ike reading. Now who knows if that is true or just someone scorned?

BTW: i'll take the over bet of 6. PVal is the Michael Jordan of his time. No one comes close to his talent, even if his Middle Age aches and pains slow him down. You can go to youtube and watch him toy with Pat Day on Sunday Silence in the Preakness back in the late 80's when Day was considered Shoemakers' heir apparent.

RR

[Tom]

Has he got any hair?

[garyoz]

I will take the over.

Yeah, I am probably low on that one. Depends on who will ride him in the next 4 weeks. Maybe 12 is a better number. But I can see a lot of trainers passing on him. Berajano is supposed to start riding at Holly soon.

[David-LV]

Yeah, I am probably low on that one. Depends on who will ride him in the next 4 weeks. Maybe 12 is a better number. But I can see a lot of trainers passing on him. Berajano is supposed to start riding at Holly soon.

It doesn't matter what jockeys come and ride in Southern Calif. PVal will always be in great demanded by trainers and owners alike.

Despite his past history, he is still one of the greatest jockeys of all times.

Nothing will change he will get his usual 5 to 7 mounts daily.

It will be business and winning as usual.

_________
David

[Tom]

It will be business and winning as usual.

_________
David

That is exactly what many of us believe.:rolleyes:

[David-LV]

That is exactly what many of us believe.:rolleyes:
Tom, Tom, Tom,

Are you that perfect that you can be that sarcastic.

Why don't we all just see what happens. :) :)

_______
David

[LARRY GEORGE]

i don't care what people say about him he seem's to have all of his mounts
in a winning position win or lose.
l'll bet on his horses if the odds are right

[Ron]

Get P Val out of there before his kills someone. Maybe that will change your mind?

[PaceAdvantage]

Get P Val out of there before his kills someone. Maybe that will change your mind?Please....spare us the drama here.

If you're that concerned about this, then you MUST FIRST go after all the trainers who send out these hopped up horses running on three legs. THOSE are the ones you have to worry about. Not PVal....

[linrom1]

P Val is back, now I can get back to (Cali )racing. It's like having your old friend back. :jump: I finally watched a race form Hol and to my pleasant surprise, it was like watching racing at old speed favoring Hol.

[Ron]

I see Pval has been suspended for 3 days for reckless riding.

[PaceAdvantage]

I see Pval has been suspended for 3 days for reckless riding.Good to see he's working harder than ever....he's always been a fan favorite....

[46zilzal]

You wonder sometimes. I met him at Anita and asked if he would sign a photo of his winning the Preakness on Sunday Silence. I was quite amazed at his asking me "Where did you get that photo? They never gave one to me."

I wrote down the address and gave it to him.

[garyoz]

Good to see he's working harder than ever....he's always been a fan favorite....


Are you suggesting that a suspension for reckless riding is an indication of working harder than ever?

[PaceAdvantage]

Are you suggesting that a suspension for reckless riding is an indication of working harder than ever?Pretty much....doing everything you can to win and then some....that's why he's a fan favorite....

Note, I did not say he was was a "fellow-jockey" favorite....

[rrpic6]

Pretty much....doing everything you can to win and then some....that's why he's a fan favorite....

Note, I did not say he was was a "fellow-jockey" favorite....

And certainly not a "Steward favorite" jockey.

[Shenanigans]

Pretty much....doing everything you can to win and then some....that's why he's a fan favorite....

Note, I did not say he was was a "fellow-jockey" favorite....

On the contrary, reckless riding is a good sign of drug use also. A coked up rider has alot more nerve and takes far greater unwise risks than the average aggressive rider.

[FlyinLate]

On the contrary, reckless riding is a good sign of drug use also. A coked up rider has alot more nerve and takes far greater unwise risks than the average aggressive rider.

In regards to this, in some cases, drug use also causes paranoia, leading to less risky moves.

[David-LV]

On the contrary, reckless riding is a good sign of drug use also. A coked up rider has alot more nerve and takes far greater unwise risks than the average aggressive rider.


If you think that the stewards would ever let PVAL ride all coked up, then I think it is time for you to find another sport to gamble on.

________
David

[PaceAdvantage]

BTW, I caught a quick replay of this race on TVG, and on first blush, was it all that worthy of a suspension? I probably have to watch it again, but I kept asking myself...is this the race PVal got suspended for?

[Spectacular Sid]

Patrick's comebacks in the past have been successful largely because of his natural talent but partly because the SoCal jocks room was pretty weak, compared to 10 to 20 years ago. Now, with some hard-working young talent like Tyler Baze, Talamo, Bejarano and Leparoux, it's going to be a lot harder for him to make the same kind of impact...especially since through inactivity and aging he will have lost some of the physical skills that made him so good.

So, even if he stays clean, it's no sure thing that he'll be the same as before.

[Shenanigans]

If you think that the stewards would ever let PVAL ride all coked up, then I think it is time for you to find another sport to gamble on.

________
David


No one ever said the stewarts "let" Pval ride all coked up.:rolleyes:
BTW, I don't gamble this sport, I am involved in the industry.;)

[Pace Cap'n]

So, even if he stays clean, it's no sure thing that he'll be the same as before.

I was wondering what effect the poly-track surfaces will have on his riding, and his riding style. Is he going to have a learning curve?