Maximum Security San Diego Handicap Ride

[Bigadam119]

There are people out there an on TV saying how great of a ride it was and probably won him the race.

I think it was absolutely awful. It made it much more difficult than it needed to be. It caused him to find trouble on the far turn and have to rally to catch the speed that was allowed to run by freely down the backside.

[NikeUnlimited]

If he kept going with Midcourt, I think he gets cooked because Midcourt was going after the lead at all costs. He tried to back off and go to the outside of him, but Flavien Prat on Higher Power used his horse to take that spot, causing Maximum Security to back out even further to get clear running room.

There was some great race riding in this race. Especially when compared to the Vanderbilt race at Saratoga today.

[Robert Fischer]

It was bad, but it was a tough position to be in, and it could have turned out worse.

Great ride by Espinoza on Midcourt. Prat almost seemed to see the play coming and capitalized on the move from Midcourt, by coming up to take 2nd and control the space in front of Maximum Security.

Cedillo's reaction to Prat, almost cost him the race.

Tough to make up ground like that going 8.5f into a speed favoring setup vs. a solid rival.

If Baffert had that one back, I think you just send Ax Man and Mike Smith to set the pace.

[GMB@BP]

Originally Posted by Bigadam119

There are people out there an on TV saying how great of a ride it was and probably won him the race.

I think it was absolutely awful. It made it much more difficult than it needed to be. It caused him to find trouble on the far turn and have to rally to catch the speed that was allowed to run by freely down the backside.

really?

I have seen people say he should have won a lot easier if not for the ride.

You break on top, with a class speed horse no less, then you let the other horse go but instead of just tracking 2 wide you drop onto the rail then get caught in a switch.....he was very very lucky to end up winning.

[lamboguy]

i think that horse was ridden as good as can be. the horse turned in a major effort even though his numbers won't agree with me. he got passed by 2 different horses and at the end won the race by less than a head without any help in front of him.

[Bigadam119]

Originally Posted by Robert Fischer

It was bad, but it was a tough position to be in, and it could have turned out worse.

Great ride by Espinoza on Midcourt. Prat almost seemed to see the play coming and capitalized on the move from Midcourt, by coming up to take 2nd and control the space in front of Maximum Security.

Cedillo's reaction to Prat, almost cost him the race.

Tough to make up ground like that going 8.5f into a speed favoring setup vs. a solid rival.

If Baffert had that one back, I think you just send Ax Man and Mike Smith to set the pace.

Agreed on the Espinoza ride. His ride gave his horse the best opportunity to win and he almost did.

Victor still has that feel when he’s on a speed horse.

[Psychotic Parakeet]

I was really surprised to see how heavy-looking Maximum Security has become since leaving Servis, and managed to eek out a win.

[mountainman]

I credit the winning jock. After breaking his mount very sharply, he tested the waters to see if the lead was available (Riding aggressively, I would guess, as per instructions- judging from how the other Baffert was GUZZLED back) and took those tactics as far as possible, without forfeiting the option to ease back.

Conversely, why praise Prat for severely compromising his own mount in order to make things just marginally more difficult for the favorite?? Again, the winning jock impressed me by avoiding a switch, and not getting suckered into a premature move.

In my opinion, there was no trip that results in Maximum Security winning decisively. It was a grinding win that grades higher for determination than talent. Note how early the winner came under a ride, and how much more easily the leader was running around the far turn.

[GMB@BP]

Originally Posted by mountainman

I credit the winning jock. After breaking his mount very sharply, he tested the waters to see if the lead was available (Riding aggressively, I would guess, as per instructions- judging from how the other Baffert was GUZZLED back) and took those tactics as far as possible, without forfeiting the option to ease back.

Conversely, why praise Prat for severely compromising his own mount in order to make things just marginally more difficult for the favorite?? Again, the winning jock impressed me by avoiding a switch, and not getting suckered into a premature move.

In my opinion, there was no trip that results in Maximum Security winning decisively. It was a grinding win that grades higher for determination than talent. Note how early the winner came under a ride, and how much more easily the leader was running around the far turn.

no ones praising prat that I have seen, other than the praise a bettor has for making it more difficult on a 1/5 shot.

[mountainman]

Originally Posted by GMB@BP

no ones praising prat that I have seen, other than the praise a bettor has for making it more difficult on a 1/5 shot.

He was praised on tv, and the ride characterized as smart. I disagree,respectfully, for several reasons.

[mountainman]

Had only watched race once before posting. After reviewing the vid, Prat's early move seems a bit more understandable, but backfires when his mount soon tires.

What is less clear is whether his initial intent was to just compromise the favorite, or to outrigt gun to the lead.

[burnsy]

Originally Posted by NikeUnlimited

If he kept going with Midcourt, I think he gets cooked because Midcourt was going after the lead at all costs. He tried to back off and go to the outside of him, but Flavien Prat on Higher Power used his horse to take that spot, causing Maximum Security to back out even further to get clear running room.

There was some great race riding in this race. Especially when compared to the Vanderbilt race at Saratoga today.

I agree with the trip Maximum Security got, you’re right. But did you even watch the Vanderbilt? Whitmore broke thru the gate, the field was short with no opposing speed. And the only other possible pace pressure , long shot flips in the gate. Whitmore probably could of been scratched too. Of course, some people on TV are trying to hype that horse as some superstar. That race was a “no contest” as far as I’m concerned. If you bet it, you were pretty much ripped off. The pace scenario was a joke for a Grade 1 sprint. That’s what you get with these short fields. Add the gate antics and scratches..... it just gets worse. And we saw that yesterday. Yay, he came home fast..... well he f’in waltzed for over half a mile and no one else was in position to do a thing about it other than commit their horse to something it doesn’t want to do anyway. Race was a joke from jump one

[classhandicapper]

I thought Cedillo rode him fine in a tough set of circumstances.

He was on a horse speed that he knew was the best horse in the race. So went for and secured the lead aggressively enough like he should. However, Espinoza was hell bent on taking it from him with Midcourt. He could have battled to keep it, but then you are potentially winning the battle and losing the war (if/when you both collapse).

It would have been nice to get outside of Midcourt and stalk quickly, but Prat made a quick premature move, most likely hoping to box Maximum Security in. Rather than be boxed, he steadied back further to get outside both of them. It was obviously not an ideal trip, but I think he was a victim of race riding and won because he was on a very good and very game horse.

Whatever the speed figures say (Beyer 101), IMO, the top 3 horse ran better than that (including Higher Power who was used early).

[burnsy]

He did ride him ok. But I still think his regular rider would of handled it differently early in that race. Like coming off the rail a little to discourage what happened. And Prat was definitely trying to take advantage. Unfortunately his mount just can’t cruise like the other two and threw out the ole anchor early . Other than the race where he missed the start, Max has never been in that position. If you think two highly experienced riders were not trying to job that kid. I don’t know what you think. Some of these folks think that riders are supposed to open the door for the guy behind them or it’s dirty. It was obvious, one guy was gonna take the pace and the other guy (Prat) saw the opportunity to brush by and pin him inside for a moment. Like these guys don’t read a racing form or know who the likeliest winner is in these big races , short on entrants. I’m just saying Maximum Security definitely lost a little in that deal.

And I stand by that Vanderbilt statement . In fact, If Imperial Hint was there he would of eaten Volatile for lunch yesterday. That was a boat race for a Grade 1.

[Robert Fischer]

Originally Posted by mountainman

Had only watched race once before posting. After reviewing the vid, Prat's early move seems a bit more understandable, but backfires when his mount soon tires.

What is less clear is whether his initial intent was to just compromise the favorite, or to outrigt gun to the lead.

I don't have a very strong opinion on Prat's ride.

Very slightly leaning towards "good, aggressive ride".

Thought it was good in the sense that he handicapped the favorite, creating a possibility some combination of the pace-setter(Midcourt) failing, or Prat's horse running big, to be in a better situation than watching the chalk Maximum Security easily win, after maneuvering out and track the pace-setter.

Also liked/don't feel Prat actually 'fouled' Maximum Security, or put him in a significantly dangerous position.

On the negative side of the coin, - Maybe it was bad, and that Maximum Security and Midcourt would have got into a duel, and Prat would have had a better setup, stalking that duel?