Gomez to ride Hard Spun

[10 pnt move up]

This moves that horse up 5 lengths, at least

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by 10 pnt move up

This moves that horse up 5 inches, at most

FTFY

[cmorioles]

Originally Posted by 10 pnt move up

This moves that horse up 5 lengths, at least

So had Gomez been aboard in the prior two races, this horse would have dominated those two and be going for a Triple Crown?

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by cmorioles

So had Gomez been aboard in the prior two races, this horse would have dominated those two and be going for a Triple Crown?

basically

learn to rate the riders, you will win in this game!

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by 10 pnt move up

basically

learn to rate the riders, you will win in this game!

No doubt!

[somerfrost]

Originally Posted by 10 pnt move up

basically

learn to rate the riders, you will win in this game!

Absolute nonsense, play jocks and you end up sleeping in a cardboard box on the street. Pino rode HS perfectly in the Derby, he may have moved too early in the Preakness but I don't know what his instructions were or whether the horse dictated that move...remember the 73 Preakness? No horse moves on the first turn in a distance race going from last to first and holds on...well, almost never! Point is that there are a lot of factors that dictate how a jock rides in a race; apparently the connections feel a change will benefit the horse...I doubt it!

[10 pnt move up]

basically gomez moves a horse up like Arcaro, the horse is a lock now, he already has a pace advantage on the others.

[somerfrost]

Originally Posted by 10 pnt move up

basically gomez moves a horse up like Arcaro, the horse is a lock now, he already has a pace advantage on the others.

Well, good luck with that! Gomez=Arcaro....humm! Not that I would bet HS to win if Arcaro was brought forward in time to ride him but that's an interesting assumption. You must rank Elliot pretty high, afterall he won the Derby and Preakness easily...or could it have been that he was sitting atop a monster?

[Samarta]

I'm not sure if I had the pick, Gomez would have been the guy, I would have gone after Prado....but then again, I'm not writing the checks....

[Merlinsky]

What I don't get is why this allegedly shows Rags to Riches probably won't go as Bloodhorse said. It's not like John V and Gomez are the only 2 riders on the planet. What I thought was amusing is that there's a couple that might enter if Street Sense is out but apparently they're not as obsessed with Curlin. SS was specifically mentioned as an obstacle instead of saying 'a couple of the big players' is what I'm saying.

[ninetoone]

Originally Posted by Merlinsky

What I don't get is why this allegedly shows Rags to Riches probably won't go as Bloodhorse said. It's not like John V and Gomez are the only 2 riders on the planet. What I thought was amusing is that there's a couple that might enter if Street Sense is out but apparently they're not as obsessed with Curlin. SS was specifically mentioned as an obstacle instead of saying 'a couple of the big players' is what I'm saying.

I agree...I don't get it either...

[NoCarolinaTony]

Originally Posted by 10 pnt move up

This moves that horse up 5 lengths, at least

I guess the concensus around the racing world is that Garret Gomez is so good he would win most races on any horse that he decides to ride.

NC Tony

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by NoCarolinaTony

I guess the concensus around the racing world is that Garret Gomez is so good he would win most races on any horse that he decides to ride.

NC Tony

that pretty much sums it up...

[LARHAGE]

Well the bottom line is he gave the horse a good ride in the Derby, but let's face it, that ride in the Preakness cost Hard Spun any chance of winning, how can we say he was distance challenged when he never got a chance to show he could run, that the horse held on for third after that Jamie Spencer like move is a testament to his grittiness, he may not be in the league of Curlin or Street Sense, but he had no chance to prove it in the Preakness, now they move on to a quirkier track like Belmont where experience is huge and they get one of the best money riders in the game to ride the horse and get criticized, to me it's a no-brainer. The connections have an obligation to the horse, not the riders. Mario Pino choked in his own back yard, the connections lost confidence in him. It's the name of the game, if he were my horse in the exact situation, I get Gomez in a heartbeat.

[outofthebox]

So what is Gomez going to do. Overate a free running horse. I still don't see anything wrong in Pinos' ride in the Preakness.
Sure it looked like he moved to soon. But the plain fact is that this is a colt who was rattling off 1/4s in 23, and when he went by the front runners, that's what he did, a 23. At no point did he change his hold on HS. He "did not" move to soon. The naturally ability of HS took him by those front runners easily imo. Remember, this is a colt who ran his last 1/2 in the Derby in over 51 seconds. I think trainer Jones has his work cut out for him in the ensuing weeks. He has to somehow alter that high cruising speed hat HS has become accustomed to. And only then will a jockey change make a difference imo..

[Samarta]

Originally Posted by outofthebox

So what is Gomez going to do. Overate a free running horse. I still don't see anything wrong in Pinos' ride in the Preakness.
Sure it looked like he moved to soon. But the plain fact is that this is a colt who was rattling off 1/4s in 23, and when he went by the front runners, that's what he did, a 23. At no point did he change his hold on HS. He "did not" move to soon. The naturally ability of HS took him by those front runners easily imo. Remember, this is a colt who ran his last 1/2 in the Derby in over 51 seconds. I think trainer Jones has his work cut out for him in the ensuing weeks. He has to somehow alter that high cruising speed hat HS has become accustomed to. And only then will a jockey change make a difference imo..

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a winner........totally agree...

[The Bid]

He would have ran third in the Preakness regardless of his ride. He made the right move in that race. Try to get a jump on Curlin and Hardspun because you know you cant beat either if you sit back and wait for them to come to you.

Gomez is a real strong finisher,he may be able to snag a 4th in the Belmont if he rides the hair off Hardspun.

[Samarta]

Originally Posted by LARHAGE

Well the bottom line is he gave the horse a good ride in the Derby, but let's face it, that ride in the Preakness cost Hard Spun any chance of winning, how can we say he was distance challenged when he never got a chance to show he could run, that the horse held on for third after that Jamie Spencer like move is a testament to his grittiness, he may not be in the league of Curlin or Street Sense, but he had no chance to prove it in the Preakness, now they move on to a quirkier track like Belmont where experience is huge and they get one of the best money riders in the game to ride the horse and get criticized, to me it's a no-brainer. The connections have an obligation to the horse, not the riders. Mario Pino choked in his own back yard, the connections lost confidence in him. It's the name of the game, if he were my horse in the exact situation, I get Gomez in a heartbeat.

But see, I don't see it as a jock issue....he made the move because he had a decision to make and after he made it, Prado put some heat on him....I think this is a combination of a couple of things...one of which is a mediocre at best training job.....this horse has done what he has done in spite of the connections....jmo