Riders Up

[W2G]

Dedicated Rider/Regular Rider/Rider Switch

How big of a factor is this in your Derby handicapping?

The dedicated rider angle has been pretty darn good in recent years (even the year we got Giacomoed). No true DRs this year (possible exception of Summer Bird) but several RRs and lots of RSs.

Taking nothing away from Prado, and he did pilot Dunkirk's maiden win, but is the forced rider switch on Dunkirk an automatic knock or irrelevant?

How important is the jock's familiarity with his mount?

[Run Nicholas Run]

rider changes from the prep to the derby
have won only 5 times since 1981.
81- pleasant colony jeff fell to jorge velasquez
94- go for gin jerry bailey to chris mccarron
95- thunder gulch pat day to gary stevens
99- charismatic jerry bailey to chris antley
02- war emblem larry sterling to victor espinoza

Going back even more ,
rider changes did not win from
1973 to 1980.

Dont know about before that.

so 5 for 36 for 14 %.