Quote:
Originally Posted by SharpCat
Enlighten us on what you think Mike did poorly.
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If you choose to go balls to the wall to clear another speed horse. Taking that rival out of his game. Why would you now stay 5 paths off the rail allowing that horse to re-rally back into the game? If LIG had been angled towards the fence JW would have been forced to go around him and IMO never been able to beat him.
The margin of victory was a neck. We all saw JW lay his body down to get there first. Can't imagine him being able to muster enough to make up for the extra ground he "should" have been forced to cover.
Coupled with the urging the two horses were receiving which was all out by Rosario and described as tepid by the DRF Chart Caller regarding Smith.
I don't often knock rides. But this was just awful. Put Rosario on LIG and he wins on that horse. If that's not evidence of a poor ride and bad decision making nothing is.
Here's what the DRF/EQUIBASE footnote said.......
JACKIE'S WARRIOR bobbled slightly at the start, raced two to three wide in pursuit in closest aim of the leader prompting that
rival early on before being shaken off into the turn, came under coaxing at the five-sixteenths and continued two to three wide into
upper stretch closing in on the front, took over narrow command three-sixteenths from home, dug in under a drive in stark contrast
to his main rival who was tepidly handled and gamely prevailed at the finish. LIFE IS GOOD established the front and showed
the way in hand five then four wide down the backstretch before continuing four wide through the turn, slipped away midway on
the turn and was patiently handled through the latter portion of the bend, went four wide into upper stretch, got displaced from
the front at the three-sixteenths while remaining overconfidently handled, got placed to coaxing at the eighth pole and was shown
the crop to the off side through to the finish getting bested on the wire.
