Jockey & Trainer News 2023

[Curtis]

Most , if not all, the examples of Mikey’s renaissance are on turf. As I said before, I have no problem playing horse with him up on the green stuff. Rispoli, Fresu, Hernandez, etc. are always going to get the most $$. Riding on turf in the US is pretty much save ground, save ground, save ground, find a seam, point and shoot. Smith does that as well as anyone. Also don’t sleep on ‘Meaux Money on grass when he’s around. I missed the bomber yesterday—I don’t bet to place anyway—because I wasn’t sure if Race 7 was ever going to finish and I know Del Mar doesn’t have lights. I figured maybe R8 would have to go today on Four O’Clock Friday.

[stark]

One mount today
On the A/E in race 4
15/1
Uncle Neil
5F on the grass
Maiden
9 time loser.

Would you fight the traffic for that?

[stark]

Agent question....

Is Brad Pegram still Mikey's agent?

Pretty sure he handles Flavien Prat, maybe he's got all his attention these days?

[Squeaky]

One mount today
On the A/E in race 4
15/1
Uncle Neil
5F on the grass
Maiden
9 time loser.

Would you fight the traffic for that?

No.

[stark]

One mount today
On the A/E in race 4
15/1
Uncle Neil
5F on the grass
Maiden
9 time loser.

Would you fight the traffic for that?

No.

Scratched

[Flanders]

Kristin Mulhall retired from training.

https://www.drf.com/news/kristin-mulhal ... oving-ohio

[stark]

Kristin Mulhall retired from training.

https://www.drf.com/news/kristin-mulhal ... oving-ohio

Seems like one of the good ones,
hay and oats type.

[Curtis]

Kristin Mulhall retired from training.

https://www.drf.com/news/kristin-mulhal ... oving-ohio

Seems like one of the good ones,
hay and oats type.

She really is. Never ran a horse that wasn’t sound, to my knowledge. She claimed a turf horse a few years back off of Baffert. Midnight “something”, I want to say, he was an Italian bred. I saw her after she saddled him at Del Mar. I said, “I bet your horse, I’ve been waiting forever to make a bet, I only bet on horses bred in Italy!” She laughed and replied, “You really have been waiting a long time”. The horse won and didn’t get claimed. Winners all around.

[stark]

Race 5

2YOs going a mile

Very nice aggressive ride, going wire to wire, thank you Mike Smith.


1st: 1 Show Of Force $10.00 $5.80 $4.60
2nd:7 Sabertooth $8.00 $5.60
3rd: 11 Game Warrior $9.00

[BaroqueAgain1]

"Most , if not all, the examples of Mikey’s renaissance are on turf."

Then you will not be surprised that Smith just won the 5th at Del Mar, a 1-mile turf MSW for 2yos, on Show of Force (Omaha Beach). Front-running win.

[stark]

Irad going on a 3-day vacation.

congrats!

What amazes me is that it was a jockeys claim of foul and not a stewards inquiry that led to the DQ.

https://www.horseracingnation.com/news/ ... ng_Sunday_

[Curtis]

Irad going on a 3-day vacation.

congrats!

What amazes me is that it was a jockeys claim of foul and not a stewards inquiry that led to the DQ.

https://www.horseracingnation.com/news/ ... ng_Sunday_

I didn’t read the article. With the Dodgers recent play, the color “Blue” makes me squeamish. Is this one of those vacays that can be appealed and taken during the winter at the Aqueduct at the Big A meet?

[stark]

Irad going on a 3-day vacation.

congrats!

What amazes me is that it was a jockeys claim of foul and not a stewards inquiry that led to the DQ.

https://www.horseracingnation.com/news/ ... ng_Sunday_

I didn’t read the article. With the Dodgers recent play, the color “Blue” makes me squeamish. Is this one of those vacays that can be appealed and taken during the winter at the Aqueduct at the Big A meet?

Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. will serve a three-day suspension after a disqualification from an Aug. 1 race at Saratoga.

Ortiz waived his right to appeal, according to a ruling by the New York State Gaming Commission, and will be suspended Aug. 14-16. The suspension was reported earlier by Thoroughbred Daily News.

Ortiz crossed the finish line first with On a Spree in a 1 3/16-mile starter-allowance race but was disqualified for interference after Flavien Prat, aboard Complete Agenda, claimed a foul. On a Spree was placed second, and Complete Agenda was made the winner.

[Cigarillo]

Irad going on a 3-day vacation.

congrats!

What amazes me is that it was a jockeys claim of foul and not a stewards inquiry that led to the DQ.

https://www.horseracingnation.com/news/ ... ng_Sunday_

I didn’t read the article. With the Dodgers recent play, the color “Blue” makes me squeamish. Is this one of those vacays that can be appealed and taken during the winter at the Aqueduct at the Big A meet?

Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. will serve a three-day suspension after a disqualification from an Aug. 1 race at Saratoga.

Ortiz waived his right to appeal, according to a ruling by the New York State Gaming Commission, and will be suspended Aug. 14-16. The suspension was reported earlier by Thoroughbred Daily News.

Ortiz crossed the finish line first with On a Spree in a 1 3/16-mile starter-allowance race but was disqualified for interference after Flavien Prat, aboard Complete Agenda, claimed a foul. On a Spree was placed second, and Complete Agenda was made the winner.

Total conspiratorial thought but was he finally suspended because it was Prat who he interfered with?

[stark]

Mike Smith in his own words.....

https://www.horseracingnation.com/news/ ... _shape_123

[Squeaky]

Mike Smith in his own words.....

https://www.horseracingnation.com/news/ ... _shape_123

Good article he has incredible disipline and work ethic. I wonder why Bob stopped riding him?

[stark]

Mike Smith in his own words.....

https://www.horseracingnation.com/news/ ... _shape_123

Good article he has incredible disipline and work ethic. I wonder why Bob stopped riding him?

I'll make three guesses since none of us will probably ever know the right answer......

1) I've seen lots of times where the trainer gets into arguments with jockey agents, failure to keep handshake agreements, failure to be loyal to the barn, etc and this eventually impacts the jockey in a negative way.

2) He's riding at 120 pounds, that's 3 more than Pincay's legendary 117 that always made the news, maybe weight is a concern for some trainers, a la Bobby Frankel, Charlie Whittingham, et al.

3) Probably the most unlikely reason, but a reason that drives Trainers and Jockeys apart......failure to follow directions, when the trainer instructs you to go to the lead right out of the gate, I suppose that's what a jock is supposed to do?

[Curtis]

Mike Smith in his own words.....

https://www.horseracingnation.com/news/ ... _shape_123

Good article he has incredible disipline and work ethic. I wonder why Bob stopped riding him?

I'll make three guesses since none of us will probably ever know the right answer......

1) I've seen lots of times where the trainer gets into arguments with jockey agents, failure to keep handshake agreements, failure to be loyal to the barn, etc and this eventually impacts the jockey in a negative way.

2) He's riding at 120 pounds, that's 3 more than Pincay's legendary 117 that always made the news, maybe weight is a concern for some trainers, a la Bobby Frankel, Charlie Whittingham, et al.

3) Probably the most unlikely reason, but a reason that drives Trainers and Jockeys apart......failure to follow directions, when the trainer instructs you to go to the lead right out of the gate, I suppose that's what a jock is supposed to do?

There’s a chicken or egg dynamic that go with these situations. I said a couple of weeks ago that Mikey is rather ordinary riding on dirt. The horses he gets is attributable to this. When Bobby Frankel first came west he was primarily a claiming trainer and he aggressively spotted his horses. He liked top jocks so he rode Pincay, all but exclusively. Frankel won a lot of races and he had a lot to do with Laffit being leading rider. When the Hollywood Park meeting ended in July—prior to 1976–Pincay took his tack to NY for the rest of the year until Santa Anita opened. In 1973, at Del Mar & Oak Tree, Frankel used Steve Valdez and he was leading rider. Valdez had the bug so Frankel rarely used him in a stake race and he’d book Shoemaker if there was no conflict with Whittingham. Pincay wanted good stakes horses to ride and Frankel was light in that area. Rival trainers started using that and leveraged Pincay away from Frankel in the ham & egger races. By 1975, Frankel had the option of using Sandy Hawley and Hawley became leading jock his first full meet. At Del Mar, both Hawley and Pincay went east, so Frankel brought Darrell McHargue in to ride first call for him and he lead the meet. Frankel liked to control things as much as he could. Believe me, so does Baffert. Martin Garcia tired of that control and left. David Flores once had his day as has Victor on and off. Right now, Hernandez is the guy and as long as he responds with, “How high?” or “Which direction?” when Baffert says “Jump!” it’ll remain that way. If Mandella or Shirreffs puts Mikey up on a promising horse—and this has gone on for years—Smith will assess and decide whether they might be better to similar from Baffert. JJ won’t do that, at least not now.

[sweettalk]

Good article he has incredible disipline and work ethic. I wonder why Bob stopped riding him?

I'll make three guesses since none of us will probably ever know the right answer......

1) I've seen lots of times where the trainer gets into arguments with jockey agents, failure to keep handshake agreements, failure to be loyal to the barn, etc and this eventually impacts the jockey in a negative way.

2) He's riding at 120 pounds, that's 3 more than Pincay's legendary 117 that always made the news, maybe weight is a concern for some trainers, a la Bobby Frankel, Charlie Whittingham, et al.

3) Probably the most unlikely reason, but a reason that drives Trainers and Jockeys apart......failure to follow directions, when the trainer instructs you to go to the lead right out of the gate, I suppose that's what a jock is supposed to do?

There’s a chicken or egg dynamic that go with these situations. I said a couple of weeks ago that Mikey is rather ordinary riding on dirt. The horses he gets is attributable to this. When Bobby Frankel first came west he was primarily a claiming trainer and he aggressively spotted his horses. He liked top jocks so he rode Pincay, all but exclusively. Frankel won a lot of races and he had a lot to do with Laffit being leading rider. When the Hollywood Park meeting ended in July—prior to 1976–Pincay took his tack to NY for the rest of the year until Santa Anita opened. In 1973, at Del Mar & Oak Tree, Frankel used Steve Valdez and he was leading rider. Valdez had the bug so Frankel rarely used him in a stake race and he’d book Shoemaker if there was no conflict with Whittingham. Pincay wanted good stakes horses to ride and Frankel was light in that area. Rival trainers started using that and leveraged Pincay away from Frankel in the ham & egger races. By 1975, Frankel had the option of using Sandy Hawley and Hawley became leading jock his first full meet. At Del Mar, both Hawley and Pincay went east, so Frankel brought Darrell McHargue in to ride first call for him and he lead the meet. Frankel liked to control things as much as he could. Believe me, so does Baffert. Martin Garcia tired of that control and left. David Flores once had his day as has Victor on and off. Right now, Hernandez is the guy and as long as he responds with, “How high?” or “Which direction?” when Baffert says “Jump!” it’ll remain that way. If Mandella or Shirreffs puts Mikey up on a promising horse—and this has gone on for years—Smith will assess and decide whether they might be better to similar from Baffert. JJ won’t do that, at least not now.

would you just write a damn 10k page book of all your racing knowledge/stories already?? i'd pre order immediately.

[Missbeholder]

I'll make three guesses since none of us will probably ever know the right answer......

1) I've seen lots of times where the trainer gets into arguments with jockey agents, failure to keep handshake agreements, failure to be loyal to the barn, etc and this eventually impacts the jockey in a negative way.

2) He's riding at 120 pounds, that's 3 more than Pincay's legendary 117 that always made the news, maybe weight is a concern for some trainers, a la Bobby Frankel, Charlie Whittingham, et al.

3) Probably the most unlikely reason, but a reason that drives Trainers and Jockeys apart......failure to follow directions, when the trainer instructs you to go to the lead right out of the gate, I suppose that's what a jock is supposed to do?

There’s a chicken or egg dynamic that go with these situations. I said a couple of weeks ago that Mikey is rather ordinary riding on dirt. The horses he gets is attributable to this. When Bobby Frankel first came west he was primarily a claiming trainer and he aggressively spotted his horses. He liked top jocks so he rode Pincay, all but exclusively. Frankel won a lot of races and he had a lot to do with Laffit being leading rider. When the Hollywood Park meeting ended in July—prior to 1976–Pincay took his tack to NY for the rest of the year until Santa Anita opened. In 1973, at Del Mar & Oak Tree, Frankel used Steve Valdez and he was leading rider. Valdez had the bug so Frankel rarely used him in a stake race and he’d book Shoemaker if there was no conflict with Whittingham. Pincay wanted good stakes horses to ride and Frankel was light in that area. Rival trainers started using that and leveraged Pincay away from Frankel in the ham & egger races. By 1975, Frankel had the option of using Sandy Hawley and Hawley became leading jock his first full meet. At Del Mar, both Hawley and Pincay went east, so Frankel brought Darrell McHargue in to ride first call for him and he lead the meet. Frankel liked to control things as much as he could. Believe me, so does Baffert. Martin Garcia tired of that control and left. David Flores once had his day as has Victor on and off. Right now, Hernandez is the guy and as long as he responds with, “How high?” or “Which direction?” when Baffert says “Jump!” it’ll remain that way. If Mandella or Shirreffs puts Mikey up on a promising horse—and this has gone on for years—Smith will assess and decide whether they might be better to similar from Baffert. JJ won’t do that, at least not now.

would you just write a damn 10k page book of all your racing knowledge/stories already?? i'd pre order immediately.

Boy, what a nasty comment!