Comment: "Loose pocket turn;tired"

[Form W-2G]

While using Brisnet's Ultimate Past Performance today (10/19/14) for Race 1 at Belmont, the comment "Loose pocket turn; tired" was associated with horse #4 SOCIALSAUL's trip on 5/7/14 at the same track.



Loose pocket??? What's a loose pocket? Thanks and may the longshots be with you.

[Robert Fischer]

Yea, that was a weird one.

The chart comment is "Socialsaul loosely pocketed on the turn, gave way"

That wasn't one of my favorite chart calls.
It is reference to the fact that he was racing in a "pocket" at the turn call.
It is a bit deceiving because while he technically raced to the turn call in a loose pocket, he was under hard urging and he soon led the 2nd group while coming off the rail.

Either the horse threw in the towel when he hit the turn, or the jockey made a very premature move. The leader ("Readthebyline", ironically) had a comfortable margin, and the race should have been between Socialsaul and that 2nd group. Ideally energy and position would have been conserved until later.
Sometimes you see hard urging like that, and it's because the horse has already quit, not necessarily because the jockey said "go".

[johnhannibalsmith]

Without looking at the race, I would read it and think the rider was stuck behind and inside of other horses - without being totally jammed and crying for run - and when he got a clear path, he had nothing to offer.

[MJC922]

Yeah I never saw the term years ago so I'm half-guessing. To me a pocket trip is the horse saving ground sitting inside behind a 'contested' pace, it's more of a harness racing term technically but I use it sometimes to describe a thoroughbred's trip too. Loose pocket I was always guessing to mean similar as above but with no other horse racing outside of the pocket trip horse so it can move out and around when ready. There's also the term pocketed I've heard used sometimes as well (not so much in charts) but to me a horse can be making a strong move inside and then find itself 'pocketed' and has to steady or even take up to await room behind tired horses, happens a lot on the final turn in routes.

[Appy]

Originally Posted by johnhannibalsmith

Without looking at the race, I would read it and think the rider was stuck behind and inside of other horses - without being totally jammed and crying for run - and when he got a clear path, he had nothing to offer.

Agree. In traffic, but not close traffic.

[Tom]

In traffic, but not close traffic.

Would have made a better comment.
You looking for work?

[Form W-2G]

Thanks for the reply folks. I watched the replay and now I guess I understand what the comment was attempting to convey.

After viewing the replay, I suppose many horses in many races could also be described as being in a "loose pocket" at some point during a race. Should I ever see that comment again, I won't give it much relevance.

May the longshots be with you!

Form W-2G