Maragh Relocating to So Cal
 

Didn't see this coming:

https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-rac..._medium=social

speaking of jockey moves, I looked at Aqueduct today and was surprised to see Castellano still riding there and not at Gulfstream. Is he planning to ride at AQ all winter?

Great news...! Perfect fit....should do well...looking forward to seeing him ride...!

One of my favorite jocks in the sport I wish him luck but will sorely miss watching him on the NY and Fla circuit as those are what I follow and wager on the most. One thing I won't miss is his seeming inability to get a decent number of mounts that are competitive. Seems like the Saratoga and now AQ meet this far, damn near every horse he rides is a long shot (just my perception no stats to back that up).

I think given the opportunity he can certainly shine in California. I agree with the article he is a jock that is very multidimensional. Again, best of luck to him... maybe this will be the catalyst to get me more interested in California racing.

If Elliot can go over there and do well, Raj can too

He is a good guy he will tell you like it is. I have used him at GP when he went there for the winters. I wish him the best of luck in Cali. Sometimes a change of scenery can be a blessing in disguise. I don't know why he wasn't used more often in NY but there has been an influx of top riders there for quite sometime making the competition for mounts a tough one.

He should do well, its not like the old days going to socal when a few other prominent riders tried it and failed, the colony is not deep at all if you ask me. He can easily compete with Kent, Prat and Bajarano for the daily mounts.

Stakes level mounts will be a tad tougher but I am sure that will work out as well.

Can't disagree. The SoCal jockey colony is pretty thin on talent right now.

Kind of good actually, in which better horses win, but such is the quandry.

6 horse fields make it pretty hard to get mounts.

I spoke to him yesterday he is very excited to be heading to the west coast. I wished him the best of luck.

I give him 3 months for that reason alone. He won't like the pay cut that comes with the lack of mounts.

Well the money is different but Del Mar avg bigger fields than Saratoga on the 2017 HANA ratings and SA had more than Bel/Aqu. Though they are very similar, so less money but I dont think the mounts is an issue at those two tracks.

Los Al though, yea that place is trash for fields.

Honestly, your just trying to get into the high end stock and cut out a career, ie like Victor did.

You must be a west coast player that always whines about the east coast bias. You can quote the average field size, the typical stat that reinforces the quote that "statistics lie and liars use statistics". Check out where the top 5 Jockeys at Del mar would rank in Saratoga earnings from last summer and will realize you have to take a pay cut to ride in California and the difference is big. Take away Mike Smith and also look at the yearly earnings by jockeys. Riding on the west coast means you will earn less money. Smith and Espinoza have made their money so they can be very selective on their mounts but if you are young, staying in California means you will earn less money during the prime of you career. Stop living in the 1990's.
Also, will you west coast people stop using the field size stat(statistics lie etc.). Del Mar pays you to ship in a cheap claimer and most field size stats are inflated because the only races with large fields are the cheap maiden claimers. Oh, I forgot to mention, how many races does Saratoga run every week compared to Del Mar so MOUNTS WILL BE AN ISSUE. Keep quoting your field size stats while big money races have few horses if that will make you feel better about the racing product in California.

I wish him the best of luck considering his injury history but he is too young to go to California to ride. Shorter racing weeks and short fields are not a recipe for success when trying to break into any jockey colony. Hope he beats the odds.

I think you are severely overestimating the younger riders there, its Prat and really no one. Smith, Kent, Stevens and Nakatani only have a short time left, going to be a big void.