A Saratoga wrap up, best and worst

[Gander]

I do agree Gomez is a great jockey and question his constant criticism, but I dont agree with your golf analogy. Thats insane. Saying that Prado is just as good as Gomez isnt even close to saying David Toms is as good as Tiger. David Toms isnt even the 2nd or 3rd best golfer. And in golf, the players are the ones who do all the work. While aided by very sharp caddies, they have to make every swing. They arent helped like jockeys are with brilliant horses, like Bailey, Prado and Johnny V have been.

And Tiger Woods is a once in a lifetime athlete. I dont think any jockey in the history of time is as good at his craft is Tiger is at golf.

Originally Posted by Gander

I do agree Gomez is a great jockey and question his constant criticism, but I dont agree with your golf analogy. Thats insane. Saying that Prado is just as good as Gomez isnt even close to saying David Toms is as good as Tiger. David Toms isnt even the 2nd or 3rd best golfer. And in golf, the players are the ones who do all the work. While aided by very sharp caddies, they have to make every swing. They arent helped like jockeys are with brilliant horses, like Bailey, Prado and Johnny V have been.

And Tiger Woods is a once in a lifetime athlete. I dont think any jockey in the history of time is as good at his craft is Tiger is at golf.

Prado is a proven star and he is consistent. Gomez needs to actually win a title here first, LOL! He then needs to even out his good week/bad week style. "I won the races I tried to win" are his words, not mine. And everything you need to know about him is summed up in that statement.
Professionals like Prado always show up and give you an effort. They don't pull Milwaukee's. Rupert, I know you can't do this, but go ahead an try. Find on ride by Prado or Johnny the whole meet that was 1/2 as horrible as Gomez's ride on Milwaukee. Good luck.
Thats what seperates the very best, the ability to not destroy a horse witha ride like that.

[Seattleallstar]

not winning a god damn cent saratoga was all the worst for me, ****in pure incentive costing me a few thousand dollars

[philcski]

Originally Posted by Seattleallstar

not winning a god damn cent saratoga was all the worst for me, ****in pure incentive costing me a few thousand dollars

And Appealing Zophie cost me an $80K pick 6...

But Saratoga this year was better than ever. Anybody that can say there's a better place to race with a straight face better pass the joint. Driving back to the city on Monday was downright depressing- Belmont fall is a great meet but nothing compared to the mystique, energy, and quality of the Spa. I'm a firm believer they should expand the meet to the Wednesday after July 4th until Labor Day (so approximately 9 weeks.) How amazing would that be??

I love the place enough that I'd move there, and put up with upstate (where I grew up and vowed I'd never come back) for 46 weeks a year, just to take in the whole 6 weeks instead of just the weekends...

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by philcski

And Appealing Zophie cost me an $80K pick 6...

But Saratoga this year was better than ever. Anybody that can say there's a better place to race with a straight face better pass the joint. Driving back to the city on Monday was downright depressing- Belmont fall is a great meet but nothing compared to the mystique, energy, and quality of the Spa. I'm a firm believer they should expand the meet to the Wednesday after July 4th until Labor Day (so approximately 9 weeks.) How amazing would that be??

I love the place enough that I'd move there, and put up with upstate (where I grew up and vowed I'd never come back) for 46 weeks a year, just to take in the whole 6 weeks instead of just the weekends...

Not amazing at all. You have any idea how terrible those cards would become?

[Gander]

I have mixed feelings on extending the meet. But I will say this. The majority of people that attend the races at Saratoga could give a rat's ass about the quality of the cards. Most people are just there to hang out and I doubt it would hurt NYRA or the sport if they moved those 3 weeks of racing to Saratoga instead of keeping them at Belmont.

Adding Labor Day weekend was the best thing that ever happened to Saratoga racing.

Originally Posted by Gander

I have mixed feelings on extending the meet. But I will say this. The majority of people that attend the races at Saratoga could give a rat's ass about the quality of the cards. Most people are just there to hang out and I doubt it would hurt NYRA or the sport if they moved those 3 weeks of racing to Saratoga instead of keeping them at Belmont.

Adding Labor Day weekend was the best thing that ever happened to Saratoga racing.

As if they could be any worse than the last two weeks at Belmont? Are you kidding me?
The last two weeks at Belmont aren't any good at all
The next change at the Spa should be 8 weeks, 5 racing days a week.

[philcski]

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

Not amazing at all. You have any idea how terrible those cards would become?

The cards at the end of the Belmont meet were awful this year. They CAN'T be worse than that.

I'd take 90% of Saratoga over anywhere in the world, and from NYRA's perspective the handle increase would be very much in their favor.

My proposal:
Run the Friday after July 4th until Labor Day, 5 days a week except Travers Monday, Hall of Fame Monday, and Labor Day.
That would be 46 racing days (vs. the typical 36.)

[Gander]

Who cares about Hall of Fame day? Break tradition and put it on a Wed. Who would really care? The race itself is no great shakes, thats for sure.

I like the Labor Day thing, that could be the only Monday. Start on a Thursday after July 4th, run 5 days a week Wed-Sun, with the exception of Labor Day being the one Monday and missing the first Wednesday of the meet, starting on that Thursday instead.

[Gander]

Not to turn this into a golf thread, but Tiger just won his 5th tournament in a row, 1 short of his personal best 6 in a row which he did in 99-00.

Comparing Prado and Gomez is a very valid comparison. They are both great at what they do and both aided by the fact they ride the very best horses.

There are times Prado is better and there are times when Gomex is better. They both ride in streaks.

David Toms couldnt shine Tiger's shoes.

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by Gander

Not to turn this into a golf thread, but Tiger just won his 5th tournament in a row, 1 short of his personal best 6 in a row which he did in 99-00.

Comparing Prado and Gomez is a very valid comparison. They are both great at what they do and both aided by the fact they ride the very best horses.

There are times Prado is better and there are times when Gomex is better. They both ride in streaks.

David Toms couldnt shine Tiger's shoes.

If you watch these two guys ride on a horse coming down the stretch, you can't compare the two. It's not close. Toms and Tiger are closer in ability than Gomez and Prado. It's just hard to prove because there is no way to prove how much is the jockey and how much is the horse. In addition, horses don't run the same every time, so even if a horse improves by 4 lengths the first time Gomez rides it, you can't say for sure that it was a result of the jock switch. The horse may have simply been feeling better that day.

I'm still not sold on Prado. Over the year, I've seen guys dominate in New York that can't ride a lick. I admit that Prado must be a smart rider. He's obviously doing something right but when you watch him coming down the lane, he really doesn't look like he can ride much. I would say the same for Ramon Dominguez. It's amazing that Dominguez could be the leading rider anywhere. He can't even ride and whip a horse at the same time.

Damn--made me wish that I had gone up there for a few.

Nice wrap-up,Oracle.

Originally Posted by jackofhearts

Damn--made me wish that I had gone up there for a few.

Nice wrap-up,Oracle.

Thanks jack. My real wrap up just occurred over on the Oracle or gander thread. If you really wanna know what it feels like when it closes, read that. Its the only time of the year when you get to see friends both near and far just about every day for 6 weeks. People put aside reality and whatever else to make sure that they are there. The rest of the year you may see friends at certain gatherings but its only once in a while and never in an atmosphere like that. Its pretty depressing. 5 1/2 weeks ago after the Jim Dandy I went out to dinner and then went swimming at a late night bbq party with friends at their house around the corner. The older you get the more you realize just how great a warm summer night like that is with the beer flowing and splashing around in a pool with friends after a great day of racing with another one on tap for the next day.
There will be football gatherings, baseball gatherings, and big race day gatherings still to come. But sitting in a house earing jeans and drinking beer watching tv while its cold outside and getting dark early can never in any way compare to what goes on here. Ask anyone who comes here or lives here, its not the races in the afternoon that matter. Its the warm and sunny mornings watching the horses workout, and the nights with friends. You can't get that at any other place.

As Usual It Is Over Rated .. Some Good Horses ..a Lot Of Not So Good Ones .. Small Fields In Big Races Was The Norm .. It Is Only Your Arrogance That Keeps You From Realizing That This Meet Is No Better Than Any Other New Yawk Meet, Give Me This Belmont Meet Coming Up..it Is The Best Bar None.. Sackatoga ,thank God It Is New Yawk, So Its Ego Driven Meet Stays In The Least Part Of The ****ry

I know the feeling.

I didn't miss a day at Keeneland for years.
Would go in opening day and out closing day.

Was in with a great group of horsemen, horsepeople and sicko gamblers.
Those were the days.

Everyone has pretty much scattered around the world now, and it just ain't the same.

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by oracle80

Prado is a proven star and he is consistent. Gomez needs to actually win a title here first, LOL! He then needs to even out his good week/bad week style. "I won the races I tried to win" are his words, not mine. And everything you need to know about him is summed up in that statement.
Professionals like Prado always show up and give you an effort. They don't pull Milwaukee's. Rupert, I know you can't do this, but go ahead an try. Find on ride by Prado or Johnny the whole meet that was 1/2 as horrible as Gomez's ride on Milwaukee. Good luck.
Thats what seperates the very best, the ability to not destroy a horse witha ride like that.

Milwaukee had nothing when she found room. I knew she wouldn't win when she came back unless she faced a really weak field. I hope you didn't bet her yesterday.