Stardom Bound - Ashland Stakes

[Watcher]

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[MickJ26]

Either she didn't take to Keeneland's version of recycled airplane tires that wasn't kind to closers or she's just a nice Santa Anita horse. Hopefully, it's the former not the latter. Like Mike Smith said on Jockeys, "the only thing I can do is screw it up", or words to that effect. At least Lanzman/IEAH went 1 for 2 today.

[Relwob Owner]

Either she didn't take to Keeneland's version of recycled airplane tires that wasn't kind to closers or she's just a nice Santa Anita horse. Hopefully, it's the former not the latter. Like Mike Smith said on Jockeys, "the only thing I can do is screw it up", or words to that effect. At least Lanzman/IEAH went 1 for 2 today.


Maybe the IEAH boys knew something about her current shape when they sold a percentage of her ownership as part of the IWR deal....I am still extremely surprised that noone has questioned how much she has digressed since leaving Paasch's care and going to Frankel/now Dutrow

[sonnyp]

im not a numbers guy. have her performance numbers fallen off from last year ?

buying 2 yo's turning 3 is a risky proposition. buying 2yo fillies turning 3 is even riskier. they can grow and develop so much durng this period that the gangly, awkward 2 yo's can mature at 3 and leave those who were dominant at 2 in their wake.

with stardom bounds running style and the development of the likes of rachel alexander im sure IEAH has come to the realization they're not going to dominate on the race track with her. first they were talking the derby and the boys, then the ashland and the girls......now what ?

[Relwob Owner]

im not a numbers guy. have her performance numbers fallen off from last year ?

buying 2 yo's turning 3 is a risky proposition. buying 2yo fillies turning 3 is even riskier. they can grow and develop so much durng this period that the gangly, awkward 2 yo's can mature at 3 and leave those who were dominant at 2 in their wake.

with stardom bounds running style and the development of the likes of rachel alexander im sure IEAH has come to the realization they're not going to dominate on the race track with her. first they were talking the derby and the boys, then the ashland and the girls......now what ?


Beyer wise, whe is down...she had a 94 in the BC, mid eighties since and then today was probably low/mid 80's....good point abt other fillies improving past her but looks like she hasnt improved a bit---she really didnt look great in the stretch today...that price tag now looks pretty steep but who knows what will come

[MickJ26]

I'm sure she's seen her last race on synthetics for a while. Hopefully, she'll rebound in the Kentucky Oaks and/or the filly triple tiara at Belmont.

[sonnyp]

like i said in a different thread........benny the bull, big brown, et all was a tremendous start for IEAH, but they were rolling the dice and hitting hard tens.

this year... stardom bound, patena..... they're treading water. i would guess i want revenge is going to be a VERY VERY important factor horse for them.

if they get tired treading watter and start to sink, don't look for people getting in line to throw life preservers.

could a government bail out apply to their situation ?

[joanied]

yeah....I am sooooooo disappointed. I hope it was just the 'new' surface...and maybe Mike had her just a bit too far back? I don't know...I want to find an excuse for her....but, I hope they still run her in the Oaks...I don't think we can rule her out just yet.
be interesting to learn what her connections say about this one...I saw an interview with Dutrow (he's was polite and soft spoken:eek: )...but I laughed when he said if she doesn't run well...he can blame Bobby:D

Hope Rachel Alexandar fares better tomorrow. Even Acoma lost today:(

[Relwob Owner]

like i said in a different thread........benny the bull, big brown, et all was a tremendous start for IEAH, but they were rolling the dice and hitting hard tens.

this year... stardom bound, patena..... they're treading water. i would guess i want revenge is going to be a VERY VERY important factor horse for them.

if they get tired treading watter and start to sink, don't look for people getting in line to throw life preservers.

could a government bail out apply to their situation ?


Couldnt agree more....many more purchases that noone has heard about that havent worked out well, either.....I think that treading water is putting it mildly this year and I agree that IWR is huge for them.....I wouldnt want to see their numbers right now.

[matthewsiv]

They paid $5,000,000 for a horse not worth $1,000,000.

Obviously has a date booked with Big Brown,unless they want to get killed at the November Sales.

The previous owners are clever people,me thinks!

[Relwob Owner]

They paid $5,000,000 for a horse not worth $1,000,000.

Obviously has a date booked with Big Brown,unless they want to get killed at the November Sales.

The previous owners are clever people,me thinks!


Didnt the previous owner clean out all his stock and SB was part of that? I didnt get waht you said about the dat ewith BB...did you mean breeding and if so, I dont think they care about his breeding much anymore because Three Chimneys over paid for his breeding rights....


Great point with the % mil for 1 mil of horse....the "experts" I have heard so much about that advise them seem to love buying at the highest price point possible lately

[sonnyp]

They paid $5,000,000 for a horse not worth $1,000,000.

Obviously has a date booked with Big Brown,unless they want to get killed at the November Sales.

The previous owners are clever people,me thinks!

yea, but they incorporated 25% of stardom bound into the purcase of 50% of i want revenge !!!

whos zoomin who ?

whats the real market value of these transactions ?

[magwell]

Hate to say this, but she looked "off" in the paddock walking ring before the race, my guess is right front ankle ??? maybe....also wasn't travling good down the lane..... I hope i'm wrong.

[joanied]

Hate to say this, but she looked "off" in the paddock walking ring before the race, my guess is right front ankle ??? maybe....also wasn't travling good down the lane..... I hope i'm wrong.

Really? I hope you are wrong also...I was thinking, she might be 'in'...and so many fillies just don't fire when they are in heat.
Guess I'll take another look at the race to watch close down the lane...Mike never said anything about her feeling 'off' to him...geeze!

[joanied]

Hate to say this, but she looked "off" in the paddock walking ring before the race, my guess is right front ankle ??? maybe....also wasn't travling good down the lane..... I hope i'm wrong.

I just watched the video in the thread...mid strtch she did kind of lug in...maybe wanting to get away from the right front?? Mike was beating her left handed...hhhhmmmmm.

[magwell]

I just watched the video in the thread...mid strtch she did kind of lug in...maybe wanting to get away from the right front?? Mike was beating her left handed...hhhhmmmmm. Lets hope we are wrong, mike wouldnt say on national tv if she was not 100 % anyway.

[joanied]

Lets hope we are wrong, mike wouldnt say on national tv if she was not 100 % anyway.

Yes, let's hope...and you are right...he wouldn't say anything. Was he interviewed after the race?

[asH]

change jocks and she's in the winner circle again...Horses know 'their' pace not what position they should be in, (thats human)...if anyone really understands this game they would know Mike does not know pace. Juxtapose that race against Pioneer of the Nile in the Santa Anita Derby, the horse knew it was to slow and GO-Go didnt interfere. Mike is a passenger and always will be; just goes to show the quality of riders these days (I stand pat on that belief)..few and FAAAAR between.

[Marshall Bennett]

change jocks and she's in the winner circle again...Horses know 'their' pace not what position they should be in, (thats human)...if anyone really understands this game they would know Mike does not know pace. Juxtapose that race against Pioneer of the Nile in the Santa Anita Derby, the horse knew it was to slow and GO-Go didnt interfere. Mike is a passenger and always will be; just goes to show the quality of riders these days (I stand pat on that belief)..few and FAAAAR between.
I think you may be right Ash . Someone also mentioned in another thread that Mike was afraid to challenge towards the middle or rail perhaps due to a prior injury . He does seem to go wide a lot which may support this analysis . In any event , he's not the rider he was many years ago .

[Dahoss9698]

change jocks and she's in the winner circle again...Horses know 'their' pace not what position they should be in, (thats human)...if anyone really understands this game they would know Mike does not know pace. Juxtapose that race against Pioneer of the Nile in the Santa Anita Derby, the horse knew it was to slow and GO-Go didnt interfere. Mike is a passenger and always will be; just goes to show the quality of riders these days (I stand pat on that belief)..few and FAAAAR between.

I disagree with pretty much everything you said. It's Mike Smith's fault that the rest of the crop has caught up to Stardom Bound? Was it his fault last time when she won by a nose? I guess when she was winning all of those races he could ride though right? Is Smith in the upper tier of riders anymore....no. But the guy is a Hall of Famer for a reason.

If anyone really understands this game, they would know that most 2 year old champs have a hard time duplicating it as 3 year olds. The reason they are so dominant at 2 is they are more advanced than their competition. By this point in their careers the rest of the field has caught up. You can blame Smith all you want, but she was running 3rd yesterday regardless of who rode her.

[asH]

Mike never was...
As a horse moves up in stakes races, a jock cant afford to give any horse a chance to dictate their pace. He choked her down last race, it was her effort alone that allowed for a win, and you know what, perhaps she didnt want to go through that same agonizing scenario yesterday.
for those who dont understand what I'm talking about; go out and run at a moderate pace (on a fast track)for for a few minutes, then try to pass someone 5yards in front of you who has been running at the same pace; it will take your heart away, especially the second time

Most decent jocks can figure that one out.

[Relwob Owner]

I disagree with pretty much everything you said. It's Mike Smith's fault that the rest of the crop has caught up to Stardom Bound? Was it his fault last time when she won by a nose? I guess when she was winning all of those races he could ride though right? Is Smith in the upper tier of riders anymore....no. But the guy is a Hall of Famer for a reason.

If anyone really understands this game, they would know that most 2 year old champs have a hard time duplicating it as 3 year olds. The reason they are so dominant at 2 is they are more advanced than their competition. By this point in their careers the rest of the field has caught up. You can blame Smith all you want, but she was running 3rd yesterday regardless of who rode her.


I agree with everything you said....well put all the way around

[Dahoss9698]

Mike never was...
As a horse moves up in stakes races, a jock cant afford to give any horse a chance to dictate their pace. He choked her down last race, it was her effort alone that allowed for a win, and you know what, perhaps she didnt want to go through that same agonizing scenario yesterday.
for those who dont understand what I'm talking about; go out and run at a moderate pace (on a fast track)for for a few minutes, then try to pass someone 5yards in front of you who has been running at the same pace; it will take your heart away, especially the second time

Most decent jocks can figure that one out.

So in your opinion it's not possible the crop has caught up to her? Can we stop making Stardom Bound out to be more than she is? She's an okay filly. She looked visually, because all closers look good visually. However, take a look at what she was beating last year. Is there a good horse there?

Look at Dream Empress, she's been awful this year. Is it her jock's fault? No, she looked better last year because she was beating up on inferior. Just like Stardom Bound. I'm sure eventually Smith will get replaced. Then I can't wait for the excuse after she's beat with a new rider.

[asH]

well we never had a chance to see what she may be able to do because of the rider, and at this stage she's playing catch up..what jocks are supposed to do is to place horses in the best possible position to succeed, Mike obviously couldnt do that...sorry your emotions are involved or you may have learned something or two.

[Dahoss9698]

well we never had a chance to see what she may be able to do because of the rider, and at this stage she's playing catch up..what jocks are supposed to do is to place horses in the best possible position to succeed, Mike obviously couldnt do that...sorry your emotions are involved or you may have learned something or two.

My emotions are involved? That's an interesting spin to put on it. I guess you're trying to teach me how to properly whine about a 3/5 getting beat. Some lesson...

Let's put all of that aside. My opinion is that she was never that good to begin with. She looked good visually, as any horse making her kind of run does. But, she was beating up on weaker and as we have seen time and time again, I think her crop has caught up with her. The best horse she defeated last year was Dream Empress and as we've seen, the competition has definitely caught up with her. Stardom Bound was ahead of the game last year, but that is no more. Her nose win at Santa Anita was the first clue and her non threatening finish yesterday confirms it.

You think Mike Smith is to blame. What about my take do you disagree with?

[asH]

well we first have to come to consensus about her last win, did Mike place SB in position to check about 3 or 4 times?, did he not take SB through the parking lot around the turn into the stretch, did he not keep her 10 back in a no pace slow pace paced race? did she not give her heart down the stretch? thats where that nose comes from. That was the Mike Smith show, and he did it again yesterday.

and your comment about 2's to 3 year olds, it has happened a number of times with fillies, and quite a few times 2 year old eclipse also won handicap mare...so never say never

[Dahoss9698]

Name one good horse she beat last year.

[toetoe]

Over/under for future wins by Stardom Bound: 1/2 (one half). I'll take the under if I get even money.

Don't forget --- as losses pile up the connections will be inclined to notice sudden injuries, likely leading to retirement.

[asH]

you see!

thats not even the issue..firstly the dynamics of a 2year old campaign is very different than the 3year old campagne, so who they beat is less important than how they won. SB won as if she wanted to go long. BTW,thats where you get the idea that horses cant make the jump, and in most cases its true, but then there's that special one who can. As races become more competitive the closer to the front, relative to pace, one should be.

[joanied]

Over/under for future wins by Stardom Bound: 1/2 (one half). I'll take the under if I get even money.

Don't forget --- as losses pile up the connections will be inclined to notice sudden injuries, likely leading to retirement.

If they suddenly notice 'injuries' so they can retire her...they'd better hurry...another month and it'll be too late for her to keep her future 'date' with Big Brown for this breeding season...they sure don't want her to have a late foal, especially the first one out of her:faint:

[rrbauer]

Basically a precocious 2YO that now has to face an expanded number of good competitors. If her style going forward is to make one run, they should get her on the turf.

[JustRalph]

Basically a precocious 2YO that now has to face an expanded number of good competitors. If her style going forward is to make one run, they should get her on the turf.

put her on the turf after a 60 day or 90 day layoff...........

just me thinkin out loud

[Dahoss9698]

you see!

thats not even the issue..firstly the dynamics of a 2year old campaign is very different than the 3year old campagne, so who they beat is less important than how they won. SB won as if she wanted to go long. BTW,thats where you get the idea that horses cant make the jump, and in most cases its true, but then there's that special one who can. As races become more competitive the closer to the front, relative to pace, one should be.

It absolutely is the issue. Because you want to blame something and the jock is always the easiest. It's a lot more difficult to admit that maybe a horse isn't as good as you may think. Face it, Stardom Bound isn't one of those special ones. I'm asking simple questions. You can't answer them because the truth conflicts with your excuse.

[asH]

Over/under for future wins by Stardom Bound: 1/2 (one half). I'll take the under if I get even money.

Don't forget --- as losses pile up the connections will be inclined to notice sudden injuries, likely leading to retirement.

does she have enough black type to merit a good fee, fillies only work once a year.

[asH]

typical

i expected as much
have a good day

[Relwob Owner]

If they suddenly notice 'injuries' so they can retire her...they'd better hurry...another month and it'll be too late for her to keep her future 'date' with Big Brown for this breeding season...they sure don't want her to have a late foal, especially the first one out of her:faint:


I dont quite get why people keep referring to her future "date" with Big Brown...is that in some agreement somewhere with Three Chimneys? I may be missing something here because I thought they sold all the breeding rights away....maybe people are just speculating she will paired with him?

[Dahoss9698]

She's not as good as you think. It's okay.

[Relwob Owner]

well we never had a chance to see what she may be able to do because of the rider, and at this stage she's playing catch up..what jocks are supposed to do is to place horses in the best possible position to succeed, Mike obviously couldnt do that...sorry your emotions are involved or you may have learned something or two.


From reading your posts, it seems like your emotions might be involved on this because you seem to be bringing a negative opinion of Mike Smith into your analysis of the situation. I have watched her previous races many times and cant see too much wrong with his rides, other than the next to last one, where he went way wide....I would point to her trainer situation as more of a likely culprit. Maybe she didnt like Frankel's program and Paasch go more out of her? Also, I believe her previous owner knew he was selling most of his horses well in advance of selling her and he and Paasch emptied a lot of gas out of her tank, knowing she would be sold.....

There could be tons of reasons, but it doesnt seem like Mike Smith is one of them...

[asH]

no emotions at all - I analize everything including jockey tendencies,,for you it may seem such only because you dont do it, as a matter of probable fact most folk here dont come close to my analysis (right or wrong). That's why I always get 'this' from some here. Par for the course, I know this...


check out Mikes after race interview, talking kinda fast as he blamed the horse. See what happens

[Dahoss9698]

as a matter of probable fact most folk here dont come close to my analysis (right or wrong). That's why I always get 'this' from some here. Par for the course, I know this...


Oh boy...The right or wrong part is money.

[NTamm1215]

You knew the excuse machine would be in full force after Stardom Bound was eventually exposed, but I figured they'd be better than blaming Mike Smith when he rode a perfectly fine race. That's pretty weak.

NT

[Relwob Owner]

no emotions at all - I analize everything including jockey tendencies,,for you it may seem such only because you dont do it, as a matter of probable fact most folk here dont come close to my analysis (right or wrong). That's why I always get 'this' from some here. Par for the course, I know this...


check out Mikes after race interview, talking kinda fast as he blamed the horse. See what happens


I watched it....I thought he was fine and just said that she didnt have her "A Game", which I think was the case....he could have just as easily been blaming the trainer but I dont think there was any blame given by him....


As far as your lack of emotion, your posts indicate otherwise---you said Mike is a passenger and always will be.....seems like you dont like him in general and your analysis of Stardom Bound based on his rides seems slanted from the get go because you dont care for him going in....also, Smith was talking fast cause he was out of breath....

[asH]

thats exactly how people analyze, they take a second out of a day and swear on a stack they know...I said all of this about Mike and SB last year. when he had a go in NY I really had a chance to see him.

you guys are really good, but you need to pay a little more attention to things

[Marshall Bennett]

I've never seen Mike Smith push a horse to the limit . Thats why he'll never be more than ... Mike Smith . That's not to say he doesn't have the talent , I truely beleive he's afraid to use it . He's not the same jockey he was 20 years ago .

[Dahoss9698]

I've never seen Mike Smith push a horse to the limit . Thats why he'll never be more than ... Mike Smith . That's not to say he doesn't have the talent , I truely beleive he's afraid to use it . He's not the same jockey he was 20 years ago .

Who is the same as they were 20 years ago? He's in the twilight of his career. I have no idea what your first sentence means but he's ridden some real good horses in his career. To blame Stardom Bound's performance the last two times on him is just being lazy.

[Marshall Bennett]

Who is the same as they were 20 years ago? He's in the twilight of his career. I have no idea what your first sentence means but he's ridden some real good horses in his career. To blame Stardom Bound's performance the last two times on him is just being lazy.
I blame Stardom Bound's performance on Mike Smith for being lazy .

[Relwob Owner]

thats exactly how people analyze, they take a second out of a day and swear on a stack they know...I said all of this about Mike and SB last year. when he had a go in NY I really had a chance to see him.

you guys are really good, but you need to pay a little more attention to things


Your posts keep proving my point.....your analysis of Stardom Bound is dictated by emotion, as you bring your dislike of Smith into the discussion....your post saying that Smith was just a passenger and that is it indicates a general dislike of his riding skills, which gives a slant to your analysis of SB, whenever it was....as far as paying attention, did you expect me to look through all of your old posts and find this? I can only go by what you said today....

[Relwob Owner]

I've never seen Mike Smith push a horse to the limit . Thats why he'll never be more than ... Mike Smith . That's not to say he doesn't have the talent , I truely beleive he's afraid to use it . He's not the same jockey he was 20 years ago .

Yeah, pretty clear that he was getting about 20 percent out of Zenyatta every time----that must be some filly....it is interesting that you and other posters dont care for Smith but many, many prominent owners and trainers with a ton of money on the line still seem to trust him---no disrespect to you and the other MS haters, but I will side with all of the owners and trainers who still ride him.....

[Marshall Bennett]

Yeah, pretty clear that he was getting about 20 percent out of Zenyatta every time----that must be some filly....it is interesting that you and other posters dont care for Smith but many, many prominent owners and trainers with a ton of money on the line still seem to trust him---no disrespect to you and the other MS Haters , but I will side with all of the owners and trainers who still ride him.....
Never said I hated Mike Smith , and btw , his grandmother could have taken Zenyatta to the wire .

[joanied]

put her on the turf after a 60 day or 90 day layoff...........

just me thinkin out loud

Sounds like a plan to me, justralph:ThmbUp: .I know one thing, they best keep her away from Rachel Alexander;)

[Relwob Owner]

Never said I hated Mike Smith , and btw , his grandmother could have taken Zenyatta to the wire .


MS haters was just me trying to save time instead of writing "people who dont like Mike Smith"....just slang saying those who dont like him....funny how when most jocks win, most say "anyone could have done that" and when they lose, they start blaming the jocks immediately....I think it should be noted that the owner/trainer combo of Zenyatta think highly enough of Smith to ride him on the best filly in the US right now and so do other owner/trainers as well.....


I dont love Smith but I do think it isnt correct to blame him for Stardom Bound's regression.....if you are going to blame anyone(which I dont think is really necessary-the horse could have peaked last year), it can be noted that since the trainer switch, the horse has gone backwards when she would have been expected to move forward...plus, I think that many are overreacting to the race yesterday....she wouldnt be the first horse who hasnt loved the Keeneland strip

[philcski]

It absolutely is the issue. Because you want to blame something and the jock is always the easiest. It's a lot more difficult to admit that maybe a horse isn't as good as you may think. Face it, Stardom Bound isn't one of those special ones. I'm asking simple questions. You can't answer them because the truth conflicts with your excuse.

Like talking to a brick wall.

Why do people have such a hard time accepting that she just isn't that good at this point? Other fillies have developed and passed her. Hoo Why ran a better race than her in the SA Oaks, the only thing shocking from Saturday was the prices. Anybody that didn't take a stand against her at 3/5 on Saturday is destined to be a lifelong loser in this game.

[Relwob Owner]

Like talking to a brick wall.

Why do people have such a hard time accepting that she just isn't that good at this point? Other fillies have developed and passed her. Hoo Why ran a better race than her in the SA Oaks, the only thing shocking from Saturday was the prices. Anybody that didn't take a stand against her at 3/5 on Saturday is destined to be a lifelong loser in this game.


:ThmbUp:

[sally]

If they suddenly notice 'injuries' so they can retire her...they'd better hurry...another month and it'll be too late for her to keep her future 'date' with Big Brown for this breeding season...they sure don't want her to have a late foal, especially the first one out of her:faint:

This might be slightly off topic but what's wrong with having a late foal?

[joanied]

This might be slightly off topic but what's wrong with having a late foal?

As you know, Sally...all Thoroughbred's have the same 'birthday'...Jan.1st. If a mare foals late April and especially the May foals...that foal will be months behind the others in his/her crop via the actual birthdate (as the majority of that foal crop will be born Jan-March, the ideal foaling dates being Jan-Feb). For example...Pioneerof the Nile was a May foal, and he'll still be a 'true' two year old when he runs in the Derby.
:)

[joanied]

MS haters was just me trying to save time instead of writing "people who dont like Mike Smith"....just slang saying those who dont like him....funny how when most jocks win, most say "anyone could have done that" and when they lose, they start blaming the jocks immediately....I think it should be noted that the owner/trainer combo of Zenyatta think highly enough of Smith to ride him on the best filly in the US right now and so do other owner/trainers as well.....


I dont love Smith but I do think it isnt correct to blame him for Stardom Bound's regression.....if you are going to blame anyone(which I dont think is really necessary-the horse could have peaked last year), it can be noted that since the trainer switch, the horse has gone backwards when she would have been expected to move forward...plus, I think that many are overreacting to the race yesterday....she wouldnt be the first horse who hasnt loved the Keeneland strip

Well said, Relwob:ThmbUp: I've been reading this thread, and hesitated to jump in...but you said some good things here.

Mike Smith has been a leading rider for way too many years, and...duh...a Hall of Famer...did anyone think that maybe SB prefers to be outside of horses...rather than Smith wanting her outside...don't most come from behind horse simply prefer to make their runs outside of horses?(plus the fact that the other riders would use race rider tactics and fan her wider than Smith wants) Maybe it seemed he waited too long to start her moves (in the last two races)...but the fact was, he was waiting for her signal to go? None of us can know what goes on between a jock and a horse during a race...the communication between the two...unless you can be broadside of them during a race...I don't think watching from a distance can be used as a measuring stick as to how that jock is riding, as far as the signals he gets from his mount.We can have an idea of what's going on between th jock and his mount...but cannot know for certain ...unless it's an obvious screw up.
The trainer switch, the fact she may have regressed, the fact she's no longer at 'home' and the fact many good horses have faltered on the Keeneland surface, and the possibility she's in season, all can account for her race on Saturday...but to simply blame Mike, just doesn't wash...at least for me.
:)

[Relwob Owner]

Well said, Relwob:ThmbUp: I've been reading this thread, and hesitated to jump in...but you said some good things here.

Mike Smith has been a leading rider for way too many years, and...duh...a Hall of Famer...did anyone think that maybe SB prefers to be outside of horses...rather than Smith wanting her outside...don't most come from behind horse simply prefer to make their runs outside of horses?(plus the fact that the other riders would use race rider tactics and fan her wider than Smith wants) Maybe it seemed he waited too long to start her moves (in the last two races)...but the fact was, he was waiting for her signal to go? None of us can know what goes on between a jock and a horse during a race...the communication between the two...unless you can be broadside of them during a race...I don't think watching from a distance can be used as a measuring stick as to how that jock is riding, as far as the signals he gets from his mount.We can have an idea of what's going on between th jock and his mount...but cannot know for certain ...unless it's an obvious screw up.
The trainer switch, the fact she may have regressed, the fact she's no longer at 'home' and the fact many good horses have faltered on the Keeneland surface, and the possibility she's in season, all can account for her race on Saturday...but to simply blame Mike, just doesn't wash...at least for me.
:)


:ThmbUp:

[joanied]

:ThmbUp:

Thank you, relwob:)

[startngate]

change jocks and she's in the winner circle again...Horses know 'their' pace not what position they should be in, (thats human)...if anyone really understands this game they would know Mike does not know pace. Juxtapose that race against Pioneer of the Nile in the Santa Anita Derby, the horse knew it was to slow and GO-Go didnt interfere. Mike is a passenger and always will be; just goes to show the quality of riders these days (I stand pat on that belief)..few and FAAAAR between.Well, you're getting your wish ... let's see if you were right ... Gomez is the new pilot.

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/50267/stardom-bound-gets-new-jockey-for-oaks

[joanied]

Well, you're getting your wish ... let's see if you were right ... Gomez is the new pilot.

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/50267/stardom-bound-gets-new-jockey-for-oaks

I posted about the switch to Gomez for SB...and I beleive this is going to be very interesting...I was looking forward to the Oaks before...and now, well, I can't wait:jump: it's gonna be a great race and I can't wait to see how Gomez rides her...by the way, I am a Mike Smith fan...I don't care how many bash him....I just am crazy about the guy:)