Need Help Understanding
 

This bugs me. I just watched a replay of the second race at Aqueduct today. #5 unseated the rider and proceeded around the track in superb fashion.

I've been at this game a few years now. Is it real or is it my imagination that the rider-less horse always seems to do well. Am I imagining that or does it really happen. And if it really happens, then what explains that? Is a jockey's weight really that important because I tend to ignore it totally in my play. I wonder if my handicapping would improve if we ran the ponies like the puppies.

I don't know. Probably just venting here but I've always wondered about this.

Thanks.

its your imagination.
and of course it is important...to the point where a year or so backx a horse didnt have a rider on its back throughout wsrming up and into the gate, and complaints were filed. I think the horse got declared a non starter when it was all said and done.
and i cannot imagine havibg thousand pound horses running freely with no direction from a rider. That would be a tremendous mess.

Yeah, ok. Thanks.

I thought it might be a little "confirmation bias" but I wasn't sure.

Thanks for the reply.

They can do anything. Some can be a real danger and jockeys are very cautious of them. Some go out to the outer rail and scare the crap out of the fans. Some have gone over the rails. Some try to go back to their barn. Some just quit.

Anything can happen.

Giants Causeway never just quit.