Speed Figures Irrelevant in Derby? Ron Anderson Says So

[Uncle Buck]

Interesting comment on the bloodhorse site today from Garett Gomez\' agent Ron Anderson. He\'s talking about his decision to take the mount on Court Vision. The last line is very telling:

With Colonel John, you're dealing with a horse coming off synthetic surfaces and who had won the Sham Stakes by a half-length," Anderson said. \"With Court Vision, you're dealing with Billy Mott and going to Aqueduct where he had already won a stakes, and then going to Churchill Downs where he had already won a stakes. How could I take off him? And when you're going a mile and a quarter for the first time, you can't count speed figures.

[Chuckles_the_Clown2]

Ron Who?

Uncle Buck Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Interesting comment on the bloodhorse site today
> from Garett Gomez\' agent Ron Anderson. He\'s
> talking about his decision to take the mount on
> Court Vision. The last line is very telling:
>
> With Colonel John, you're dealing with a horse
> coming off synthetic surfaces and who had won the
> Sham Stakes by a half-length," Anderson said.
> \"With Court Vision, you're dealing with Billy Mott
> and going to Aqueduct where he had already won a
> stakes, and then going to Churchill Downs where he
> had already won a stakes. How could I take off
> him? And when you're going a mile and a quarter
> for the first time, you can't count speed figures.

[alm]

Apart from this guy Anderson\'s poor judgement regarding speed figures, his comment supports my supposition that Garret Gomez\' jumping off Col John had nothing to do with that horse having a problem, as opposed to a handicapping decision about the jockey\'s chance of winning a Grade 1 on a different horse (Court Vision.)

It was just a piece of bad handicapping by the agent, who may also be responsible for all of Gomez\' lousy mounts at Keeneland so far.  No?