Where is Jockey Martin Garcia

[Sericm]

Does anyone know the status of Jockey Martin Garcia. Have not seen him in the entries for the last week or so!

[joanied]

I saw something in the Paulick Report about him, but after reading a bunch of stuff, I forgot to read that article...now I can't find it.

I find it strange that after the duke out with Borel & Javy, that no one spoke to Martin after the race...he was, afterall, the one that caught the worst of it...if Borel hadn't be right alongside him when he came out of the saddle, he would have hit the dirt...and a real disaster would have taken place.

[Mike_412]

I believe he's back in Mexico. An issue with his work visa I believe. He's supposed to be back in January if I'm remembering correctly.

[JustRalph]

Somebody didn't do the paperwork to continue his visa. He is spending three months in Mexico for the pleasure..........

He will be home for the Holidays.............

[Arbor Heights]

according to what i just heard in a chat room at holloywood, his agent says ohe is on a two week vacation in mexico.

[joanied]

I hope it hasn't anything to do with his work visa or whatever...seems the people coming here legally are the ones that suffer going through all sorts of crap to stay, and the illegals have it made:mad: ...

I hope it's vacation for him...that's a good thing!!

[PaceAdvantage]

I find it strange that after the duke out with Borel & Javy, that no one spoke to Martin after the race...he was, afterall, the one that caught the worst of it...Didn't they interview him on the BC telecast? I could have sworn they did...

[nijinski]

I hope it hasn't anything to do with his work visa or whatever...seems the people coming here legally are the ones that suffer going through all sorts of crap to stay, and the illegals have it made:mad: ...

I hope it's vacation for him...that's a good thing!!

I did hear it expired , but rumors happen so we'll have to wait n see.

[joanied]

Didn't they interview him on the BC telecast? I could have sworn they did...

I saw someone put a mic in front of him, but he walked away.

[joanied]

I did hear it expired , but rumors happen so we'll have to wait n see.

Right. If it did expire, he'll get it sorted out.

[bigmack]

Bumped into a nice little story of his start:
http://www.hulu.com/watch/6712/tvg-jockey-martin-garcia

[Robert Fischer]

Where is Jockey Martin Garcia

about a few lengths premature....

badum ching :liar:

[duncan04]

Found an interesting article hinting that there may be more to the immgration issues.

http://www.pricehorsecentral.com/?p=8659#more-8659

[PhantomOnTour]

That is a sketchy article/blog, to say the least.

[duncan04]

That is a sketchy article/blog, to say the least.

Yeah that is what I thought but didn't know if anyone knew anything about that site and/or how reliable it was

[PhantomOnTour]

I just didn't like the way it was written, ya know?
Bad grammar, bad spelling, and a whole lotta juicy questions with no concrete answers. Seemed like the author (Eves) was just throwing stuff out there.

[Stillriledup]

You read that and what comes to mind is that jock from Calder about 20 years ago who was riding as a bug, but really had like 700 career wins in some foreign land. Bracho was his name maybe? I wonder if Martin Garcia was a polished vet when he was beating Russell Baze in the riding title a few years back up north as a bug.?

I guess the moral of the story is that if you're not a legal US citizen, stay under the radar.

[BluegrassProf]

And come up with a significantly more awesome name, like Brock Rammerhammer.

Brock Rammerhammer eats Martin Garcias for formal Sunday brunch. Just FYI.

[Shelby]

And come up with a significantly more awesome name, like Brock Rammerhammer.

Brock Rammerhammer eats Martin Garcias for formal Sunday brunch. Just FYI.:lol::lol::lol:



On a side note, I thought the "article" was bordering on unethical. I was taught in school that you had to have proof to back up your words.

I--and this is my opinion--highly doubt that Mr. Stauffer would say anything to cause Mr. Baffert to put that ultimatum out about changing agents.

[Figman]

The writer of that article is Warren Eves. He is the dean of all horse racing writers in the United States. I remember him from the early 1970's on the east coast at Saratoga. He was publicity director at the Saratoga Raceway. He was experienced then having come off several other racetrack jobs. Close to 50 years of experience!!

[PhantomOnTour]

The writer of that article is Warren Eves. He is the dean of all horse racing writers in the United States. I remember him from the early 1970's on the east coast at Saratoga. He was publicity director at the Saratoga Raceway. He was experienced then having come off several other racetrack jobs. Close to 50 years of experience!!
If that's the work of "the dean" I don't want to see what the students are cranking out.

[Pace Cap'n]

That is a sketchy article/blog, to say the least.

In his words, "abismal".

[joanied]

I wonder if Baffert has read that article...me thinks it's all BS, and we'll be seeing Garcia back before too long...and I really don't see why this stuff was even written...is there some reason for saying stuff like that?
Maybe Vic will see this thread and pop on in with some first hand insight.

[dylbert]

http://www.horseracingnation.com/news/Martin_Garcia_Having_Visa_Problems

This is link to 12/19/2010 brief from Horse Racing Nation site. It is excerpt from DRF story. The answer is no one knows at this time when Martin Garcia will reappear on southern California racing scene.

[dylbert]

In his words, "abismal".

Another kase of Nu Skool speeling, ya think?

[letswastemoney]

Martin Garcia is an average jockey who just happens to get good horses from Baffert's barn. Anyone could ride those horses and win.

[David-LV]

Martin Garcia is an average jockey who just happens to get good horses from Baffert's barn. Anyone could ride those horses and win.

As Eddie Arcaro once said when he was asked the question by a reporter if the jockey means anything.

His answer was "I never won a race without a horse."

The moral of the story is that good horses make great jockeys, and not good jockeys make great horses.

________
David-LV

[Stillriledup]

Martin Garcia is an average jockey who just happens to get good horses from Baffert's barn. Anyone could ride those horses and win.
:lol:

Right.

[Relwob Owner]

Martin Garcia is an average jockey who just happens to get good horses from Baffert's barn. Anyone could ride those horses and win.


Look at Lookin at Lucky this year and how he performed with Garcia as opposed to Gomez and I think that specific case pretty clearly refutes your theory.....

[Robert Fischer]

Look at Lookin at Lucky this year and how he performed with Garcia as opposed to Gomez and I think that specific case pretty clearly refutes your theory.....'

no it doesn't

[Relwob Owner]

'

no it doesn't


Care to expand on that?

Sure it does.....he said anyone could win on Bafferts horses....Gomez couldn't win in the SA Derby and KY Derby, Garcia took over and won the Preakness, Haskell and Indiana....how does that not disprove his contention in that instance?

[Robert Fischer]

Care to expand on that?

Sure it does.....he said anyone could win on Bafferts horses....Gomez couldn't win in the SA Derby and KY Derby, Garcia took over and won the Preakness, Haskell and Indiana....how does that no disprove his contention?

sure. the SA Derby was fake race with the track itself HEAVILY biased to speed, and Sadler's horse was even more drugged up than LAL. Lucky was clearly much the best.

In the Derby, Lucky was best again and he got crushed from the post position and how the early cavalry charge played out. Borel won the race for a 3rd time with an individual jockey effort aboard a horse who wasn't best(is 3 KYDs aboard a non-best horse some kind of jockey record?).

no way Garcia wins either of those two hugely against the grain runs.


HOWEVER, in the BCC Lookin at Lucky had a dream setup and Garcia moved prematurely the whole race. The only placing difference was a lesser horse (Fly Down) getting a free move up to third thanks completely to Garcia. Common sense says Gomez runs 3rd in the Classic but who really cares?

Garcia didn't butcher the horse. But neither did Gomez.

[Relwob Owner]

sure. the SA Derby was fake race with the track itself HEAVILY biased to speed, and Sadler's horse was even more drugged up than LAL. Lucky was clearly much the best.

In the Derby, Lucky was best again and he got crushed from the post position and how the early cavalry charge played out. Borel won the race for a 3rd time with an individual jockey effort aboard a horse who wasn't best(is 3 KYDs aboard a non-best horse some kind of jockey record?).

no way Garcia wins either of those two hugely against the grain runs.


HOWEVER, in the BCC Lookin at Lucky had a dream setup and Garcia moved prematurely the whole race. The only placing difference was a lesser horse (Fly Down) getting a free move up to third thanks completely to Garcia. Common sense says Gomez runs 3rd in the Classic but who really cares?

Garcia didn't butcher the horse. But neither did Gomez.


Don't know about being drugged up so I will leave that alone....Gomez may not have won that day in the SA Derby but it wasn't a good ride.....the Derby I can forgive him for because of the post.....

Last six races for LAL Beyer Wise

89-gomez
94-Gomez
102-Garcia
106-Garcia
103-Garcia
105-Garcia


For an average jockey, he sure moved this specific horse up a lot this year.

[Robert Fischer]

fair enough :ThmbUp:

[Relwob Owner]

fair enough :ThmbUp:


.....but as was mentioned in the thread as well, you gotta have the horse....:)

Happy New Year to ya

[letswastemoney]

Don't know about being drugged up so I will leave that alone....Gomez may not have won that day in the SA Derby but it wasn't a good ride.....the Derby I can forgive him for because of the post.....

Last six races for LAL Beyer Wise

89-gomez
94-Gomez
102-Garcia
106-Garcia
103-Garcia
105-Garcia


For an average jockey, he sure moved this specific horse up a lot this year.
I don't think this is a fair analysis, as any improving 3 year old is going to get better beyers as the year rolls along.

[Stillriledup]

I'm more on the side of RO here, Martin Garcia makes freaky speed, he's a huge talent and he does move horses up, on almost anyone. Jocks matter more than the public gives them credit for, not just for tactical decisions, but some jocks just make horses run faster than others and Martin Garcia is one jock who makes them run very very fast.

[BluegrassProf]

I'm inclined to agree. The importance of tactical decisionmaking is, I think, often understated - particularly on the best horses, for which those decisions matter most.

Garcia is a good decisionmaker. Much to be said for that.

[the little guy]

Look at Lookin at Lucky this year and how he performed with Garcia as opposed to Gomez and I think that specific case pretty clearly refutes your theory.....

Garcia may be a terrific rider, I haven't seen him enough to have a fair opinion on that, but his ride on Lookin at Lucky in the Preakness was awful.

[Bullet Plane]

I don't see him on any mounts at SA today.

[nearco]

That is a sketchy article/blog, to say the least.

I like this part..

"Here’s what we know. A male using the name Martin Garcia immigrated to the U.S. in 2003 from Vera Cruz, Mexico. He eventually hooked up with one of the best known trainers in horse racing history. Bob Baffert grew up in Nogales, Arizona. So from the start they were not really that far away from one another"

Someone needs a geography lesson... They are almost 1600 miles apart (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Nogales,+arizona&daddr=Veracruz,+Mexico&hl=en&geocode=FVo33gEdE0dj-SnvzLwCtqfWhjF32flPfArcVQ%3BFW2NJAEdax9F-inFeMpFQkHDhTGbATbpQtakGA&mra=ls&sll=19.172717,-96.133269&sspn=0.184839,0.248909&g=Veracruz,+Mexico&ie=UTF8&z=5).

[Relwob Owner]

Garcia may be a terrific rider, I haven't seen him enough to have a fair opinion on that, but his ride on Lookin at Lucky in the Preakness was awful.


I think "awful" is an exaggerration....I get the feeling that after the SA and KY Derbies, Baffert told him to stay wide out of any trouble and that is what he did in the Preakness....speculation on my part but after the two terrible trips in a rown, I think it makes sense

[the little guy]

I don't care that he was wide. It was a poor ride. That doesn't mean he's a poor rider, as I'm sure he's not anything close to one, but that ride stunk.

[Relwob Owner]

I don't care that he was wide. It was a poor ride. That doesn't mean he's a poor rider, as I'm sure he's not anything close to one, but that ride stunk.


What about it leads you to say it "stunk"? I need to watch it again but if memory serves me, he saved a decent amount of ground into the first turn, put himself outside of horses and made his move.....these tactics seem to make sense based on the trouble LAL had run into in his previous two races.

[Robert Fischer]

how much better was Lucky than Jackson Bend in that race??

(in terms of ability, not the official finish margins)

[toussaud]

" bad ride" is 100% subjective. It's not like we have a grading chart out and you get points for this, you don't get points for that. I'm quite sure baffert told him look, the horse isn't going to lose. Just don't get blocked and collect your check. If that is what was his instructions, how can you possibly say it was a bad ride?

conversely, let me think of a horse, I was watching golden gate maybe 2 weeks ago, allowance race, a darley horse shipped in and had a local jock on. horse was like 3/5, much much much much the best in the race, horse could have went 6 wide the whole race and still won in hand. The jockey was so hellbent on saving ground, he got blocked and by the time he found run it was too late, and he lost by a head-bob. MUCH the best. But you are going to tell me that was a good ride? it's a good ride if it's a 20 to 1 shot, he got more run out of the horse than he should have. It's a piss poor ride on a 3/5 shot that actually should be 3/5. The top horse got DQ'ed and he backed into the win, but still, he got beat.

For the record I would take Garcia over any rider out there right now. Dude is that good IMHO. Unless it's turf than I would have to go with Bejerano. But you got a better chance of finding Carmen San Diego right now than finding Garcia.

[Robert Fischer]

" bad ride" is 100% subjective. It's not like we have a grading chart out and you get points for this, you don't get points for that. I'm quite sure baffert told him look, the horse isn't going to lose. Just don't get blocked and collect your check. If that is what was his instructions, how can you possibly say it was a bad ride?

conversely, let me think of a horse, I was watching golden gate maybe 2 weeks ago, allowance race, a darley horse shipped in and had a local jock on. horse was like 3/5, much much much much the best in the race, horse could have went 6 wide the whole race and still won in hand. The jockey was so hellbent on saving ground, he got blocked and by the time he found run it was too late, and he lost by a head-bob. MUCH the best. But you are going to tell me that was a good ride? it's a good ride if it's a 20 to 1 shot, he got more run out of the horse than he should have. It's a piss poor ride on a 3/5 shot that actually should be 3/5. The top horse got DQ'ed and he backed into the win, but still, he got beat.

For the record I would take Garcia over any rider out there right now. Dude is that good IMHO. Unless it's turf than I would have to go with Bejerano. But you got a better chance of finding Carmen San Diego right now than finding Garcia.
On turf you could take Garcia ... Alan Garcia.

And yes we are grading.

[Stillriledup]

According to Paulick, Garcia is on his way back to Cali!