Questions about Jockey's and their logic

[DogsUp]

I just watch the Sorority Stakes at Monmouth. The 2 gets the lead and moves off the rail a little. The 3 horse (fav) moves up along the inside of the 2 horse. My question is why would a jockey purposely move his/her horse (especially a 2 year old) to the inside of a horse only to get pinned down on the rail? I see this sort of strategy all the time and it rarely works at the beginning or even half way point of the race. I can understand shooting through the rail when coming down the stretch, but I cannot understand that move at any other place in the race. Does anyone have any idea why jocks continually do this? And please have a educated answer....dont post because they are dumb, or jocks dont care, etc etc. Thanks

[GPK]

Originally Posted by DogsUp

I just watch the Sorority Stakes at Monmouth. The 2 gets the lead and moves off the rail a little. The 3 horse (fav) moves up along the inside of the 2 horse. My question is why would a jockey purposely move his/her horse (especially a 2 year old) to the inside of a horse only to get pinned down on the rail? I see this sort of strategy all the time and it rarely works at the beginning or even half way point of the race. I can understand shooting through the rail when coming down the stretch, but I cannot understand that move at any other place in the race. Does anyone have any idea why jocks continually do this? And please have a educated answer....dont post because they are dumb, or jocks dont care, etc etc. Thanks

Last I heard, it's called saving ground. Sometimes it works...sometimes not.

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by DogsUp

I just watch the Sorority Stakes at Monmouth. The 2 gets the lead and moves off the rail a little. The 3 horse (fav) moves up along the inside of the 2 horse. My question is why would a jockey purposely move his/her horse (especially a 2 year old) to the inside of a horse only to get pinned down on the rail? I see this sort of strategy all the time and it rarely works at the beginning or even half way point of the race. I can understand shooting through the rail when coming down the stretch, but I cannot understand that move at any other place in the race. Does anyone have any idea why jocks continually do this? And please have a educated answer....dont post because they are dumb, or jocks dont care, etc etc. Thanks

Okay, i just lost on that race (had the 2). Remember, at monmouth, the rail is the best part of the track. Going to the inside serves two purposes: it saves ground and it gets you to the best part of the track (the latter not always true).

Remember also that riding a horse isnt like driving a car. Horses have minds of their own (especially 2 year olds!) and at times the jockey has little choice but to go with what the horse wants to do (ie duck in).

[DogsUp]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

Okay, i just lost on that race (had the 2). Remember, at monmouth, the rail is the best part of the track. Going to the inside serves two purposes: it saves ground and it gets you to the best part of the track (the latter not always true).

Remember also that riding a horse isnt like driving a car. Horses have minds of their own (especially 2 year olds!) and at times the jockey has little choice but to go with what the horse wants to do (ie duck in).

Gotcha. That makes sense. Thanks Kev and Dalakhani. Never thought of it that way.