Gate Jockeys

[porchy44]

Ohio - Perry Ouzts
California - Patrick Valenzuela

How about adding to this thread a couple of states with their respective Jockeys
that are exceptionally talented in getting a horse to the front with a clear lead.

[thaskalos]

Chicago - E. T. Baird

[speldedo]

NY - Rajiv Maragh :D

[Greyfox]

Ohio - Perry Ouzts
California - Patrick Valenzuela

How about adding to this thread a couple of states with their respective Jockeys
that are exceptionally talented in getting a horse to the front with a clear lead.

PVal for sure, but So Cal trainers rank David Flores as a pretty good gateman too.

[andicap]

Do you write a gate jockey on how well he gets his mount to the lead or how well he nurses a horse who is on the lead?

[magwell]

Manny Cruz who is at C.D. now and bug boy at Calder Jose Alvarez.......:cool:

[horses4courses]

PVal for sure, but So Cal trainers rank David Flores as a pretty good gateman too.

Agreed.
The third So.Cal. rider that I rate highly in that category is Martin Pedroza.

[shoelessjoe]

MTH- Chuckie Lopez

CT- Oscar Flores


All time best I ever saw was Rick Wilson who could do both well out of the gate and nurse the front end

[Shemp Howard]

Mousie Blum was the best I ever saw.

Check out his Belmont win on Pass Catcher. He dropped his whip at the furlong pole and was still able to nurse that horse over the wire.

[Relwob Owner]

MTH- Chuckie Lopez

CT- Oscar Flores


All time best I ever saw was Rick Wilson who could do both well out of the gate and nurse the front end


Good call with Oscar at CT....I would add Dunkelberger to that and credit him for being maybe the best up there when he does get the lead

[fiveouttasix]

Elvis Trujillo at Monmouth

[hugh]

Of course Russell Baze here in the Nor Cal circuit...
In a few years Kevin Krigger will be up there too.

I second the Dunkelberger nomination (plus I just like that name.)

[BIG49010]

Gryder is decent in Northern California these days

[Tom]

Do you write a gate jockey on how well he gets his mount to the lead or how well he nurses a horse who is on the lead?

Soley on getting out of the gate fast. The rest takes care of itself. A good nurser is lost if he breaks 5th.

[Robert Fischer]

dirt or turf dominguez is king on the lead with a sound animal... he lets his horse run, yet keeps his steed relaxed... uses the track configurations to his advantage...and often conserves horse into the far turn while still maintaining his position of leader.

in California, flores is not exceptional overall but is notable... contrary to dominguez/ at times he may not choose to conserve horse into the far turn... rather his style may allow the horse to "open up"... his finesse allows the horse to practically run free... ...flores solid from the gate, initially breaking fairly well and going up...when breaking from an outside post with a speed horse, he may look back over and behind to "check for safe room" approaching the first turn, for effect, rather than safety, before he he will bogart the territory into the first turn.


contrary thought on "gate jockeys": the jockey who conserves and settles in the group, dangerous on the outlying contenders and sound longshots to plod up late rounding out and "spoiling" trifectas and supers

[Stillriledup]

David Flores.

[cnollfan]

Orlando Bocachica and Elvis Trujillo are two of my favorite speed jockeys.

[Striker]

Chicago - E. T. Baird
Spot on.