Marathon races & Jockeys

[Some_One]

You can always tell who the real stupid jockeys are by the ones that always forget that you can't blast out of the gates in marathon distance races. You saw it always in the BC Marathon, and just saw it again with this F Prat in the 7th at Del Mar on the well supported fav, never looked like he wanted to control the horse early, led by a pole early, finished a pole behind at the end.

[cj]

Originally Posted by Some_One

You can always tell who the real stupid jockeys are by the ones that always forget that you can't blast out of the gates in marathon distance races. You saw it always in the BC Marathon, and just saw it again with this F Prat in the 7th at Del Mar on the well supported fav, never looked like he wanted to control the horse early, led by a pole early, finished a pole behind at the end.

I don't think he had much control over the horse. The horse was worked up in the post parade and the warm up. He was way too keyed up. I'm sure he did what he could.

[horses4courses]

Originally Posted by cj

I don't think he had much control over the horse. The horse was worked up in the post parade and the warm up. He was way too keyed up. I'm sure he did what he could.

Agreed.
Prat, from what I have seen, is not lacking in patience.
A tearaway horse is close to impossible to fully restrain.

[pandy]

It's common for horses to break out to long uncontrollable leads in these marathon races because the other horses are all starting slow and then the puller just takes off. Some horses just aren't suited to that type of race because they want to run when the bell rings. I agree with you guys, probably not the jockey's fault.

[Milkshaker]

Originally Posted by cj

I don't think he had much control over the horse. The horse was worked up in the post parade and the warm up. He was way too keyed up. I'm sure he did what he could.

One of the Patin brothers would have shown the kid how to clamp that sucker down real good.

[Some_One]

Originally Posted by cj

I don't think he had much control over the horse. The horse was worked up in the post parade and the warm up. He was way too keyed up. I'm sure he did what he could.

I didn't see the prerace antics, but it's still the jockey's responsibility to give the best effort possible and I don't believe there was any reasonable attempt to do so.

[ReplayRandall]

Flavien Prat is a top-flight rider, is 1st call in the Mandella barn, as well as other top barns, and is the current leading jockey at Del Mar:

2015 Del Mar Meet Leaders
Last Update: Thursday, July 23rd

1 Flavien Prat 32 7 2 8 22% 53% $446,020
2 Joseph Talamo 28 6 0 2 21% 29% $253,880
3 Santiago Gonzalez 20 5 1 2 25% 40% $286,194
4 Rafael Bejarano 29 5 4 3 17% 41% $228,662
5 Mario Gutierrez 19 5 2 0 26% 37% $197,236
6 Mike E. Smith 18 4 4 4 22% 67% $492,414
7 Drayden Van Dyke 16 4 1 2 25% 44% $144,444
8 Tyler Baze 34 3 7 6 9% 47% $225,172
9 Kent J. Desormeaux 20 3 4 4 15% 55% $159,680
10 Victor Espinoza 17 2 2 3 12% 41% $177,770

[ultracapper]

Prat is outstanding.

[pandy]

Every rider including the greatest jockeys in history have had this happen to them, especially in turf routes.

[Augenj]

Originally Posted by Milkshaker

One of the Patin brothers would have shown the kid how to clamp that sucker down real good.

You have to build up your biceps.