Win Star Rabbit

[TGJB]

Hopefully taking fuel away from the fire, not adding to it...

I talked to Elliott Walden the day before the race, told him I thought Gettysburg was coming up to a good effort and might last longer than he thought. That got us into talking about Connecting Terms, one of mine he trained for Prestonwood, who we both loved, and who against both our wishes was used as a rabbit for Victory Gallop in the Whitney.

Anyway, he said they weren\'t going to dead send Gettysburg, but just wanted to ensure an honest pace so that (as Asmussen says in tomorrow\'s DRF) the field didn\'t bunch up. In that sense it worked perfectly-- Ortiz was able to avoid getting caught wide.

Some of you guys might be surprised how ground loss conscious Elliott and Asmussen are, and if you watch Chad Brown and Clement runners, it\'s pretty clear they give instructions that way too.

[miff]

And when they get stopped along the fence,with a ton of horse,they look like idiots for not going around

[TGJB]

To you they do. Seems to me the people mentioned win a lot of races.

[miff]

Yes, little to do with saving ground, much to do with talented horses/placement.

[bobphilo]

As opposed to looking like idiots for losing a race because of ground loss by going wide.

[Strike]

Reminds me of a race in 1993. Beverly Hills Handicap at Hollywood Park. Frankel had Jolypha and only 3 horses to beat. Desormeaux got trapped on the rail the whole length of the stretch -- was tons the best -- and was beaten by Flawlessly with a perfect trip. Frankel always instructed the jockeys to take the shortest route.

A few seconds later, as his binoculars were bouncing down the stairs, an enraged Frankel shouted the following --

\"How stupid can those . . . (jockeys) be. Don\'t . . . talk to me. I don\'t want to talk to anyone. Goodbye.\"

[miff]

Rare that someone goes wide when the option to cut the corner is there.Many get stopped by marrying inside with the best horse.

Joel Rosario went from one of top 3 jockeys on planet to average because of Kool Aid drinking agent,a Sheet slave,instructing him to stay inside.

[TGJB]

You have got to be kidding. Rosario went from riding in 5 horse fields in Califonia where being outside meant 3 wide, to riding in ten horse fields against top jocks and competitive fields. He did NOT adjust, and is caught making premature wide moves daily, especially on grass. That was always going to be the problem, and some of us called it as soon as he got here. Right here on this board.

The guy is completely unpredictable now. He is fully capable of finishing third when he should win or coming through inside and winning when he shouldn\'t.

[miff]

Wrong,Rosario won titles year after year and the fields were not 5 horses, it was before horse shortage.Wrong again on grass where at GP meets for two years running he was stopped along the rail more times that you can count.

Lastly, wrong again, where he now rides most of his dirt and grass races,along the fence.

[TGJB]

Whatever you say.

[Tavasco]

Saturdays Ogden Phipps was a perfect example. Forever Unbridled (Rosario chooses to to go inside) was full of run with no where to go Cavorting outside and unimpeded cruises home (pleasing me). I assume Cavorting gets a better # Forever Unbridled looked the better horse that race.

Certainly countless examples where saving ground wins races.

So being a jockey involves serving varied interests they may get more criticism than they deserve but what the hell.

[TGJB]

The mistake in both that race and the Belmont wasn\'t saving ground, it was staying there behind the one horse in the race that was sure to back up in your face. Both races.

[miff]

Rosario had 9 mounts on Belmont card, take a look where he placed most of his horses all day on straight. Frosted, for example, won by 14+, but he stayed inside never attempting to get off,same with Gov Malibu whom many thought would have been closer if taken out and not stopped.

Rosario not nearly as good as he was since he became over committed to fence.His  superior physical power somewhat mitigated by sitting in too often.

[TGJB]

Yup, that\'s it.

[richiebee]

Tavasco Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Saturdays Ogden Phipps was a perfect example.
> Forever Unbridled (Rosario chooses to to go
> inside) was full of run with no where to go
> Cavorting outside and unimpeded cruises home
> (pleasing me). I assume Cavorting gets a better #
> Forever Unbridled looked the better horse that
> race.

Tavasco:

By the numbers:

1) I bet FU in that race and did not have Cavorting.

2) I saw the trouble Rosario found on the turn/top of stretch.

3) I watched the replay 4 times.

4) I am fairly convinced that FU\'s trouble did not cost her the top spot.

5) FU now a millionairess who has won her four races on four different tracks;
   hope we see her at the Spaaah....