mtb jockey

[lagavulin62]

ok pardon me if this has been discussed but I didn't see anything on two page of posts. why isn't borel riding mine that bird? I know he is on the oaks winner but wouldn't it make more sense for him to continue on with the derby winner? maybe this wasn't his doing but if he had an option and chose not to ride mtb this guy has got to be a total idiot in my book. someone please explain to me what I have missed.

[GaryG]

He is not an idiot. He was asked to ride Rachel back in the derby. Mike Smith will ride the bird. Any sane person would make the same choice.

[lagavulin62]

thanks gary. I'll withhold judgement on his sanity(or mine for that matter) but I do understand honoring commitments.

[Saratoga_Mike]

thanks gary. I'll withhold judgement on his sanity(or mine for that matter) but I do understand honoring commitments.

When did Mr. Borel commit to ride MTB in the Preakness?

[westny]

When did Mr. Borel commit to ride MTB in the Preakness?

He didn't have a chance. After the Preakness, when posed the question by Jeanine Edwards, Calvin said "RA was the best horse in the country... " which makes me believe that there was "talk that Jackson was buying RA well before the deal was public...Borel probably knew then...

[Saratoga_Mike]

[QUOTE=westny]He didn't have a chance. Jackson bought RA the next day after the KD, and paid the 100k to race her in the Preakness.[/QUOTE

So he didn't break a commitment.

[Cat Thief]

I don't know how sane a decision it was. Remember there is such a thing as a Triple Crown that hasn't been won in years and he has an opportunity to try for that crown, maybe impossible but he still has a chance to try and he opts out!! I don't know ....

[Saratoga_Mike]

I don't know how sane a decision it was. Remember there is such a thing as a Triple Crown that hasn't been won in years and he has an opportunity to try for that crown, maybe impossible but he still has a chance to try and he opts out!! I don't know ....

He's guessing the Derby was a fluke, I'm assuming - as you suggest, he may be wrong.

[WinterTriangle]

I don't know how sane a decision it was. Remember there is such a thing as a Triple Crown that hasn't been won in years and he has an opportunity to try for that crown, maybe impossible but he still has a chance to try and he opts out!! I don't know ....

Kind of what I think.

[toussaud]

Kind of what I think.

say mine that bird is a one hit wonder. Okay, now you are stuck with the lifetime mount of an allowence horse.

Rachael goes on and rumps and is the fav int he breeders cup distaff.

yeah.

calvin doesn't owe anyone a mount on mine that bird. If mike smith is the jock we think he is this is a non issue.


and to top all that off, say Rachael goes in the race, draws off. Mine that bird finished say, 5th.


do you not think the MTB camp will not get on their hands and knees and BEG calvin back on MTB to "recaputre the glory?"

I dont' even see how this is even a discussion. there are three posibilities:

1) he wins with RA and gets the mount back on MTB back at a later date
2) He doesn't win and MTB doesn't win,a nd he gets the mount back at a later date
3) somehow mike smith beats RA on MTB and he doesn't get the mount back

[Saratoga_Mike]

say mine that bird is a one hit wonder. Okay, now you are stuck with the lifetime mount of an allowence horse.

Rachael goes on and rumps and is the fav int he breeders cup distaff.

yeah.

calvin doesn't owe anyone a mount on mine that bird. If mike smith is the jock we think he is this is a non issue.

This is probably for a different thread, but any opinions on Mike Smith's riding abilities?

[toussaud]

This is probably for a different thread, but any opinions on Mike Smith's riding abilities?

meh

[46zilzal]

He is not an idiot. He was asked to ride Rachel back in the derby. Mike Smith will ride the bird. Any sane person would make the same choice.
Given those two, he is easily making the right decision: a payday looms.

[sonnyp]

This is probably for a different thread, but any opinions on Mike Smith's riding abilities?


one afternoon at belmont i watched mike smith ride a 1-5 shot in a 4 horse field.

it was a sprint and he sat fourth on the rail behind a three way speed duel in front of him.

he tried 3 times to squeeze thru on the rail, finally indeep stretch, swung 4 wide, and as he was just clearing outside the widest filly, he clipped her heels and the 1-5 shot almost went down. she gathered herself and still won by two or three. remember, this was at belmont. that 4 horse field looked like they were running in the middle of a desert there was so much room out there.

i don't criticize jocks very often but that was too much.

funny sidelight: in one of "indian charlies sheets" at saratoga (very funny publication - no one is spared) a couple years ago, the comment "was that todd pletcher at sergios trying to get mike smith to commit to ridding the green monkey in a msw at great barrington?"