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04-16-2014, 10:43 AM
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 4,668
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The Few, The Proud that NEVER look back
Call me old-school, but I cringe when a jockey looks back. One of the stone-commandments of race-riding, of course, passed down from the masters, admonishes jocks to NEVER look back. A quick glance before cutting to the rail I can tolerate (barely), and a sly look under the armpit (more professional than between the legs) can pass muster. But it looks bush-league when riders crank their heads around-or even sideways- in the stretch. Yes, your horse is tiring, and yes, you're probably going to get tagged, but that's no excuse for pausing one nano-second to look nervously back, rather than focusing COMPLETELY on the finish.
And really good riders don't need a glance back to confirm someone is gaining, they sense it (and often drift out, or in accordingly).
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04-16-2014, 11:04 AM
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 18,962
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mountainman
Call me old-school, but I cringe when a jockey looks back. One of the stone-commandments of race-riding, of course, passed down from the masters, admonishes jocks to NEVER look back. A quick glance before cutting to the rail I can tolerate (barely), and a sly look under the armpit (more professional than between the legs) can pass muster. But it looks bush-league when riders crank their heads around-or even sideways- in the stretch. Yes, your horse is tiring, and yes, you're probably going to get tagged, but that's no excuse for pausing one nano-second to look nervously back, rather than focusing COMPLETELY on the finish.
And really good riders don't need a glance back to confirm someone is gaining, they sense it (and often drift out, or in accordingly).
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Good post.
We must be from the same old-school of hard knocks.
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04-16-2014, 11:36 AM
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 2,443
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I actually like it before the last turn
because i think the jock hasn't set down when he's done this; meaning he/she has lots of horse left
it looks cool IMO; don't do it when you are riding your trike; it's fun
and you want your jock to know who is behind them in the stretch run so they can accidentally/on purpose drift efficiently into intended path
fffastt
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04-16-2014, 11:48 AM
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#4
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Educated Speculation
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Where Palm Trees Sway
Posts: 914
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This is conjuring images of Turcotte looking back on the Stretch at Belmont. I remember the Interview where Turcott said "Curiosity got the best of me, and I looked back. When I look at it now, it even scares me." or something to that effect.
__________________
"Horse Sense" is the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people.
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04-16-2014, 04:41 PM
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#5
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Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 25,607
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If i bet on a horse where the jock is in front and he's looking back i yell out loud STOP LOOKING BACK and RIDE.
These guys look back so they can "measure" off wins and placings and "Save" some horse for next time if they can.
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04-16-2014, 05:29 PM
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Youngstown, Ohio
Posts: 2,053
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IMO,The only jockey that looked back and eventually would hang on to win, was Chris McCarron. He was such a good judge of pace. I hate it now and when it happens, I start to tear up tickets, even the virtual ADW ones.
RR
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04-16-2014, 05:47 PM
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#7
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Out-of-town Jasper
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,364
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I, years ago, saw a scientific study addressing the best ways to defend a wide receive in football. The one thing I remember is that it was determined that a human does not slow down when running whilst looking back. Based on that, I doubt horses show down when the jockey looks back.
__________________
“If you want to outwit the devil, it is extremely important that you don't give him advanced notice."
~Alan Watts
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04-16-2014, 05:54 PM
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#8
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C'est Tout
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Cajunland
Posts: 13,270
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Sometimes a jock has just hit the lead or is moving towards it (around the 1/4 pole) and he looks back....I love that look back. The jock is basically saying that he has these guys next to him beaten and is wondering if someone is flying from the back.
Then there's Calvin Borel on Street Sense taking a very quick and nervous look back at Curlin about mid stretch in the Preakness...I hate that look back.
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How do I work this?
-David Byrne
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04-16-2014, 06:29 PM
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,336
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I agree with those who like it. My take is that when a jockey has move to the lead without asking his horse he is feeling real good about his chances and just wants to make sure there is nothing coming from the back. I'll take a jockey sneaking a peek back entering the stretch as opposed to one with his whip cocked and riding his brains out
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04-16-2014, 06:47 PM
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#10
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Screw PC
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 15,728
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Quote:
Originally Posted by therussmeister
I, years ago, saw a scientific study addressing the best ways to defend a wide receive in football. The one thing I remember is that it was determined that a human does not slow down when running whilst looking back. Based on that, I doubt horses show down when the jockey looks back.
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It's not a matter of slowing down. It's a matter of the balance being altered.
Yes, believe it or not, the position of the riders head affects the balance of a horse.
__________________
Truth sounds like hate to those who hate truth.
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04-16-2014, 07:32 PM
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 408
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A jock who I respect once told me it is only OK to do the full-blown look back when...
1) You know you have enough horse to win by a huge margin (to make sure no one is coming so you can effectively gear the horse down).
2) You know you are going to lose by a huge margin (so that if you are fading through the pack, you get the F*** out of the way so you don't cause an accident).
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04-17-2014, 12:43 AM
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#12
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BC Canada
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 2,286
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My jockey usually looks back because he is afraid the grater and the water truck may run him over at the sixteenth pole....
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04-17-2014, 07:27 AM
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#13
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The Voice of Reason!
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Canandaigua, New york
Posts: 112,850
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Mine only look back when the ambulance blows the horn at them.
__________________
Who does the Racing Form Detective like in this one?
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04-17-2014, 07:48 AM
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 16,487
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PhantomOnTour
Sometimes a jock has just hit the lead or is moving towards it (around the 1/4 pole) and he looks back....I love that look back. The jock is basically saying that he has these guys next to him beaten and is wondering if someone is flying from the back.
Then there's Calvin Borel on Street Sense taking a very quick and nervous look back at Curlin about mid stretch in the Preakness...I hate that look back.
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I agree. Don't mind it at all when they are at the top of the stretch. When you see it at the sixteenth pole, you know that horse is gassed.
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04-17-2014, 09:51 AM
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#15
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Chris Longshot
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 80,013
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I hate when jockeys do that they almost always quit or get tagged...Thankfully, when your horse is in last, there are no other horses to look back at...
Problem solved!
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