No one is saying it's not a joy to watch the thrilled exuberance of a 19 year old.
However, unlike all the sports and examples you listed, those flamboyant characters were not competing in a sport where the players are literally responsible for each others lives.
It's cool until something happens and something will inevitably happen.
To make that ameturish move at that point of the race was simply put careless riding. A jock with the talent to win a race of this stature is also accomplished enough to know how dangerous what he did was.
At the end of a grueling mile and a quarter with both he and his mount tired just the slightest shift of weight could have spelled disaster. The horse could have ducked out from under him reacting to something he'd never experienced. Worse yet he could have had a bad weight shift when fatigued and injured himself. Whos's to say he didn't? His eqipment could have broken as well.
I'm pretty sure the Nick Notle character on Luck was based on Charlie Whittingham. Just whipping a horse at the wrong time cost the Irish Girl the mount on his good horse. Can you imagine how he would have reacted to that kind of selfishness?
Jockey's are responsible to take care of their mounts and fellow riders. That kid dodged a bullet and may again but it only takes once.
Cordero, Borel and especially Dettori have been very flamboyant and great for the game. But their histrionics have almost always been long after the race mostly out of harms way. Though, even Lanfraco's dismounts have caused some dangerous moments.
Hate to sound like a fuddy duddy. I feel as much passion about our game as anyone. For jockeys though that passion MUST take a backseat to safety first. Always.
He'd be in my office the next morning and looking at a $200 fine. Talk about peeing on a forest fire
