top five big race rides in history

[Michael D.]

actually since \'90, when i started following this stuff.

1. Bailey on Sea Hero, Derby: was able to get the horse into his best stride, while at the same time saving all the ground. incredible.

2. Day on Awsome Again, BC: Stevens, Bailey, Dettori, McCarron, all the greats, and they all had great horses. Day lets them battle each other into the ground, and picks em off like they were running backwards.

3. Eddy D on AP Indy, every ride: the horse did not have a lot of natural speed, but Eddy D was smart enough to know that he had unlimited stamina, and rode him hard throughout most of his races. a sit still rider would never have won a race with that horse.

4. Bailey on Arcan..whatever, BC: again, JD was able to get the horse into full stride early enough, while saving ground, easier said than done.

5. (tie) Stevens on VG and JR on HH (already discussed).

[TGJB]

If you ever get a chance, check out Cordero\'s ride on Cannonade in the Derby-- came from last in a 22 or 24 horse field (no limit then) without ever leaving the rail. Also, the aforementioned Bailey ride on You in the Test, bouncing off the rail and winning by a nose, has to make the list.

[jbelfior]

TGJB---

If I may offer---Edgar Prado\'s ride on SARAVA in the 2002 Belmont. Not the fastest horse by any means, Prado saves ground on the inside after breaking from post #12 and accelerates just at the right time to get the jump on MEDAGLIA D\'ORO.

I do not think that Prado ever received the recognition that he deserved for this one. The main story was the McPeek losing HARLAN\'s HOLIDAY angle.


Joe B.

[HP]

Bailey on Grindstone in that Derby was incredible. I think he passed 12 horses and not ONE by going outside.

Stevens on Thunder Gulch in the Derby was great too, the way he just drafted behind horses into the first turn to save ground from post 16(?). HP

[Silver Charm]

Hey HP, you wrote

\"Bailey on Grindstone in that Derby was incredible\".

You know what he said after the race. He followed Pat Day (Prince of Thieves)every step of the way until Day ran out of horse.

Shoemaker on Ferdinand in the Derby was a classic for several reasons.

Also for my money and my MOUTH/A$$/NECK whatever, Stevens in the 97 Derby will stick with me forever.

The winner--Silver Charm!!

[Michael D.]

Silver,
don\'t want to diminish the greatness of that ride by stevens, BUT: who was the fastest horse in that race? and, who was riding that horse? and once again, i had a huge bet on that fastest horse that did not win (hint: see posts about VG).

[JimP]

What about Santos on Volponi in the 2002 BC Classic? Of course, I\'m biased by cashing the ticket.

[Michael D.]

considering the fact that he was soon dumped for the two best riders in the game, neither of whom could get a win out of volponi, he probably should have made the top five. i\'ll put jose on the honorable mention list.

[Silver Charm]

Jim P I agree with you about Santos on Volponi. Sometimes as handicappers we sit down decide if the jock just rides the horse like this, this horse has a shot and that is exactly what Santos did on Volponi.

Michael D I heard Silver Charm and Captain Bodgit are still circling the oval at Churchill Downs as you and I debate this issue.

Guess what, Captain Bodgit STILL HASN\'T GONE BY Silver Charm.

[Michael D.]

hahahha..... i won\'t argue too hard against SC, he was a brilliant horse (one of the gamest i have seen).

Shoemaker on Ferdinand in the Derby.

[mbeychok]

No doubt to me the greatest was Shoe on Ferdinand in the derby. His age was a factor but the ride was courageous sending him through that hole on the rail.  Of course, my memory is fresh on it because he was 17-1 too.

Also, McCarron on Tiznow the 2nd time at CD was great.

michael

[Michael D.]

yea, mccarron was brilliant both times on tiz. he knew exactly where to be both times, which meant running a bit wide (strangling the horse to save ground would have resulted in sure losses), and knew exactly when to push the button. his margin of error in those races was zero.

[Chuckles_the_Clown2]

I never believed Silver Charm was any better than Captain Bodgit. If you watch a replay of that Derby you\'ll find that Solis got overly excited and allowed the Captain to drift in behind Silver Charm while closing in the stretch. That drift and the fractions of a second it took to straighten it out was all the difference in the race. The Captain\'s knobbly joints came unglued in the Preakness. Silver Charm was a useful horse and he was game, but he certainly wasn\'t a great one.

CtC

[Michael D.]

i remember you said you had CB over pulpit in the fla derby. i had him as well in that race, and bet the horse again in the derby. then i bet just as much on TG in the preakness, only to have him nearly fall over at the beginning. i got revenge, though, when TG won the belmont and haskel, but by that time there was very little money to be made.