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a lesson learned
many, many, years ago i actually drove in harness races. i will never forget my first few efforts as a provisional driver.
first off, i was convinced each horse i drove was capable of winning the race, and it was simply a matter of me making the right moves at the right times.
my first half dozen races were abysmal efforts of over driving my horses which ended up in my getting in the way of legitimate contenders in the race. believe me, i heard about it afterward.
my first real learning experience came in a cheap claiming race in which i had the 8 hole on a 1/2 mile track (death) with an old horse i also trained. the old boy wasn't at the top of his game and was pretty ouchy and for the first time in my young driving career i conceeded defeat before the race. in my mind, i had NO CHANCE. as the gate sprung, i took a hold of him and guided him to the rail. i was now more observer than participant. twice around the little 1/2 miler we went. in front of me i saw the race unfold because i could "see them all". i saw other drivers pull and make the front while others pulled and floundered two and eventually three wide.
without even realizing it, my old boy, well in hand having never been used, was progressing steadily up the inside. to my amazement, as we came off turn 4, only the leader and a horse first over, who was out of gas, remained in front of us.
i eased up into that pocket and as the "first over" horse packed it in, i slid out and wore j.p. morel and his favored horse down to win my first parimutuel race. my horse paid $90 plus dollars and i had zero on him.
the point is, sometimes less can be more. many horses are simply overdriven or overridden. to do what borel does takes extreme confidence and extreme patience which other riders simply do not possess.
in the end it always takes the horse but less can be more when it comes to the rider.
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