Misc. Jockey News

[stark]

Top South American rider Ulloa apparently escapes serious injury in fatal horse accident at SA

The top Chilean jockey Gonzalo Ulloa, in town to ride Kitcat in the Breeders' Cup Mile on Nov. 5, apparently escaped serious injury when a claiming horse he was working on Monday morning at Santa Anita suffered a fatal leg fracture and pitched Ulloa to the ground near the quarter pole on the main track.

Ulloa was removed via ambulance, but was reported later in the morning to be at Clocker's Corner and was said to be fine, according to jockey agent Susie McBrayer, who is representing Ulloa while he is here.

Ulloa was working the claimer Moose Skowron, who had finished last of eight in a $12,500 claiming race at Los Alamitos on Sept. 25, his fourth start after being claimed for $16,000 by Javier Sierra from Phil D'Amato on Aug. 4 at Del Mar. This was his second work since that race.

Kitcat, a multiple Group 1 winner in her native Chile, was second to Curlin's Fox in the restricted Swingtime going one mile on turf at Santa Anita on Oct. 8 in her first start in this country and her first start since May 22. That May 22 race, a victory in the Gran Premio Club Hipico Falabella in Santiago, Chile, gave her a fees-paid berth to the Mile through the Breeders' Cup's "Win and You're In" program.

[stark]

If you're near Santa Anita, a morning visit for workouts is a must, plus this....

Former jock James Corral makes awesome souvenirs from shoes (John Henry, Beholder, etc). See him at clocker's corner

[stark]

Mike Smith had option of Drefong and Masochistic for Sprint and chose Masochistic.

Martin Garcia rides Dortmund and Drefong in BC races, Baffert says

[Raven]

Rajiv Maragh is named on Questeg in the 6th race on friday at Aqueduct
Wish him well on his comeback.  A truly nice guy and a very good rider!

[stark]

heading east, will try the Del Mar meet first but then move to OAKLAWN sometime in January, more money more mounts

[Catalina]

heading east, will try the Del Mar meet first but then move to OAKLAWN sometime in January, more money more mounts

The comment about not having much business was puzzling.  A few good mounts strikes me as more desirable than a lot of mediocre ones.

[stark]

test
does Gary Stevens name show up?

[stark]

Gary Stevens won't relocate to Oaklawn. To remain in California, and will ride first call for Ruis Racing (Union Strike, Defiantly, etc).

[curtis]

Gary Stevens won't relocate to Oaklawn. To remain in California, and will ride first call for Ruis Racing (Union Strike, Defiantly, etc).

Until he doesn't ride one to spec.  Who knows, Mick Sr. might take out a jock's license too.

[stark]

ATTN Disability Insurance companies....

Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens will undergo hip replacement surgery next week. Per a press release from his wife Angie's talent and public relations agency, "no decision has been made if Stevens will return to the saddle after surgery."

Stevens underwent a successful knee replacement in 2014 and returned to the saddle. He had been signed to ride for Ruis Racing and will continue as an advisor and assistant to that operation, per the release.

[stark]

Based on his experience as a Racing Hall of Fame rider, jockey Kent Desormeaux said he doesn't trust the validity of photo finish systems used to determine placings in close finishes and said the industry should move to an updated system.

"I don't believe in the validity of the photo finish system, not at all as a matter of fact," Desormeaux said to Linnell. "I know I've been deprived of wins—or the other way around—but I'm pretty certain that we, and you as the Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau, need to find a better way to make sure that photo finish was accurate."

"I believe they can make the wire where they want," Desormeaux said. "When we're going 40 miles per hour, you can change the finish by a centimeter and show that the horse's nose is on the line or isn't on the line."

More at http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/218366/desormeaux-questions-photo-finish-system

No mention if the pics of him standing up at the wire are accurate.

[curtis]

Based on his experience as a Racing Hall of Fame rider, jockey Kent Desormeaux said he doesn't trust the validity of photo finish systems used to determine placings in close finishes and said the industry should move to an updated system.

"I don't believe in the validity of the photo finish system, not at all as a matter of fact," Desormeaux said to Linnell. "I know I've been deprived of wins—or the other way around—but I'm pretty certain that we, and you as the Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau, need to find a better way to make sure that photo finish was accurate."

"I believe they can make the wire where they want," Desormeaux said. "When we're going 40 miles per hour, you can change the finish by a centimeter and show that the horse's nose is on the line or isn't on the line."

More at http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/218366/desormeaux-questions-photo-finish-system

No mention if the pics of him standing up at the wire are accurate.

It's ironic that someone who has picked and chosen throughout his career when to ride horses out, would be speaking at a seminar about integrity in racing. It does explain a lot though about all those tough beats I've had in exactas and trifectas over the years. Evidently, sometimes Kent thought the stewards moved the wire to the 3/16th pole, or the 1/8th pole, the 1/16th pole or some arbitrary place between the 1/16th pole and the wire. And here I thought his elbows just locked up on him late in races.

[curtis]

I don't know how to do links on my phone but Blood Horse is reporting Garrett Gomez has died.

[stark]

I don't know how to do links on my phone but Blood Horse is reporting Garrett Gomez has died.

yep.
http://www.drf.com/news/former-jockey-garrett-gomez-found-dead-44

[peeptoad]

Wow, that's a shame. I'll always remember Breeder's Cup 2005 when I went to Hollywood Park to watch the feed because my roommates kicked me out because "horse racing is corrupt and dirty" and Gomez was running the table.
The guy sitting next to me at one point started yelling " Forget the horse, bet the jockey! Bet the jock!"...
RIP Gomez. I hope you find green pastures and a horse to ride...