lepper
26-03-2002, 20:19
A few races after 39-year-old Gary Stevens won the $1 million Godolphin Mile and the $2 million Golden Shaheen, 44-year-old Jerry Bailey captured the $6 million Dubai World Cup. Several hours later, 50-year-old Eddie Delahoussaye helped Perfect Drift get by 48-year-old Pat Day on Request For Parole in the Spiral Stakes. It wasn't a great day for 55-year-old Laffit Pincay Jr., who was sixth aboard Desiraes My Candy in the Santa Ana at Santa Anita, but he had his moment six days earlier winning the San Felipe with Medaglia D'Oro. Of course, he may not be the best 3-year-old on the West Coast, an honor that goes to Came Home. He is ridden by 46-year-old Chris McCarron. He's hoping to win this year's Kentucky Derby, something that 40-year-old Jorge Chavez did last year.
Where have all the good young jockeys gone?
The graying of America's elite group of jockeys continues with few replacements in sight. The top eight riders in earnings in 2001 were all 30 or older and four of them (Bailey, Day, Chavez, McCarron) are 40 or older. Apparently, there's no slowing any of them down. Bailey is clearly America's elite rider and Stevens, Day, McCarron and Pincay are all going strong. None are talking of retirement. At 30, John Velazquez is the only rider among the elite in his profession whose best years may still be ahead of him.
The situation is a testament to the abilities of the old fellows. Bailey, Stevens, Day, et. al. remain excellent jockeys, some of the best ever. As long as they continue to ride in top form, there's no need for a new wave of young turks to come along and replace them. At least for now.
Ten years from now is a different story. Bailey, Day, Chavez, Stevens, McCarron, Pincay and Alex Solis, who is 37, could all be retired. Kent Desormeaux will be 42, Velazquez 40 and Edgar Prado 44. There are some jockeys out there now who are going to be able to fill a huge void.
The top candidate is Ramon Dominguez. The 25-year-old kingpin of the Maryland circuit, he led the nation in wins in 2001 with 431 and was tenth in earnings with $10,514,207. He is closely following the path traveled by Edgar Prado, who led the nation in wins while riding in Maryland and then made a successful transition to the New York circuit. They even had the same Maryland agent in Steve Rushing.
"I think he's going to keep ascending and become one of the top riders in the country," said Graham Motion, who uses Dominguez on Kentucky Derby candidate Equality. "He certainly has the ability to do that. He dominates in Maryland and has done so for a long time. He's a lot like Edgar in that he's a classy guy who is very dedicated."
Watch out, as well, for Jeremy Rose. The 22-year-old was the leading apprentice in the country last year while riding in Maryland and at Delaware Park. He hasn't missed a beat since losing his bug and is currently third in the nation in total wins with 78. Tyler Baze is just 19 and is holding his own on the very tough Southern California circuit. Donnie Meche, 27, showed what he can do with a brilliant ride aboard Easyfromthegitgo to just miss in the Louisiana Derby. Both he and his twin brother, Lonnie, are candidates to become elite riders at the Midwest tracks.
Keeneland raises its takeout
It was no surprise that Keeneland rolled back its takeout cuts and will reintroduce a 19 percent take on multiple bets such as the daily double and the exacta at the upcoming spring meet. Nonetheless, it was still a major disappointment.
Through no fault of its own, Keeneland's experiment to cut the take out failed because several simulcast partners, most notably the New York OTBs, declined to take the signal, claiming their profits would decline because of the lower take. That caused handle to fall dramatically at the fall meet, giving Keeneland no other course than to go back to the old system.
As a goodwill gesture to its fans, Keeneland dropped the takeout on its Pick Six wager to an attractively low 12 percent. But that's only going to help the handful of fans who actually hit an occasional Pick Six.
Let's hope that this is only a minor setback for the takeout reduction movement. Anyone who didn't take the Keeneland signal or demanded it pay a smaller fee for the product was guilty of being shortsighted. The NYRA tracks have hit a home run with their own brand of takeout reduction, scoring impressive increases starting with the fall meet at Aqueduct.
Takeout reduction works. It's simple economics. By cutting take, the bettors have more money in their pockets and will increase their betting activity. In the long run everyone will win if this is given a chance. That includes simulcast sights.
Where have all the good young jockeys gone?
The graying of America's elite group of jockeys continues with few replacements in sight. The top eight riders in earnings in 2001 were all 30 or older and four of them (Bailey, Day, Chavez, McCarron) are 40 or older. Apparently, there's no slowing any of them down. Bailey is clearly America's elite rider and Stevens, Day, McCarron and Pincay are all going strong. None are talking of retirement. At 30, John Velazquez is the only rider among the elite in his profession whose best years may still be ahead of him.
The situation is a testament to the abilities of the old fellows. Bailey, Stevens, Day, et. al. remain excellent jockeys, some of the best ever. As long as they continue to ride in top form, there's no need for a new wave of young turks to come along and replace them. At least for now.
Ten years from now is a different story. Bailey, Day, Chavez, Stevens, McCarron, Pincay and Alex Solis, who is 37, could all be retired. Kent Desormeaux will be 42, Velazquez 40 and Edgar Prado 44. There are some jockeys out there now who are going to be able to fill a huge void.
The top candidate is Ramon Dominguez. The 25-year-old kingpin of the Maryland circuit, he led the nation in wins in 2001 with 431 and was tenth in earnings with $10,514,207. He is closely following the path traveled by Edgar Prado, who led the nation in wins while riding in Maryland and then made a successful transition to the New York circuit. They even had the same Maryland agent in Steve Rushing.
"I think he's going to keep ascending and become one of the top riders in the country," said Graham Motion, who uses Dominguez on Kentucky Derby candidate Equality. "He certainly has the ability to do that. He dominates in Maryland and has done so for a long time. He's a lot like Edgar in that he's a classy guy who is very dedicated."
Watch out, as well, for Jeremy Rose. The 22-year-old was the leading apprentice in the country last year while riding in Maryland and at Delaware Park. He hasn't missed a beat since losing his bug and is currently third in the nation in total wins with 78. Tyler Baze is just 19 and is holding his own on the very tough Southern California circuit. Donnie Meche, 27, showed what he can do with a brilliant ride aboard Easyfromthegitgo to just miss in the Louisiana Derby. Both he and his twin brother, Lonnie, are candidates to become elite riders at the Midwest tracks.
Keeneland raises its takeout
It was no surprise that Keeneland rolled back its takeout cuts and will reintroduce a 19 percent take on multiple bets such as the daily double and the exacta at the upcoming spring meet. Nonetheless, it was still a major disappointment.
Through no fault of its own, Keeneland's experiment to cut the take out failed because several simulcast partners, most notably the New York OTBs, declined to take the signal, claiming their profits would decline because of the lower take. That caused handle to fall dramatically at the fall meet, giving Keeneland no other course than to go back to the old system.
As a goodwill gesture to its fans, Keeneland dropped the takeout on its Pick Six wager to an attractively low 12 percent. But that's only going to help the handful of fans who actually hit an occasional Pick Six.
Let's hope that this is only a minor setback for the takeout reduction movement. Anyone who didn't take the Keeneland signal or demanded it pay a smaller fee for the product was guilty of being shortsighted. The NYRA tracks have hit a home run with their own brand of takeout reduction, scoring impressive increases starting with the fall meet at Aqueduct.
Takeout reduction works. It's simple economics. By cutting take, the bettors have more money in their pockets and will increase their betting activity. In the long run everyone will win if this is given a chance. That includes simulcast sights.