Jockeys Voice Their Opinions

I’ve been in a bit of a slump with the graded races, so I figured it’s time to throw away the racing program and “hear it from the horse’s mouth”.  Well, maybe not that exactly, but as close to the inside as I could get.  Since everyone in the press box already knows me, I stopped carrying my press badge a long time ago.  My goal this week, to corner the jockeys.  To get into their locker room, I had to find my press badge.  Took me three hours to find it.  Of all places, it was in the back of my refrigerator, next to some take out food that was sitting there for months.

Ok, so now I got my press badge in hand and I headed off to the locker room to talk to each jockey about their horses chances in the upcoming G1 Milan Grand Prix.  This is a mile and a half turf route that is open to all horses age 3 and up.

1.  Sceadugenga   14-1

My first stop was to chat with jockey Scotty Thrasher.  “I really like this horse’s chances.  He shipped over from the states to Germany and finished with a brilliant second in the BBR Special, which was his first graded race.  He may be a slow starter, which is fine because we will be closing with lightning speed.  Plus we benefit with a drop in distance.” 

2. Synchronization   7-1

Jockey Stephen Dotson was less open with his insight of Synchronization.  I attributed that to him having only 4 wins for this season.  After a bit, he did open up.  “I can’t tell you if I’ll take the horse to the lead, but what I can say is that he had a bum run in the Singapore Cup.  He’s much better than the 94 speed he ran there.  Just look back at his race in April.  Heck, he scored a speed of 110 in that one.  Oh, and don’t forget the Green Valley Special where he kicked a** with a 114 speed, so yea, I think I’ll get one heck of a ride”.

Ok, so I had to censor Stephen a bit.  He failed to mention the April race was an allowance and the Green Valley was a non-graded race.  In any event, I think Stephen will try to get him to the lead, but unfortunately, this horse hasn’t fared well in graded racing in quite some time.

 3.  Crusading Enforcer   6-1

The easy approachable Gary Moss was the next jockey to chat with.  “So ya wanna know what I think, huh?  Well lemme tell ya that this is one very good horse.  He’s won something like 7 graded races and over $7 million.  I’m pretty sure we’ll be adding to that this weekend.  He did a good job coming in third in the Carlsbad Lessons and that was after a 2 month layoff.  I tell ya something, he really need that rest and that race too.  This is his second start after the layoff and lucky me gets to ride him!  We will do great things together!”

Gary is pretty dead on there.  But this one hasn’t won in almost a year.  Still, I may have to consult my racing program again and give him another look.

4.  Faldo   9-1

Jose Riggs gets the mount on Faldo and he was a bit confrontational.  I asked what his chances were and he replied:

“His last win was at 12 furlongs, so what do you think he’ll do?” 

“But that was in an allowance race this past February” I responded.

“Yea, so your point?” Riggs rebutted.

“My point is, Faldo hasn’t won a graded race in 13 tries.  Do you think he will in this start” I replied.

“Sure, now leave me alone!” and with that, I left Riggs to his own misery.

I know Faldo has been doing well in the allowance ranks, but the graded race level has been a tougher challenge for him. 

5.  Kingstroem Wells    27-1

I found 19 year veteran jockey Alex Moffett sitting alone and having a coffee so I joined him at the café and we shared some old race track stories.  Eventually, I was able to corner him on the race at hand. 

“I’m gonna give this one a shot.  He likes the front so I’m focused on getting him there.  He’s a longshot in the race and I know his speed numbers aren’t as high as the others in the field.  This will be his first graded race.  He won easily in his last start, a 2-mile allowance, hey, did you happen to see that one?  I saw the replay and he walked off to a 6 length win.  He really did that easily and didn’t need to put in a lot of effort.  I think he’s better than that race shows!”

True, that race was a good outing but in two non-graded races and results were not favorable.  Moffett, like any other jockey, doesn’t want to make his horse sound like an outsider, but this one is.

 6.  Fusaichi Zombie   24-1

Jockey Yolanda Lozano was pretty straight forward with me with her mount in this race.  “I can’t explain what happened to Fusaichi in the Calsbad Lessons.  He finished dead last with a speed of 11.  I asked the owners, and they were evasive with me.  I know it’s been a long time since he’s won a graded race, but it was about this time last year that he strung three graded wins together.  I’m very hopeful that I can set him just off the pace setters and fire him on home to start a new win streak”.

Yolanda says all this with a sparkle in her eye and one can’t walk away thinking that she really has a shot here.  But I have to be realistic.  It’s approaching a year since this fella won a graded race, or even had a top three finish at this level.  I think Yolanda has more than she may be able to handle here.

7. Skunkjeureyev   5-1

When Lenny Twyman got the call to ride Skunkjeueyev, he said “I was excited.  I really didn’t think I had a shot of jockeying this colt.  He’s come a very long way with a pair of seconds and a win in his last three.  I love the Pan Americana win he had.  He took that easily by three.  Heck, if he had another furlong, I think he would’ve taken the Clubhouse Stakes too.  I think we have a real shot to beat this group.  Did you see that he hit speeds over 110 in three of his last four races?  I’m looking to cash in on this race!”

I later looked at my racing program and Lenny was right. This horse has been going real well lately.

8.  King Tachyon  2-1

Now Nicholas Labreche, who usually is tight lipped, couldn’t wait to share some insight on King Tachyon.   “This guy won 7 races last year.  He has a perfect 2011 with three in a row.  He won both the Clubhouse Stakes and Sand Castle Golden Turf.  He’s averaged a speed of something like 110 over his last five.  He sure can fly.  I plan on building a huge lead and just put him in cruise control and coast to the wire.”  He chuckled for a moment and then added “All the others will have a good view of us hitting the wire, but their view will be from behind us”.

Mr. Labreche is awfully confident on his horse and I think he has reason to be..

9.  Carnival of Love   4-1

Johnny “the rocket” Jubel was very evasive in answering my questions regarding Carnival of Love:

“Hey Rocket, I see you got the call for Carnival of Love” I started.

“Yea, what of it?” Johnny asked.

“How ya think he’s gonna do?” I shot back.

“He’s gonna win.  You think I would answer that any other way?” he replied.

“But Rocket, Carnival has been off his game his last handful of starts, you think that will change?” I continued to press on.

“He’ll be much better with me aboard” the Rocket replied and strutted off.

Carnival of Love has been off his game, but still posting respectful speeds.  He comes in off what may have been a needed 2-month layoff and that could payoff.

10,  Princely Pursuits    10-1

Franklin Marshall was a bit of a challenge to get information from.  But I knew he liked American Football, so we spent a good hour talking about the sport.  This seemed to relax him and he finally gave some perspective on Princely Pursuits. 

“I know this one ain’t the best one in the field” Marshall began “but he’s got spunk.  What I plan on doing is keeping him close to the leaders.  There be a bunch of speedsters in here and as they run themselves into the ground, I’ma gonna make my move and you watch and see.  Princely will upset this field.  You can bet your bottom dollar on it!”

Well, I won’t go that far.  Princely will need to produce one of his career best speeds in this race to get that upset that Franklin Marshall is set out to get.

There you have it, every jockey thinks they will win.  So much for getting the inside story on each one.  Regardless, my top three picks are:

King Tachyon

Skunkjeureyev

Carnival of Love