Post by Peter Gross on Aug 23, 2010 5:24:34 GMT -5
It is with great interest that I watch the unfolding of the jockeys race at Woodbine. Eurico Rosa da Silva is having his best year as a rider and through Sunday, August 22 was leading with 101 wins. That comes from 491 mounts, which adds up to a win percentage of over 20. Across North America, jockeys who win better than one in five form a very small clubhouse. Da Silva won three more races at Woodbine yesterday, including a dramatic come from behind surge aboard Sovereign Award champion Biofuel, who needed the late move to take the $100,000 Bell Mahone Stakes. We last saw da Silva last month at Saratoga where he’d flown in to ride Biofuel to a worthwhile second place finish in the $250,000 Coaching Club of America Stakes, The winner was the awesome Devil May Care, a monster among the fillies this year.
Da Silva leads perennial winner Patrick Husbands by 8 victories and normally, that’s a gap that Husbands makes up with disdain. In recent years, Husbands has gone on a tear in November and December to overcome opponents with double digit leads. This year might be different though. Da Silva is riding with both authority and enormous confidence and does not seem at all intimidated by the seven time Woodbine champion behind him.
It has also been a terrific year for Chantal Sutherland, who could be a Canadian riding champion if a strong stable would ever take her as their top rider. Chantal keeps knocking out the wins, has a fantastic percentage on the grass and is in third place with 79 wins. Omar Moreno, still an apprentice is quietly in fourth place with 64 wins. Moreno would seem to be a lock to win his second Sovereign as best apprentice in the country.
Marsh Side was the easiest of winners in Sunday’s $254,900 Sky Classic Stakes at Woodbine. Edgar Prado came in to ride, giving up a day at Saratoga and it was a very easy $14,000 trip to Canada for Prado. Marsh Side took the lead after a mile of the ten furlong grass race and cruised home best by five over Windward Islands, ridden by Sutherland.
I used to be president of the Edgar Prado fan club, but I’ve been withholding my bets on him the last couple of years. He’s still one of the best, but since 2008, his win percentage has dropped dramatically. He used to win over 20% of the time and if he had the rail in a grass race, it didn’t matter what the odds said – he’d give that horse the best trip in the race. These days, though, we find him 99th among leading riders in North America. Prado is winning at just 15% and has fewer wins than da Silva (61st in North America), Husbands (64th) and Sutherland (73rd). Ahead of Prado we find Kendirck Carmouche, John Jacinto, Ry Eikleberry, Inez Karlsson, Wilson Omar Dieguez and the (perhaps not) immortal Glen Murphy. Not sure what happened in two years, but Prado has slipped from being the maestro to a spot akin to being backup third violin.
The best rider in North America would be Ramon Dominguez based on his 234 wins, 25% win mark and $9,637,094. Dominquez hits the board 60% of the time, which is a great stat, since he has mounted 949 horses, the most of any rider in the top 100. Russell Baze is second in the standings with 227 wins in just 784 rides for a fantastic 29% and Baze’s horses hit the board a remarkable 66% of the time. I’m of the impression that Garret Gomez is one of the all-time greats, but strangely, Gomez is 31st on the list with jst 121 wins in 562 rides; still that’s winning at a 22% rate, which is surpassed in the top 50 only by Dominguez, Desahwn Parker ( 24%), Rafael Bejarano (23%), Daniel Centeno (25%), Kendrick Carmouche (24%) , and Chris Landeros (24%).
I’m spending a lot of time at Ajax Downs these days, thanks to professional engagements. Not only do I help host the simulcasting on Tuesdays, but I’m working with Joe Tilley on The Full Quarter, a weekly half hour show on Quarter Horse racing. Joe has already produced two shows and the third one can be seen next Saturday at 11:30 on CTV. I’m starting to fall in love with Ajax Downs. It’s a brilliantly designed facility with one of the very best off-track betting theatres I’ve ever seen. The whole place has a great intimate feeling to it. From the off-track to the quarterhorse finish line is a half minute walk and the slots are equally as close. For a gambler, life does not get any easier.
