When it comes to big efforts in the saddle, there is no higher form of praise than that from a fellow jockey.
The Breeders' Cup has featured some of the most memorable rides in the modern history of horse racing, and we asked five active jockeys which one has stuck out to them the most.
Some went for dominant efforts, others for traffic-weaving trips, and others still focused on winning a head-to-head duel. Each of them were unforgettable.
Florent Geroux
“Maybe because he was a French horse, but Arcangues winning the (1993) Classic with Jerry Bailey at 100-1. That was a hell of a ride. I thought Jerry rode the horse perfectly. You don't see it too often, a horse coming all the way from France, competing in the Classic, and winning the race, beating some of the best horses in the game on the dirt.”
Geovanni Franco
“Gary Stevens on Beholder when they beat Songbird and Mike Smith (in the 2016 Distaff). Two veterans with two great fillies leaving everything on the track, all the way to the wire.”
Joe Talamo
“Off the top of my head, probably when Zenyatta won the (2009) Classic at Santa Anita, when she beat Gio Ponti. That was a great ride by Mike Smith. He's put up so many great rides, but that definitely sticks out in my mind. It was just being meticulous and not making any mistakes, because when a filly runs against boys, especially boys of that caliber, you have to make zero mistakes, and have a perfect trip, and I think she did that.”
John Velazquez
“I'm old enough to have watched Jerry Bailey win the (1993) Classic with Arcangues. He saved all the ground, hit the holes, got through at the eighth pole, and ended up winning by three or four.”
Joel Rosario
“Chris McCarron winning the (2000) Classic with Tiznow. A horse had gone by, and it looked like he was beat, and then he came back and won the race. That was a really good ride, and I know the horse did it, but the jockey did a great job with that one.”
The post Breeders’ Cup Buzz: Jockeys Discuss The Greatest Breeders’ Cup Rides appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
