Was it really such a great ride ?

[NIATROSS]

I keep reading stories about what a great ride and job under pressure the jock on the Derby winner did.
Was it really ?
Everyone knows one of the keys to the Derby is getting early position.IHA had 3 to his left and 1 to his right who really had no shot.They left the gate clean with only IHA leaving from the outside.
It was pretty much clear sailing the rest of the way only having to swing wider down the lane for the win.
Great Ride ? No way.You want to see a great ride watch Shoemaker on Ferdinand.
Starting form the dreaded 1 post in a 16 horse field.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khVKgCT1p7w


How many jocks nowadays would duck to the inside the way he did down the lane ?

[badolpuddytat]

I agree with you Tross. He had clear sailing. That ride the Shoe made was CLASSIC!!!!!

[pezz97]

I will say for his FIRST derby ride ever, and post 19 ( Which no one else had EVER won from), he did everything a seasoned derby Jock could only hope for. Left Got a clean trip, put his horse in position at the Mile pole and with Bode Speading them out, since he got away closer, he never had to worry about getting in trouble like Peppy lepuw( I love that puddy, I will never call him Julian again  )

There were many seasoned derby Jocks, that still found a way to find trouble. He didn't Good Ride

[careless hal]

There were many seasoned derby Jocks, that still found a way to find trouble. He didn't Good Ride
 

Often a great ride depends as much on what others do as what you do. You have a plan and it works out--you are a genius, if it fails--you are an asshole.  Take into account that often what a jock does often depends on what others are doing,  you could say any winning ride was luck, not skill.  Depends on how you look at it.
I don't think we need compare the kid to the Shoe, not many can pass that test.

[badolpuddytat]

There were many seasoned derby Jocks, that still found a way to find trouble. He didn't Good Ride
 

Often a great ride depends as much on what others do as what you do. You have a plan and it works out--you are a genius, if it fails--you are an asshole.  Take into account that often what a jock does often depends on what others are doing,  you could say any winning ride was luck, not skill.  Depends on how you look at it.
I don't think we need compare the kid to the Shoe, not many can pass that test.

He left got into a pocket where there were no horses around him. Luck skill? I say luck. The skill part is the shoe, Borel, where they had to weave out of trouble. This was an ordinary race for him where there were no traffic issues for him. And going by the Doug O'Neil post about his let's say drugging, there is a article in the blood horse about him and his TCo's. He spent over 250,000 trying to beat it with attorneys fees. Does that tell you something!!!!

[Jeremy]

The horse really seemed to win easy, due in large part to the ride he was given.  When someone makes winning the Kentucky Derby look easy, I would say that is a great ride.

[badolpuddytat]

The horse really seemed to win easy, due in large part to the ride he was given.  When someone makes winning the Kentucky Derby look easy, I would say that is a great ride.

Easy? I say a easy win is when you win by 8 lengths or more. He didn't have to stop his horse once.Ala Peppy Lepew!!!! What A BAD FIT FOR A HORSE!!! IF I were Matz I'd ask Castellano right now to ride him in the Belmont!!!!!! Peppy lepew gets in more trouble because he likes to race from way behind. He isn't a Pat Day or Eddie D. YET!!!!

[NIATROSS]

I am not trying to belittle the ride or the win.People especially young media types tend to rate the latest big thing great.IMO the only  thing great about the Derby was the new attendance and handle records.It was a good ride by a young rider in his very first Derby.On a day when at least one track record was set on the dirt the Derby despite quick early fractions was slowly run.
The last qtr was especially slow exposing bad horses for what they are.
If IHA and Bodemeister are to be great horses they have much more to do.

[Jeremy]

Easy? I say a easy win is when you win by 8 lengths or more.

Then we disagree.

[badolpuddytat]

Then we disagree.

Not to belittle you but you haven't watched very many TB races. Just cause a Jockey wins the Ky Derby doesn't mean it was a easy race. A easy race is when a Jock doesn't have to go to the whip and open up as he see's fit or is in "HAND" and he "slows
 his horse up so as to have more energy for his next race. I know one thing, the jocks and trainers KNOW about this horse and you will see some "race riding" in the Preakness I guarantee it!!!

[Jeremy]

Not to belittle you but you haven't watched very many TB races. Just cause a Jockey wins the Ky Derby doesn't mean it was a easy race. A easy race is when a Jock doesn't have to go to the whip and open up as he see's fit or is in "HAND" and he "slows
 his horse up so as to have more energy for his next race. I know one thing, the jocks and trainers KNOW about this horse and you will see some "race riding" in the Preakness I guarantee it!!!

You also said that Bodemeister had 0% chance to be on the ticket.  Don't overestimate what you think you know about TB racing.

[badolpuddytat]

You also said that Bodemeister had 0% chance to be on the ticket.  Don't overestimate what you think you know about TB racing.

I said I wasn't going to use Bode on any of my tickets. I cashed some big tickets eliminating chalk horses. This time he got me. Like Manny said sometimes I get the pitchers and sometimes the pitchers get me!

[tonyb147]

Love the poise this Gutierrez shows. Cool as a cucumber. Has done exactly what he needed to do to give his horse the best chance to win and the horse has done the rest. No price now but really hopes he gets the Triple Crown.

[pezz97]

Love the poise this Gutierrez shows. Cool as a cucumber. Has done exactly what he needed to do to give his horse the best chance to win and the horse has done the rest. No price now but really hopes he gets the Triple Crown.

[NIATROSS]

Love the poise this Gutierrez shows. Cool as a cucumber. Has done exactly what he needed to do to give his horse the best chance to win and the horse has done the rest. No price now but really hopes he gets the Triple Crown.

 

After the Preakness I need to upgrade my opinion on Mario's ride in the Derby.It is much better than I originally thought.