top five big race rides in history

>I bet on BET TWICE throughout the Triple Crown and got rewarded for my patience in the BELMONT. <

I also had Bet Twice in the Derby and was similarly rewarded down the line.  That\'s the only Derby I actually attended.

[jbelfior]

BET TWICE was a good one. I agree that 1987 was the last really strong 3yo crop.

Phalaris-- GULCH ran 3rd in the BELMONT behind BT and CRYPTOCLEARANCE.



Good Luck,
Joe B.

[Silver Charm]

Thanks Joe B, I thought that was the case for Third in the Belmont. It was a nose photo and I believe it cost him the 1,000,000.00 bonus even though he won the Derby and Preakness.

While we have praised McCarron for several great rides was his Belmont on Alysheba a bad one, he claims he was too far back. Maybe he finally bounced, that was a lot of racing for five weeks.

Speaking of rides how about when Shoemaker and McCarron hooked up later in the BC Classic with Ferdinand and Alysheba. Shoemaker had the benefit of a target by the name of Judge Angelucci from the Whittingham barn (named after a real life Lexington, KY Judge).

Both jocks were riding each others horse the entire race when they got inside the eighth pole Shoe put Ferdinand to a full out drive and got the jump on McCarron, went by the Judge, and had enough to hold of a resurgent Alysheba as Tom Durkin barked a call that still gives me chills

\"AND THE TWO KENTUCKY DERBY WINNERS HIT THE WIRE TOGETHER\"

[jbelfior]

Silver Charm--


You are right; it did cost ALYSHEBA that point system bonus they had going at the time. Quite a painful day for Van Berg and the owners.

ALYSHEBA reminded me a little of PLEASANT COLONY. They had mediocre success in the late winter/early spring 3yo stake races, then they got good all of a sudden and at the right time.

Not being a Van Berg or Johnny \"I\'m a helluva trainer pal \" Campo fan, I believe both horses succeeded despite their trainers.


Good Luck,
Joe B.

[Michael D.]

\"AND CONCERN IS PICKING THEM OFF ONE BY ONE!!!!\" ........ durkin\'s call as bailey moved from about 12th to maybe 6th or 7th in the BC classic.
talking about great rides...this must have been one of the the greatest race calls of all time. most announcers would not have even given concern a call at that time (close to the top of the stretch), but durkin had a close eye on concern, and  seemed to know what was about to happen... reading through this thread, i guess it is fair say that bailey and mccarron seemed to provide the most thrills for race fans from \'90 to 2002 or so...... a lot a great memories brought up on this thread; reminds me of how great this sport really is.

[MO]

I spoke with Chris at the Ohio Derby and he takes all the blame for a bad ride in the Belmont. However, those were the days when lasix was a no-no in NY so Alysheba had to run without it. I think it was a combination of the two. It also taught me a very important lesson:

NEVER FALL IN LOVE WITH A RACEHORSE--THEY ARE JUST LIKE WOMEN- BREAK YOUR HEART EVERY TIME  LOL

I Thought Alysheba was a lock and bet $200 to win at short odds. Never again.



Post Edited (12-10-03 15:52)

[jbelfior]

MO--

I agree with the \"they are just like women\"
analogy.

I have a picture of CHOPPININA in my office at work barely holding 2nd in the 2002 Atto Mile. ( i love that filly).

My wife wants to know why a horse\'s picture is there and not her\'s. I told her when she runs second for the exacta @ 55-1, I\'ll put her picture there too.


Good Luck,
Joe B.

[Silver Charm]

Speaking of women the Top Fillies from that Classic 1987 crop may have or were better than the boys. Not as deep but better at the top, no pun intended.

Think about it, Very Subtle destroyed the colts in the BC Sprint as a 3YO Filly, Miesque won the BC Mile that same year and the next year at CD.

That was also the year (at CD) when the then 4YO Personal Ensign closed out an undefeated career winning the Distaff. She also defeated colts Gulch, Kings Swan and others in the Whitney that same year.

[big ant]

Cordero on Bold forbes in the Belmont,Steve Cauthen on Affirmed ,in the Belmont was a great ride too .I just loved to watch Cordero,Jorge Velasquez or Willie Shoemaker.Speaking  of which  he did some job booting home Forego against Honest Pleasure,that has to be one of the great rides of all time, he also beat Slew \'s best in the JCGC .Shoemaker was a real joy to watch,he seemed to have horse just when he needed it. Jorge was the man when it came to the distance ,he  was Johnny on the spot when the distance increased.Jorge rode a lot of nice horses ,his rides aboard Bowl Game or Proud Truth come to mind.

[big ant]

     I remember in 76\' when Cauthen ruled the IDT , in part because Jorge Velasquez & Angel Cordero vacationed in warmer climes,when they returned they double teamed the kid.Junior was on some cheap speed nag for Oscar(this was before OSB found juice ,and his brothers Luis and Wille and Laz all had better careers than he)Cauthen had the figure horse who also had speed,anyway Junior and \"little Stevie \"go into the clubhouse turn,with junior pumping and slashing and making Stevie use his horse,FF 3/4\'s a  mile and junior is pulling up ,Stevie inherits the lead,but here come Jorge to get by Stevie\'s tiring mount at a good price.I guess Jorge and Angel wanted \"the kid to see who the real bosses were.

[Chuckles_the_Clown2]

Stale thread but I had to respond to your point about Day\'s \'89 Preakness \"Hatchet Job\".

I still don\'t know what that man was thinking. I believe you\'re probably knowledgable about the rein yank to quote \"Make Goer look him in the eye\". The worst was putting the brakes on with the turn move. That\'s Day though. He always rides to leave something in the tank.

[Chuckles_the_Clown2]

You\'re right of course....Strikey knocked Best Pal off in \'91.  Sea Hero found a seam inside Prairie Bayou.

I stand corrected. I won those Derbies you\'d think I\'d remember.  

Senility.

CtC

[Phalaris]

Sorry, my mistake re Gulch .. that\'s what I get for writing posts on memory at the office on stressful days.

I agree that this was a particularly good Derby field - it drew several horses (Bet Twice, Gulch and Capote for starters) which had been major 2YOs; and from it came many horses that went on to prolific and major success after the classic season, starting with champions Alysheba and Gulch and certainly including Cryptoclearance, On the Line and Bet Twice. It would be a refreshing change of pace to see Derby starters going on in such numbers to win important post-classic races, not just later in the season but at age 4 and beyond.