Originally Posted by
str
I believe a suspension was warranted as well. The length of 14 days is 100% a message being sent to a bug boy who is still learning to ride.
I would hope that the Stewards where capable of helping to teach the rider some of the finer points of riding. I know the rest of the riders there can. And if you watch the gallop out, a couple of different riders are talking at length as they pull up.
This is a great learning moment for the bug boy. The horse he was on created a series of problems for the rider to deal with. I know that watching horses lead legs is difficult to see until it isn't. But if you watch closely, this horse switches to it's right lead BEFORE it straightens away for home. If you watch just the front legs, the horse looks like it is running funny, almost like it is jumping or hopping , not running as it turns for home. Almost like it is running sideways a bit. That is the centrifugal force pulling the horse outwards on the left hand turn.
It reminds me of being behind a car on the road that has a bent frame but still runs. The back tires are slightly off center from the front tires. So it goes down the street at about 11:27 if you are looking at the clock hands. Slightly to one side or another but not equal.
That though is not the problem. Because it switched leads early, the horse as it digs in past the 1/8th pole , switches BACK to it's left lead at 1:29 on the replay I'm watching, moving the horse to the left 3-4 feet, then back to the right lead at 1:30 moving the horse to the outside 3-4 feet and back to the left lead again at 1:34 moving the horse inward but the rider is moving the horse outward. The head on will really help you see this better . I am on NYRA bets and the split screens they give you are GREAT.
So as confusing as all that is, The bug boy switched to his left hand with the stick and THAT really screwed him up. He could not anticipate the late lead switching his mount did. But going left handed will typically push a horse out. the left hand and the left lead, then right lead stuff had the horse all over the place.
So what is the bottom line?
Having caused a spill last month, the Stewards are most likely sensitive towards a bug rider trying to ride like Irad does. Pretty simple to figure that a top of his game pro is more efficient at riding close and doing subtle things to make life tough on his opponents. And while Irad can pull it off, a bug boy is not there yet. The Stewards are making that kid understand that. Thus, the over reaction IMO.
This used to happen all the time with the Stewards schooling bug riders. I don't seem to see it that much anymore but maybe I'm just not close enough to it.
In the end, the older riders will rally around the bug boy and show him the film and take him under their wings in all the good ways. At least that is the opportunity that is presenting itself because of the harsh penalty. They will explain to him that he MUST have control of his mount and you can't get cute when your horse is switching back and forth. There is no way the kid was ready for that to happen. But it did happen.
He will know better how to deal with that next time. And do remember that there are so many things going on at that point of a tight race to the wire. The bug boy was not prepared for those lead changers to occur. Live and learn.
The erratic lead switching by the green running horse made the job very tough on the bug boy but he will learn a lot from it. And if the older riders go to bat for him, and really help him better understand, all this is a great teaching moment IMO.
Hope all that makes sense guys.
Actually a real odd situation of lead switching that you don't see very often.
Follow up if you want to. Happy to help if needed.
Oh, and one last thing. That bug boy can ride !