Did they have some kind of falling out? Been noticing Smith not riding for Baffert much? I thought Smith might be retiring but he\'s saying 5 more years!
Talamo and Van Dyke have been riding a lot for Baffert with the result being a few odds-on runners finishing so far back the Hubble telescope can\'t find them. I can\'t imagine Talamo keeping that assignment much longer; he sometimes shows flashes of greatness, but he is super inconsistent. Van Dyke is fine I guess if very non-aggressive (which is exactly the opposite way to ride Baffert horses, you send all of them--they never get tired), but you\'d think maybe Rosario would pick up the slack. But why opt off Smith, certainly in any analysis one of the very best ever. Any inside info???
From the same article I posted in the string about Game Winner.
It should make for another busy spring at the Triple Crown-winning barn, but Baffert was going to lay low on his birthday, saying, \"The only thing I’m going to do today is go to Mike Smith’s wedding.\"
https://www.horseracingnation.com/blogs/DerbyRadar/Kentucky_Derby_2019_Radar_Baffert_sets_Game_Winners_next_race_123#
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As for the numbers of BB with DVD and Talamo, they are actually pretty darn good if you look them up for the past 6 months or so. If you want more on the numbers, send me a pm sometime and I\'ll give you the exact numbers if you want.
This is your second string you have started about Baffert in the last few weeks. The Baffert police and the assertion police should be all over you soon for your comment that \"they never get tired\" referring to his horses. But not a word after over 400 views to this point. Interesting.
As far as good #\'s, pretty much any jockey on planet earth, or other planets for that matter, will have good #\'s if riding for Baffert.
I\'m more interested in the question as to why Smith (seems anyway) not to be the main go to guy anymore. The wedding isn\'t definitive proof for me as Jill B and Smith are friends, too.
What I mean by his horses don\'t get tired is that Baffert\'s runners perform on higher levels on dirt anyway than any other trainer in US thoroubred history-and they frequently run almost as fast at the end of the races as at the beginning, which sort of violates most equine science. So you never ever want to grab a Baffert runner unecessarily if they can be sent to the lead, because more than likely no one is ever going to pass you. Van Dyke and Talamo are a bit on the grabby side, they like to rate and save something. Smith generally sends when riding for Baffert, even if not the original plan. It\'s worked out pretty well.