Originally Posted by
str
First thing, I am sorry but I do not know how to post the replay with this response so can I ask someone to please post the video replay with this reply so the reader can follow along. I promise it will really help those that care to learn what to watch for in a race as well as being able to actually see things most fans cannot see. It will absolutely make you a better handicapper if you choose to spend some time doing this as well as make the replay watching ability far superior to most fans.
Please stop the race at the various spots to see what I am talking about and rewind as often as needed to see what I discribe.
At the 6 second mark , Hidden Scroll is on the verge of being squeezed back to last. Freeze the replay at 6 seconds and you will see what I mean. Now look at all the riders hands. Rosario's are in his lap. Now freeze at 8 seconds. The reins are slack and his hands are still back. I don't know if he maybe chirped to the horse to promote more speed or not but I am sure he could feel the natural speed from his mount and the tenseness the riders can feel when the horse is not relaxed. There is nothing I saw on the video. That is a question a trainer would ask the rider after the race.
At 10 seconds watch Rosario's right elbow move inward twice. That is him talking to the horse through the bit. He now knows he is moving fast enough to be in good outside position into the turn and is trying to get his mount to find a stride and a mental as well as physical comfort level to get the distance. He is doing everything he can do . All he can do now is hope for relax and understanding from a green colt at this point.
This is EXACTLY what I spoke about in post 3272 just above this one in regards to unseasoned colts trying 2 turns for the first time with only a sprint under their belt and in this horses case not much time to learn.
Let me say this before we go any further. At no time IMO did Gladiator King do anything to Hidden Scroll other than be entered. The only duel or anxiousness I saw was all between Hidden Scrolls ears. I do not feel that what you said twitter was saying had any merit whatsoever. With no disrespect to all that commented negatively about the ride, there level of watching all that transpires is just lacking somewhat IMO. After all , he is by Hard Spun who went 44 flat in the Kings Bishop with his mouth open ( easily) and drew off to win going 7/8ths . He is not made to take back far at all. But hey, maybe I am wrong. I don't mean to judge. At least not harshly.
Ok, back to the race.
If you watch the race between 23 and 28 seconds, Hidden Scrolls ears are going back and forth between forward and back one at a time. The horse is basically saying to himself, " What the hell is this".
More evidence that the struggle is internal.
IMO both he and the Rosario already know that the horse inside of him is no challenge whatsoever.
By 38 seconds, the already hopelessly beaten Gladiator King tries to move up because his rider sees Hidden Scroll has finally hit relax ( only somewhat though because of inexperience but to the best of Hidden Scrolls current ability to do so. ).
It's a shame that Gladiator King's rider did that but he is being paid to try his best so it was the only choice he had being as he was pinned inside with his right eye covered up and overmatched.
That pushed Hidden Scrolls ears back for 6 more seconds showing more burned energy . That 6 seconds was all Hidden Scroll not yet understanding relax yet. IMO Rosario could have done nothing to prevent that 6 seconds of burned energy.
( As a side note, watch the rider of Gladiator King between 59 and 1:00 look over at the rider on the 8 horse. It's quick but my guess is he said something like I'm done or got get him or something like that. He knows he is toast and that stuff happens all the time. )
At 1:09 the rider on the 8 horse moves his hands to signal his mount that it is time to go. The don't see it, they feel it in the bit and up there neck. To that point the horse had advanced on his own. Without urging. Note that Hidden Scrolls jock has his hands in his lap and the reins slack trying as hard as he can to keep his mount as calm as possible and preserve energy.
At 1:17 , the 8 horse is put to a full drive while Hidden Scroll is still not asked for a final kick. At 1.:26 Rosario shoots his last pre whip bullet and tries to steal off. Hopeful for a burst, Hidden Scroll gives him one, but it is not enough.
Rosario draws the stick left handed ( God I love that ! Reminds me of Larry Saumell the jock in my avatar.) and taps him at 1:41 then gathers the bit and puts it in the back of Hidden Scrolls mouth at 1:43 hopeful the horse has enough to grab the bit one more time. You can see this by watching Rosario's hands and reins swing outward, and then back together , and then hits him again at 1:46 to try and preserve 2nd place, switches sticks to his right hand at 1:49 for one last push to try and preserve 3rd but only shows the stick to the horse which I find to be a brilliant decision. The horse had given everything he had to give. There was nothing hitting him would have brought out.
The horse gave all he had. He was real tired as evidenced by him switching back to his left lead shortly after the finish line and well before the clubhouse turn.
I leave that replay by being impressed by two things. Hidden Scroll ran IMO as well as a horse in his position could have with the circumstances he had to overcome including breaking a step slow which started all of this off.
I am really impressed by the professionalism of Joel Rosario. And while one race does not make a full opinion but from what I saw here , he seems to be an exceptional rider. It took a top rider to do what he did off that race alone. Color me impressed !
I hope all this helps and I hope some of you take the time to see what I described.
If you can see some or all of what I described , you will have the ability to see more than 99% of the fans that watch races. That has to help in the long run.
As for how often a rider rides like Gladiator kings rider off and on, he was 100-1 . Probably the only one that really wanted to.
Please feel free to follow up and thanks for the question.
I learned that Hidden Scroll has a big upside if he can learn to relax. I will be surprised if he doesn't.
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