{"id":9330,"date":"2011-06-08T21:49:15","date_gmt":"2011-06-08T21:49:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blacktypebugler.com\/?p=9330"},"modified":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00","slug":"oldbtb_1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/?p=9330","title":{"rendered":"Jockeys Voice Their Opinions"},"content":{"rendered":"

I\u2019ve been in a bit of a slump with the graded races, so I figured it\u2019s time to throw away the racing program and \u201chear it from the horse\u2019s mouth\u201d.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Well, maybe not that exactly, but as close to the inside as I could get.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Since everyone in the press box already knows me, I stopped carrying my press badge a long time ago.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>My goal this week, to corner the jockeys.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>To get into their locker room, I had to find my press badge.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Took me three hours to find it.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Of all places, it was in the back of my refrigerator, next to some take out food that was sitting there for months.<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

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.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>This is a mile and a half turf route that is open to all horses age 3 and up.<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

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1.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Sceadugenga\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>14-1<\/SPAN><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

My first stop was to chat with jockey Scotty Thrasher.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>\u201cI really like this horse\u2019s chances.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He shipped over from the states to Germany<\/st1:place><\/st1:country-region> and finished with a brilliant second in the BBR Special, which was his first graded race.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He may be a slow starter, which is fine because we will be closing with lightning speed.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Plus we benefit with a drop in distance.\u201d\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

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2. Synchronization\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>7-1<\/SPAN><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

Jockey Stephen Dotson was less open with his insight of Synchronization.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>I attributed that to him having only 4 wins for this season.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>After a bit, he did open up.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>\u201cI can\u2019t tell you if I\u2019ll take the horse to the lead, but what I can say is that he had a bum run in the Singapore Cup.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He\u2019s much better than the 94 speed he ran there.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Just look back at his race in April.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Heck, he scored a speed of 110 in that one.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Oh, and don\u2019t forget the Green Valley Special where he kicked a** with a 114 speed, so yea, I think I\u2019ll get one heck of a ride\u201d.<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

Ok, so I had to censor Stephen a bit.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He failed to mention the April race was an allowance and the Green<\/st1:PlaceName> Valley<\/st1:PlaceType><\/st1:place> was a non-graded race.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>In any event, I think Stephen will try to get him to the lead, but unfortunately, this horse hasn\u2019t fared well in graded racing in quite some time.<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

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\u00a0<\/SPAN>3.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Crusading Enforcer\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>6-1<\/SPAN><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

The easy approachable Gary Moss was the next jockey to chat with.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>\u201cSo ya wanna know what I think, huh?\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Well lemme tell ya that this is one very good horse.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He\u2019s won something like 7 graded races and over $7 million.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>I\u2019m pretty sure we\u2019ll be adding to that this weekend.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He did a good job coming in third in the Carlsbad Lessons and that was after a 2 month layoff.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>I tell ya something, he really need that rest and that race too.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>This is his second start after the layoff and lucky me gets to ride him!\u00a0 <\/SPAN>We will do great things together!\u201d<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

Gary<\/SPAN><\/st1:place><\/st1:City> is pretty dead on there.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>But this one hasn\u2019t won in almost a year.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Still, I may have to consult my racing program again and give him another look.<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

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4. \u00a0<\/SPAN>Faldo\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>9-1<\/SPAN><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

Jose Riggs gets the mount on Faldo and he was a bit confrontational.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>I asked what his chances were and he replied:<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u201cHis last win was at 12 furlongs, so what do you think he\u2019ll do?\u201d\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u201cBut that was in an allowance race this past February\u201d I responded.<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u201cYea, so your point?\u201d Riggs rebutted.<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u201cMy point is, Faldo hasn\u2019t won a graded race in 13 tries.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Do you think he will in this start\u201d I replied.<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u201cSure, now leave me alone!\u201d and with that, I left Riggs to his own misery.<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

I know Faldo has been doing well in the allowance ranks, but the graded race level has been a tougher challenge for him.\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

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5.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Kingstroem Wells\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>27-1<\/SPAN> <\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

I found 19 year veteran jockey Alex Moffett sitting alone and having a coffee so I joined him at the caf\u00e9 and we shared some old race track stories.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Eventually, I was able to corner him on the race at hand.\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u201cI\u2019m gonna give this one a shot.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He likes the front so I\u2019m focused on getting him there.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He\u2019s a longshot in the race and I know his speed numbers aren\u2019t as high as the others in the field.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>This will be his first graded race.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He won easily in his last start, a 2-mile allowance, hey, did you happen to see that one?\u00a0 <\/SPAN>I saw the replay and he walked off to a 6 length win.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He really did that easily and didn\u2019t need to put in a lot of effort.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>I think he\u2019s better than that race shows!\u201d<\/P>

\u00a0<\/o:p><\/P>

True, that race was a good outing but in two non-graded races and results were not favorable.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Moffett, like any other jockey, doesn\u2019t want to make his horse sound like an outsider, but this one is. <\/P>

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\u00a0<\/SPAN>6. \u00a0<\/SPAN>Fusaichi Zombie\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>24-1<\/SPAN><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

Jockey Yolanda Lozano was pretty straight forward with me with her mount in this race.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>\u201cI can\u2019t explain what happened to Fusaichi in the Calsbad Lessons.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He finished dead last with a speed of 11.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>I asked the owners, and they were evasive with me.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>I know it\u2019s been a long time since he\u2019s won a graded race, but it was about this time last year that he strung three graded wins together.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>I\u2019m very hopeful that I can set him just off the pace setters and fire him on home to start a new win streak\u201d.<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

Yolanda says all this with a sparkle in her eye and one can\u2019t walk away thinking that she really has a shot here.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>But I have to be realistic.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>It\u2019s approaching a year since this fella won a graded race, or even had a top three finish at this level.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>I think Yolanda has more than she may be able to handle here.<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

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\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

7. Skunkjeureyev\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>5-1<\/SPAN><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

When Lenny Twyman got the call to ride Skunkjeueyev, he said \u201cI was excited.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>I really didn\u2019t think I had a shot of jockeying this colt.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He\u2019s come a very long way with a pair of seconds and a win in his last three.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>I love the Pan Americana win he had.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He took that easily by three.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Heck, if he had another furlong, I think he would\u2019ve taken the Clubhouse Stakes too.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>I think we have a real shot to beat this group.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Did you see that he hit speeds over 110 in three of his last four races?\u00a0 <\/SPAN>I\u2019m looking to cash in on this race!\u201d<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

I later looked at my racing program and Lenny was right. This horse has been going real well lately.<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

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8.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>King Tachyon\u00a0 <\/SPAN>2-1<\/SPAN><\/P>

\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

Now Nicholas Labreche, who usually is tight lipped, couldn\u2019t wait to share some insight on King Tachyon.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>\u201cThis guy won 7 races last year.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He has a perfect 2011 with three in a row.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He won both the Clubhouse Stakes and Sand Castle Golden Turf.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He\u2019s averaged a speed of something like 110 over his last five.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He sure can fly.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>I plan on building a huge lead and just put him in cruise control and coast to the wire.\u201d\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He chuckled for a moment and then added \u201cAll the others will have a good view of us hitting the wire, but their view will be from behind us\u201d.<\/P>

\u00a0<\/o:p><\/P>

Mr. Labreche is awfully confident on his horse and I think he has reason to be..<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

9. \u00a0<\/SPAN>Carnival of Love\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>4-1<\/SPAN><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

Johnny \u201cthe rocket\u201d Jubel was very evasive in answering my questions regarding Carnival of Love:<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u201cHey Rocket, I see you got the call for Carnival of Love\u201d I started.<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u201cYea, what of it?\u201d Johnny asked.<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u201cHow ya think he\u2019s gonna do?\u201d I shot back.<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u201cHe\u2019s gonna win.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>You think I would answer that any other way?\u201d he replied.<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u201cBut Rocket, Carnival has been off his game his last handful of starts, you think that will change?\u201d I continued to press on.<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u201cHe\u2019ll be much better with me aboard\u201d the Rocket replied and strutted off.<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

Carnival of Love has been off his game, but still posting respectful speeds.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He comes in off what may have been a needed 2-month layoff and that could payoff.<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

10,\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Princely Pursuits\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>10-1<\/SPAN><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

Franklin Marshall was a bit of a challenge to get information from.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>But I knew he liked American Football, so we spent a good hour talking about the sport.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>This seemed to relax him and he finally gave some perspective on Princely Pursuits.\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u201cI know this one ain\u2019t the best one in the field\u201d Marshall<\/st1:place><\/st1:City> began \u201cbut he\u2019s got spunk.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>What I plan on doing is keeping him close to the leaders.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>There be a bunch of speedsters in here and as they run themselves into the ground, I\u2019ma gonna make my move and you watch and see.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Princely will upset this field.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>You can bet your bottom dollar on it!\u201d<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

Well, I won\u2019t go that far.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>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.<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

There you have it, every jockey thinks they will win.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>So much for getting the inside story on each one.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Regardless, my top three picks are:<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

King Tachyon<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

Skunkjeureyev<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

Carnival of Love<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

G1 Milan Grand Prix<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":363,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"colormag_page_container_layout":"default_layout","colormag_page_sidebar_layout":"default_layout","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9330","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-previews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9330","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/363"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9330"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9330\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9330"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9330"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9330"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}