Cal expo, most speed favoring track in the world?

[Stillriledup]

I'm not sure if anyone here is following Cal Expo thoroughbreds, but i just watched a race from there and saw a ride that convinced me this must be the most speed favoring track in the nation.

The 5 horse in the 6th race today Kawani Run, was "Sent" quarter horse style dueling with the 7-5 shot who had established the lead. Kawani was 25-1 and was ridden like she was 2-5. Why would a jock ride a 'hopeless' horse in this fashion? He was riding like if he didnt get the lead he had no chance.

Why is it that jocks from the northern california tracks seem to have zero clue that they're 25-1 and need to ride in a somewhat conservative fashion in order to have any shot at a board spot.?

If anyone can tell me what this jock was thinking i'd love to know.

[cj]

You must have a lot of time on your hands.

Do you really think the jockeys are top notch at a bad fair meet? Of course they are going to do stupid things.

[Dave Schwartz]

You must also consider that lesser jockeys often lack the ability to do anything other than go to the front.

[Tom]

Some of the better jocks could take lessons.....just saying.

[Bruiser1]

A simple answer to your question. Jockeys usually follow a trainers instructions. In addition, a good jockey is not riding a mount for a spot on the ticket. They're riding to win.

[chickenhead]

as a CA fair aficionado, CJ and Dave are right. 2/3s of the jockeys just try to hold on. The others follow the Ricky Bobby method -- go fast. With a field of lame horses and not-in-control jockeys -- being in front is the safest place to be. There isn't much in the way of tactics.

[BlueShoe]

Hey, do not be so hard on Cal Expo. It is a dirt track, not plastic. While most of the eastern tracks are falling all over each other in their rush to cancel, Cal Expo ignores temperatures in the 90's and races. The riders are not that bad. Most of the top NorCal jocks ride the fair circuit, including a guy named Russell Baze. At this point, find it much easier to handicap a field of erratic $3200 runners on the Cal fair circuit than I do trying to decipher the confusion of the opening two weeks of Del Mar and Saratoga.

[Stillriledup]

as a CA fair aficionado, CJ and Dave are right. 2/3s of the jockeys just try to hold on. The others follow the Ricky Bobby method -- go fast. With a field of lame horses and not-in-control jockeys -- being in front is the safest place to be. There isn't much in the way of tactics.

Even the worst riders in So Cal don't do this. You don't too often see a bottom feeder jock throwing leather to duel with the favorite, most of the times they stay out of the way and try and grab a check if they can.

Northern California is NOT the place to key a 25-1 shot for 4th in the super and expect the jock to actually understand that he needs to ride in a somewhat conservative fashion, save some ground and try and get lucky.

[MMM59]

Northern California is NOT the place to key a 25-1 shot for 4th in the super and expect the jock to actually understand that he needs to ride in a somewhat conservative fashion, save some ground and try and get lucky.[/QUOTE]

Where IS this place you can key a 25-1 shot for 4th ?

[toussaud]

I know what track you don't want speed on. Emerald Downs track could probably stop a bullet.

[dansan]

you can key 25-1 for 4th heck you can key it for 1st at monmouth

[Stillriledup]

Northern California is NOT the place to key a 25-1 shot for 4th in the super and expect the jock to actually understand that he needs to ride in a somewhat conservative fashion, save some ground and try and get lucky.

Where IS this place you can key a 25-1 shot for 4th ?[/QUOTE]

Anyplace where the jocks who are riding hopeless horses don't ride in an overly aggressive way considering their odds. When you bet on a bomb you want to be ridden conservatively. If you do this in Nor Cal there's a shot you will be ridden like you're 3-5.