Jockeys
 

I went to Golden Gate Fields today to see some of the top jockeys in California compete in the California Derby. These were some of the nicest guys you could ever hope to meet. Russell Baze, Michael Baze, Victor Espinoza, Martin Garcia and Joe Talamo were great to a huge horse racing fan like me. All of them were happy to sign autographs and have their pictures taken with me - they even seemed pleased that someone would ask for that from them! I found all of these guys to be awesome and today really increased my respect for each of them. So many professional athletes won't give their fans the time of day without getting paid for it - if I tried to ask this of Barry Bonds he probably wouldn't even acknowledge my presence, but these guys were great.

And once again I have to emphasize, Joe Talamo is absolutely one of the nicest and coolest guys you'll ever meet in racing, I became a fan of his after today - he's a real credit to the game!

That is great DC. I wish this was the same for all jocks because I was all excited with Nakatini came to Chicago to ride Million Day and I went to the Paddock after his race and he was a jerkoff. I asked him to sign a program and he SNATCHED it out of my hand, signed the whole page with a looped C and a squiggly line. I took the program and threw it in the air and said "Thanks for nothing"

He treats everybody that way, Owners, Trainers, Jockeys, Wives, and his Agent.

Is it coming home to roost a bit? His business was noticably down before the recent injury, and the fact he ended up mountless in the Breeders' Cup may have been telling too.

Very cool DC.

There are some very nice people in this game.

There sure are - Scavs, If I see you at the track tomorrow, I will politely sign your program. You even need not ask.

How will he be able to find you on the backstretch?

My dashingly good looks always give me away.

He'll just have to be on the lookout for the prettiest guy.

Teed it up nicely for me, but I won't go there because Scavs is my boy.

Trifecta was very kind and generous when I asked for his autograph this summer at Toga:eek:

I kid...

I appreciate that bigs, I really do. It is the last thing I need now :)

When I was a kid, and first started going to Saratoga, I was always fascinated by all the kids that asked jockeys for autographs, and I used to watch the riders a lot and check out their reactions. I noticed that Braulio Baeza never signed for anybody. So, jerk that I am, I decided to start hounding him. After like two or three days of pestering him every race he rode, and of course being rebuffed, he finally grabbed my program from me and scribbled on a page.

I felt a perverse sense of vindication and thus a lifetime of jockey hating was born.

At your age, even remembering your childhood, is an accomplishment in itself.