Rafael Bejarano - A horse bettor's worst nightmare

**ok now what** · 10-01-10, 04:49 AM

I'll tell you. . .I'm not one to get hung up on "good ol' days" types of themes, but we're NEVER going to have the caliber of jockeys and the colony we had in CA in the 80s and 90s. I'm sorry - Toro, McCarron, Pincay. . . these men were vastly better at their work than those you spoke of.

Had Valenzuela stayed healthy and stable through the years, he'd wipe the floor with the jockeys presently working S. Cal.

Must disagree about Baze. The trouble up there is limited quality stock. It's still a monopoly up there, although Hollendorfer finally figured out how to win more than once a summer in S. Cal

**mikemca** · 10-01-10, 06:56 AM

Bejarano rides plenty of good prices on turf that are good bets

**unusialsusp5** · 10-01-10, 07:18 AM

handicap horses not jockeys. you can always throw him out. he doesn't win more than 20% of the time. rosario just as good. also quinonez up and coming. bet trainers with high percentages instead. chalk players die broke(see mickey rooney). you should always try to throw the favorite out and don't get hung up on horizontal bets.

**dugbug15** · 10-01-10, 07:35 AM

it's encouraging to see victor espinoza emerging from a slump with a nice showing on opening day of oaktree.i'll also be watching young johnny gihua rank up if given a chance with live mounts.then smitty is still alive & kicking,always a threat,chalk or bomb.also ,expecting tyler back to return very soon,fractued face and all,and,with a vengeance.there's plenty of talent at oaktree besides swagger-ass bejarano.don't give up yet.

**zebra58** · 10-01-10, 09:51 AM

bejarano top jock, bet him when baffert sends out false favs

**mproud1** · 10-01-10, 11:34 AM

Originally posted by ok now what

I'll tell you. . .I'm not one to get hung up on "good ol' days" types of themes, but we're NEVER going to have the caliber of jockeys and the colony we had in CA in the 80s and 90s. I'm sorry - Toro, McCarron, Pincay. . . these men were vastly better at their work than those you spoke of.

Had Valenzuela stayed healthy and stable through the years, he'd wipe the floor with the jockeys presently working S. Cal.

Must disagree about Baze. The trouble up there is limited quality stock. It's still a monopoly up there, although Hollendorfer finally figured out how to win more than once a summer in S. Cal

I love it when Russ the Puss comes in to ride at Santa Anita for a big race & gets OWNED!! I bet all the riders are out to beat him knowing he just makes free money at GG.

**mtneer1212** · 10-01-10, 11:40 AM

Why are they racing at Hollywood instead of Santa Anita for the Oak tree meet?

**andywend** · 10-01-10, 11:45 AM

Jockeys like Bejarano at the So Cal big meets, Pedroza at Fairplex and Russell Baze in No Cal get a lot of press but they wind up driving so many bettors away when they bring in heavy favorites at such a high clip.

I realize they are just doing their job and you can't blame them for trying to win with every horse they ride but the fact remains that riders in these situations jeopardize the long-term viability of horse racing.

Handle at the recently concluded Fairplex meeting was awful as bettors just got plain sick of getting beat by favorites who won at a staggering 46% clip.

This reduction in handle will lead to even lower purses at Fairplex next year which will then lead to less competitive races and Pedroza riding favorites at an even higher clip than this year.

The last thing the industry should be doing is honoring these riders and bestowing on them all these awards.

The other thing I have never understood is why the riders in No Cal continue to give Baze room when he is in tight with horses especially considering the fact that he does not return the favor to other jockeys. If I was a rider at Golden Gate and saw that Baze was trying to squeeze through a hole, I would do everything in my power to shut him off and if he goes down, so be it.

Why are they racing at Hollywood instead of Santa Anita for the Oak tree meet?

Cast aside by MI Developments in May when Santa Anita's parent company voided their lease, Oak Tree officials reached a deal with Santa Anita in June to hold its meet for one final year in 2010 at the Arcadia track.

That agreement hit a snag, though, in August when the Thoroughbred Owners of California and the California Thoroughbred Trainers balked at holding this year's meet at Santa Anita because of concerns about the safety of its synthetic track. The California Horse Racing Board subsequently denied Oak Tree's request to race at Santa Anita this year, necessitating the move across town. Oak Tree and Hollywood Park also have a deal in place for 2011, pending the CHRB's ruling on who'll receive the fall dates next year - Santa Anita or Oak Tree.

Read more: http://www.sgvtribune.com/sports/ci_...#ixzz117uTO0cR

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**gtkid911** · 10-01-10, 12:30 PM

Bejarano can definitely bring in the good horses but the bad ones are just a pass for me.

**Brewers in 7** · 10-01-10, 04:31 PM

Originally posted by mtneer1212

Why are they racing at Hollywood instead of Santa Anita for the Oak tree meet?

I think it has something to do with the track surface at Santa Anita

**gtkid911** · 10-02-10, 12:13 AM

Nah Stronach just didnt want to lend Oak Tree a free meet and next year he wants to compete for those dates.

**ok now what** · 10-02-10, 12:58 AM

I seem to remember something about rocks getting into/forming in the surface at Santa Anita. Not kidding.

I'd like to see a return to dirt, but tapeta seems all right. I only lately learned there's more than a couple kinds of synthetic. Obviously, they (the Calif. tracks) mostly bought the wrong ones. Let's assume they went cheap. Sure seems that way. . .

**Richkas** · 10-02-10, 07:33 AM

I have made tons of cash off of Rafael and my man Russell. They didnt use to call bay meadows, baze meadows for nothing.

plus I dont wish no jockey ggets trampled.

**andywend** · 10-02-10, 08:37 AM

I have made tons of cash off of Rafael and my man Russell. They didnt use to call bay meadows, baze meadows for nothing.

In their entire careers, I highly doubt either Bejarano or Baze's mounts resulted in a flat bet profit at years end as their mounts are always overbet.

Therefore, your claim that you have made "tons of cash off of them" has to be a work of fiction.

**zebra58** · 10-02-10, 10:53 AM

Originally posted by mproud1

I love it when Russ the Puss comes in to ride at Santa Anita for a big race & gets OWNED!! I bet all the riders are out to beat him knowing he just makes free money at GG.

r baze has 3 mounts at oaktree today, i'm trying him maybe exotics w/p

god luck mproud

**zebra58** · 10-02-10, 11:21 AM

Originally posted by andywend

In their entire careers, I highly doubt either Bejarano or Baze's mounts resulted in a flat bet profit at years end as their mounts are always overbet.

Therefore, your claim that you have made "tons of cash off of them" has to be a work of fiction.

bejarano started turfway park & owned that track, don't know the numbers but i'd say yas to flat rate profit,