Ramon Dominguez. Best jockey ever? - Horse Racing Forum - PaceAdvantage.Com

Stillriledup · 03-08-2010, 07:39 AM

How is it possible that Ramon has a higher ITM percentage than Russell Baze (69 to 67)?

Baze rides in 5 horse fields constantly and he's almost always on the even money shot. Also, Dominguez has 40 more mounts than Russell. The more mounts you accept, the more likely it is that you're going to lower your ITM percentage.

This is staggering. How can he be ITM almost 70 percent considering the amount of mounts he accepts?

This is sheer greatness.

No?

lamboguy · 03-08-2010, 07:59 AM

its pretty simple, steve only puts ramon on the best horse in the race, if a big trainer wants him and he gets another call he goes to the better horse every time. russel might have to play more politics in northern califoria.

i see that ramon rides assmussen horses as well as anyone, what i wonder is if he would ever ride first call assmussen. assmussen got to love the way he rides his horses.

boomman · 03-08-2010, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stillriledup

How is it possible that Ramon has a higher ITM percentage than Russell Baze (69 to 67)?

Baze rides in 5 horse fields constantly and he's almost always on the even money shot. Also, Dominguez has 40 more mounts than Russell. The more mounts you accept, the more likely it is that you're going to lower your ITM percentage.

This is staggering. How can he be ITM almost 70 percent considering the amount of mounts he accepts?

This is sheer greatness.

No?

Ramon is a very good rider no doubt, as is Russell Baze, but IMHO neither one are even in the top 3 of greatest riders ever. In the group that I have witnessed for the last 30 years (not going back beyond that) Russell has the most wins, has a great work ethic and is a super guy. But as for sheer talent, Gary Stevens (in his prime before his knee injury) Pat Day and Laffit Pincay were the best 3 jocks I ever saw.

Boomer

46zilzal · 03-08-2010, 09:42 AM

Dominguez is one of the few who makes horses significantly better and is moving TOWARD the group of Carroll Shilling, Todd Sloan, "Snapper" Garrison, George Wolff, Aracro, Shoe, Pincay and Bailey, but not arrived quite yet.

The wonderful Cuban rider who died at Woodbine, Avelino Gomez, had the best lifetime win percentage.

Vinnie · 03-08-2010, 09:47 AM

Hey folks:

I don't know the numbers, but, didn't Ramon Dominguez put up the Best numbers stats wise in the history of the NYRA circuit this past racing season for one single racing season (for 2009)? If I am not mistaken, I believe that he broke the record for the most wins ever on the NYRA circuit.

I realize that Garrett Gomez and Julien Leparoux are most definitely more well known than he is, but, I truly believe (IMHO) that he should have won the Eclipse Award for Best Jockey of 2009. Of course, that is merely my opinion. An even bigger question is, when are we going to see a year on the NYRA circuit like he posted this past season again?

PhantomOnTour · 03-08-2010, 09:49 AM

He's pretty damn good.

therussmeister · 03-08-2010, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stillriledup

Baze rides in 5 horse fields constantly and he's almost always on the even money shot.

That Baze is almost always on the even-money shot may simply reflect the No.Cal. betters putting more emphasis on the jockey than the NY betters do, and may not be an accurate reflection on the comparative abilities of the horses he rides.

the little guy · 03-08-2010, 10:27 AM

Ramon is as good a rider as I have ever seen. The professionalism he brings every day is remarkable. It's funny, I'm watching the HBO show about Bird and Magic, and I feel like Ramon brings to his job what those two legends brought to their's. He rides the inner as well as any rider could and it doesn't matter the level of quality. Take a look at his ride in the 9th race last Thursday. It was a $16K maiden claiming race and his ride was as good a ride as any rider could have ever given any horse. Nobody, and I mean nobody, would have won with that horse besides Ramon. Take a look at his ride on Goldsville in Saturday's 5th race. First, he goes to the lead, and he gets it. Then, others go, so he takes back a little on the backstretch. Then things get a little tight and as they run for home he is totally packaged behind and between horses, but he doesn't check and lose ground, he holds steady and waits, and when the slightest seem opens he busts through. He doesn't panic when horses back up in his face and steady severely, and just smoothly gathers his horses in and waits with confidence. If his mounts are empty, so be it, but if not they get their best possible chances to win at as high a percentage as any rider I have ever seen.

As for comparisons, I've seen the great riders of the last 30 years, and there have been some extremely good ones. But, I also never watched them as closely, day to day, as I watch Ramon. So, from my perspective it's not fair to say which one is necessarily better than the others. Cordero, Bailey, Stevens, McCarron, Pincay....they were tremendous riders. But Ramon is as well and watching him every day, especially through the long winter on the inner, is a pleasure and a privilege.

Ejmenz · 03-08-2010, 10:30 AM

Stevens was the most talented, Pincay was the best, and Shoe, don't forget Shoe, considering EVERYTHING that goes in to being jockey, Shoemaker might have been the best jockey ever, either him or Pincay, those two jockeys could never be more different, two different styles to greatness.

Anyone remember Alvaro Pinada, that was a talented rider.

Robert Goren · 03-08-2010, 10:31 AM

You never see Baze on a dog, at least in N. Cal. Dominguez gets a few mounts that look, at least on paper, to have very little chance. The thing that impresses me about Dominguez is how well he gets himself out of trouble.

castaway01 · 03-08-2010, 10:32 AM

Not sure if the original poster meant best EVER or best CURRENTLY, but Ramon is right at the top of the list amongst current riders. You could see back in his Delaware days that he had a hell of a lot of talent, patience, and great timing, and he's continued to perform at the same level on the big stage.

46zilzal · 03-08-2010, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ejmenz

Stevens was the most talented, Pincay was the best, and Shoe, don't forget Shoe, considering EVERYTHING that goes in to being jockey, Shoemaker might have been the best jockey ever, either him or Pincay, those two jockeys could never be more different, two different styles to greatness.

Anyone remember Alvaro Pinada, that was a talented rider.

I recall the day his head was crushed in the gate at Anita and then brother Robert was killed not long after. Laffit often mentions what a good rider he thought Pineda was.

Marshall Bennett · 03-08-2010, 12:06 PM

He's not afraid to try anything in getting his mount home . That alone sets him apart from many . A very determained rider . To say he is the best ever would be stretching it a bit I believe . Certainly one of the best .

Johnny V · 03-08-2010, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marshall Bennett

He's not afraid to try anything in getting his mount home . That alone sets him apart from many . A very determained rider . To say he is the best ever would be stretching it a bit I believe . Certainly one of the best .

Ditto.

tzipi · 03-08-2010, 02:35 PM

One of the best all around I've seen. Can put a field to sleep on the front end. He can position so well behind a good pace. He can get his mount of of trouble in a flash. He's just a smart jock who doesn't just need a heavy favorite to win.