Garret Gomez?

[shanahan]

speaking of Johny V...outside of the triple cornw races, how\'s he doing?  is he taking the initiative to split horse and go inside?  Seems like we discussed this a while back long after the KNLD spill, but I haven\'t paid that much attention to his strategies/rides lately...can anyone share some insight here?

[miff]

Shannie,

I can only say that he is not the same rider yet(pre- spill).Seemingly not as strong and does not look to have quite the same \"seat\". He rides so many good horses that it\'s really not that easy to tell.


Mike

[MO]

Johnny V has always been a decent rider. He has always been \"on the cusp\" of being regarded as in the class of the great riders, like his agent.

When Angel Cordero was about a year away from retirement, I witnessed something personally at Belmont. I watched AC beg Pete Ferriola for a mount on an allowance horse. He did not get the mount, but I recall vividly saying out loud to anyone who would listen that \"This guy is a better agent than he is a rider\".

Johhny V owes EVERYTHING he has ever done to Angel Cordero.

[Silver Charm]

Mo,

Think about the name of the individual you just mentioned and how great he was and the other great riders who rode with him in his class.

Prado, Gomez, and Johnny V are no doubt the \"best in class\" in the east and if you go west not really sure who to consider. Flores? Espinosa?

None of the above rank with Laffit, Eddie D, Chris, Pat, Gary and Jerry. Maybe over time, but just not now.

Now take a look at who is/was aboard the three best three year olds in class.

The drop off is significant. Wasn\'t that long ago if you had a real good one it did not take any time at all to dial one of those others up.

My how things have changed.

[Lost Cause]

Victor Espinoza is not a good jockey...he is the best of a very bad bunch...If he rode in new york now he would have an 8-10% win rate...The guy goes wide every race he rides in...The only west coast jockeys I respect are Nakatani, Garrett, and of course the best of them all if he can keep clean, P. Val...