Are you glad Game On Dude lost?
 

I am and here is why, I think it was a b/s call that Sutherland got yanked b/c of one riding faux pas. Look at who won the Classic, Hernandez bothched a ride on him before and the connections stuck with him!

I am glad "Dude" lost the race b/c I think Sutherland would still be in the racing game if that move wasn't made. That was (IMO) the major reason why she called it quits. Her heart was broken beyond repair due to a 2nd place finish and not another chance was given to her to show her ability to ride.

Serves the connections right to suffer a loss in the biggest race of the year!

I wish I could have been a fly on the wall watching Chantal view the race Saturday and her reaction after they crossed the wire. . .

I can't say that I take pleasure in a good horse losing the BC Classic and HOTY, but I did think at the time that Sutherland got a raw deal.

Yes, she isn't the world's greatest jockey. She did make mistakes. But she was perfectly adequate on this horse. The horse ran for her. When they took her off the horse before (after the 2011 Santa Anita Handicap), the horse didn't run as well with other jocks so they put her back on.

And the reality is that it wasn't her ride that lost the Pacific Classic. They lost to a synthetic course specialist who has won 3 Grade I races on Polytrack and is a monster on that surface, and the horse ran a very nice time in a very game second place performance. He probably loses anyway even if Sutherland doesn't lose the rein.

At any rate, Sutherland at least understood that the horse is a frontrunner who needs to make the lead and go as far as he can as fast as he can. Bejarano took back, got into traffic trouble, went wide around the first turn, and let the winner get the jump on him. If Sutherland had still been on the horse, he would have at least been on the lead for Fort Larned to come and catch.

So yeah, Sutherland got hosed. And if it did drive her out of the sport, all the worse.

I'm glad he was out of the exacta and trifecta too!!!

Me too! But seriously, i thought he would lose all along. Not that i'm "glad", i just handicapped the race and thought he was an underlay. The horses that showed up were just too good for him. Plus 8-5 was a ridiculous price....just like i said Wednesday or Thursday on the "bc, singles" thread. The horse was 14-1 last year against Drosselmeyer and Ruler on Ice, the horses that hit the board with him. This years field was better and with "real dirt" he was going to be in real trouble, especially at this distance. I used him in the pic for protection but was not surprised one bit by the results. Glad, is sort of the wrong term. I was glad with the results but i did not think this horse was worthy of the price he got. It was the usual hype and not a true evaluation of his OVERALL record or talent at this distance. IMO, the best you could of made him, was a saver, and thats what i'm glad about....once in a while.....i'm right.....and it pays. Of course, if Mucho Macho Man gets up....i get it all....but i'm not complaining on Monday morning either.

I pretty much agree with you, Though Bejarano is a better jockey, I think Sutherland is a better fit for that horse. I also think she would have panicked if she was riding and the horse had been a little slow, which in my opinion would have been a good thing. This is one of the few times that hustling after a bad break or sending wide around horses into the first time would have been a good thing.

couldn't have it stated better!

I wish Fort Larned had lost.
Missed it by that much!

Different Styles
 

Even though Bejarano is a terrific rider he does like to rate horses in a stalking position as often as possible. He rarely lets a horse relax and make one move from off the pace because he doesn't like to be far back, and he rarely tries to wire the field in routes, even with a speed horse. He is a stalking-style rider but some horses don't want to be held. If Bejarano had been on Royal Delta, I doubt he would've let her pull him to the lead, he would've taken a hold and let Love And Pride go. Mike Smith let her do her thing and she rolled. It's just a matter of style.

This...I'm sorry for the redboard but I couldn't believe how they bet Fort Larned .Opened at 15-1 I think and went off at 9-1.That's just crazy.If you take out Game On Dude then MMM and Fort Larned should be vying for favortism.Thought it was very odd that the 3rd most likely exacta paid so well.

I did kind of feel bad for Baffert when he was sunken into his seat having to do an interview afterward.He must have thought he was going to have at least 2-3 winners and walked away with squadoosh.

Yes because I was all over Ft Larned, but yes also because I don't think every rider switch is necessarily an upgrade, especially when in this case Sutherland had had such great success with the horse.

Others stuck with riders like Willie Martinez and Brian Hernandez and were rewarded with victories. and I have to say I love to see loyalty to guys like that and that they came through in the clutch for the connections. I guess I'm a bit of a sucker for the underdogs who have talent and work hard every day, when they finally get their shot at the brass ring on the big day.

Agree. Sometimes owners and trainers outsmart themselves! I think this is one of those instances.

Do you really think that losing one(yes, a big one) mount was the reason she quit riding? I find this really hard to believe. She had been a rider for a long time and I would imagine she has learned how to handle such a situation and not let what you describe as a "broken heart" dictate the end of her entire career.

I have read a ton of speculation but I think the answer was written in her statement. She found love, is probably interested in starting a family and wants to do some new things. She has made a good amount of money and can now focus on different things in life and I hope she does well.

Yes I do! I think that is what got the "retirement" ball rolling. Don't tell me for one minute if she was still on Game On Dude that she would have said "oh I quit" before riding the Classic. C'mon now!

Her statement you say? She isn't going to reveal the exact truth, she isn't that dumb. It was a sugar coated answer to protect herself and in case she does come back riding again like our friend P Val:D

If she had kept the mount, she probably would have retired Saturday night.

I root against 6/5 shots as a rule, so YES...I was glad that Game On Dude lost. But the jockey change had nothing to do with it.

I will criticize the horses' connections when they operate in a manner which I deem adversarial to what the bettors' interests are...but I won't presume to tell them how to choose the jockeys for their horses.

I respect their rights...just as I ask that they respect mine.