I really like Gemologist tomorrow and plan to key him in everything. But today I watched him take a nasty fall in the race before the Oaks. He ended up riding the next race and finishing 3rd on the favorite, with a big contusion on his face. The question I have in my mind now is whether JJ is fit and ready to ride a winning Derby tomorrow, or should I be concerned that\'s he\'s hurt and more sore than he\'s willing to admit, and should that affect my betting?
Watch earlier mounts. Only way to tell.
I remember being at the BC in 2002 at Arlington Park. Friday night. I\'m at the little dive bar across the street (name escapes me right now). Anyway, we\'re having a few with the stable guys for The Rock, who as I recall was going to be the favorite the next day. There\'s this little dude passed out cold on the bar with a half something and orange juice sitting there in front of him. And I mean he was passed out, his head was on the bar and you couldn\'t wake him up. I said to one of the stable guys, \"Who\'s that?\"
He grins and says, \"Thats K***** F*****, champion jock in Ireland and England this year.\"
I said, \"Isn\'t he riding The Rock tomorrow?\"
Stable guy grins at his buddies and says, \"He\'s riding The Rock.\" They all cheer and drink.
I drink with them and say, \"Does he usually get that pissed the night before he\'s about to ride the favorite in the Breeders Cup.\"
Stable guy just looks at me point blank and says, \"Oh for fuc*s sake, he\'s only human.\"
That\'s a true story without any exaggeration whatsoever.
My point is this. I knew as much about that jock\'s likely condition as we do about Castellano\'s tomorrow. All you can do is watch earlier races and see. If there is something blatently wrong it will be obvious or he will be off mounts. But I doubt you would see anything you could notice unless you know his body language really well. And the horse is the one that\'s going to get him there anyway. How the hell was I supposed to know how much that Jock\'s head hurt and even if I did what would I do with the info?
Other more important things to worry about IMO.
Awesome story, thanks for the perspective.
Found the video on YouTube. I think you meant M*** K***** and not K***** F*****