If he wins - will they put him in the Hall of Fame?

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by Dahoss

You were wrong about Solis. The 5th-12th best rider in a room doesn't win 6 straight meets in a major circuit.

Ok - lets look at the Graded Stakes wins for the six meets consisting of that streak. Keep in mind - Solis won riding titles at all six of them.



'95-'96 Santa Anita winter meet: Graded Stakes wins

Stevens: 10
Antley: 7
Nakatani: 7
McCarron: 7
Delahoussaye: 5
Solis: 3
Desormeaux: 3


'96 Hollywood Park Spring meet: Graded Stakes wins

Nakatani: 7
McCarron: 6
Delahoussaye: 5
Desormeaux: 4
Antley: 2
Flores: 2
Bailey: 1
Solis: 1


'96 Del Mar meet: Graded Stakes wins:

Nakatani: 5
Antley: 3
McCarron: 3
Douglas: 2
Solis: 2
4 tied with 1


'96 Oak Tree meet: Graded Stakes wins:

McCarron: 4
Nakatani: 3
Garcia: 1
Delahoussaye: 1
Fires: 1
Desormeaux: 1
Antley: 1
Stevens: 1
Solis: 0


'96 Hollywood Fall meet: Graded Stakes wins:

Stevens: 3
McCarron: 3
Nakatani: 3
Solis: 2
Delahoussaye: 1
Velazquez: 1
Day: 1


'96-'97 Santa Anita winter meet: Graded Stakes wins:

Nakatani: 11
McCarron: 6
Stevens: 5
Flores: 3
Delahoussaye: 3
Desormeaux: 2
Solis: 2
Garcia: 1
Bailey: 1
Blanc: 1
Silva: 1
Almeida: 1
Black: 1
Douglas: 1



Basically - Solis was making his living in Cal Bred races and claiming races. The kind of races that already rich vets like Stevens, Eddie D, McCarron, and Desormeaux all wanted pretty much no part of.

Over that span - the younger Nakatani won 36 Graded Stakes to just 10 for Solis.

Chris Antley - who I honestly didn't even remember riding in So. Cal in the mid 90's - won more big races.

This begs the question - if Solis was truely one of the four best riders in the room during this time .... how come he wasn't getting it done in the big races?