HANDICAPPING HEROES - HOT JOCKEYS AT CHURCHILL -- BOX OFFICE WOES

THE HOT JOCKEY

One of the angles that a Handicapper uses is who the "Hot Jockeys" are riding in a race. By "Hot Jockeys" we mean those who have been winning or hitting the board well lately, not a reference to their temperature and weather conditions affecting them.

How does a particular jockey end up on a particular horse? There are several ways this can happen.

Jockeys have agents who work the backsides of tracks soliciting rides from trainers for their clients. A jockey himself might do the same for himself and they're not shy about asking for a return ride on a horse the next time out, also.

Trainers and owners may desire a particular rider that has ridden the horse before or for the barn and actively seek this rider to ride for them on their horse. Some stables and trainers have a "A" list...a jockey that normally gets "the call" for riding their mounts. Some have "B" lists as well, in case that barn has two horses running in a race or that "A" jockey is unavailable.

Some riders prefer certain tracks and may not be able to travel to another track due to riding commitments where they are or they just may not want to travel across the country to ride a race or two and then have to fly back to their home track. Sometimes, it can even evolve to "pickup" mounts...where a scheduled rider cannot get to a track to ride a specific race because of travel snafus or a recent injury or situation that prevents them from accepting the ride. Then, a trainer usually goes to the available "jockey colony" at a track and selects one that is available. A "pickup" as it were.

Races present obstacles to no matter who is on a horse, traffic problems, speed duels, slow paces, track conditions and the like. So, it seems, sometimes no matter who is on board...their success can change as the race unfolds.

As Churchill continues with the 2018 Spring Meet, who are the "hot" jockeys currently and how are they doing?

Two riders are having quite the successful meet so far:

BRIAN HERNANDEZ, JR has met with a great deal of success in his rides. He leads Churchill with 16 wins. When you consider he's ridden 60 horses, that's a 27% win ratio and that is tops for Churchill among regular riders. He's also finished "in the money" (second or third) 12 additional times, which gives him a 46% in the money ratio. You might want to pay attention to who he's aboard during your next visit to the facility on Central Ave. He's been a popular rider at Churchill for several years now and a likable fella as well!

COREY LANERIE has also met with success during the Spring Meet. He has 13 wins, second best in the Churchill jockey colony, in 73 attempts. That's a 17% win percentage. He's also had 14 "place" efforts and 12 "show" results, which is an impressive 55% in the money ratio. Lanerie has been a popular jockey beneath the Twin Spires for numerous years now and is another rider that you might be aware of when he's riding. Corey is a popular pick, from what I hear, in bettor "show" pools, where people bet on a horse to show, hope he wins, and then roll the money over to the next race.



The two jockeys  mentioned above are also the top two when it comes to "rides" in the Spring Meet. A couple of other riders, who haven't had as many mounts, aren't doing too badly, either. RICARDO SANTANA has participated in 53 races and has 8 wins...for a 15% win ratio. JULIAN LEPAROUX has piloted 39 horses so far this spring and also has 8 wins, for a 21% win number. Santana has a 35% in the money success rate and Leparoux checks in at a 46% in the money record.

A tip is making sure that the jockey listed to ride a horse in the program or racing form is actually on board. The track does a great job of informing you of any jockey changes and you should always checkout the "post parade" to make sure that the rider/horse combination is what the program says it is. Sometimes you'll see, in races that have "also eligible" horses listed...or multiple scratches in a contest...a change. Like where Lanerie, for example might be listed on two horse in a 13 horse field.
Always make sure of the rider.

The "hot jockey" angle has it's merits but cannot be depended on solely when handicapping a race. It is, though, an important tool when putting together multi-race tickets. Recently, I played a small, in terms of investment dollars, Pick 4 that included all four jockeys mentioned here in the race sequences and walked away after the sequences with over a $200 profit. So many other things that one must consider when handicapping a race make it a true study and thorough analysis. Each handicapper has a format that they try to follow. Adopt your own and see how it works for you. If it isn't successful, you can always change it up a bit.


COMPLAINTS ABOUT LINES

I did hear from several patrons about the incredibly long wait on Mother's Day to get tickets to enter the track. Accounts of standing in line at the Box Office window for 30 minutes or longer to purchase track admission tickets and the new "scanning" procedure at the gate aren't making patrons very happy at all.

There are ways to circumvent that. Purchase your tickets on line and print them out. You can avoid the Box Office that way. Go to MY CHURCHILL DOWNS ACCOUNT or TICKETMASTER to do this. The link below will get you there:

PURCHASE CHURCHILL DOWNS TICKETS

If you have a large group attending, you can also call group sales at 502.636.4450 and they'll gladly assist you with admission and even dining at the track.

I did receive a rather upset e-mail about the Box Office having only three windows open at the Longfield lot entrance and the lines being over 100 people deep. The e-mailer reminisced about the days when you could just walk up, hand the cashier a few bucks at the gate and get in the track.

I'm not sure why Churchill went to the scanning procedure and policy but will surmise that it has to
due with security concerns and a better tracking method of who's attending.

Let's face it, we live in a "nervous" society these days and the track is concerned about your safety while there. Is there a better way to do it? If you have a suggestion, give Churchill a call and explain it to them. They'll gladly listen to all ideas, complaints and recounts of your "Day At The Races". You can also go online to do this or use your Churchill Downs mobile app.

Sonja and I did attend Mother's Day at the track and did witness the long lines at the Box Office as we walked up to the admission gate. We, fortunately, had our passes in advance and the procedure to get in wasn't too complicated at all to go through the checkpoints.

Managing your tickets through your My Churchill Downs Account is convenient, simple, secure, and allows you the ultimate flexibility in using your seats. To log in to your My Churchill Downs Account via a desktop computer, use your account ID or an email address on your account. If you are logging in via a mobile device or app, you must use the primary email address on your account. If you do not know your password, click on “Forgot Your Password?” to have a temporary password emailed to you. If your temporary password does not work, your account may be locked due to inactivity. Once logged in, you may change your password through the edit my profile link on the home page. If you have any questions or issues, please contact your account representative, email to onlinetickets@kyderby.com, or call 502-636-4400 for customer service.


Have a great week!

Paulie
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Ellis Park approaches -- Strong Jockey Colony Returning

Ellis Park will kick off their 2017 Summer meet with a bang...so to speak...on Saturday, July 1st and run thru Monday, Sept. 4th. The Henderson, KY track has survived a few rough years during Churchill Downs previous ownership...and has now become a spot that a lot of Churchill trainers send their charges to compete in dirt and turf racing. 

One of the things that Churchill Downs goers will find familiar is the jockey colony that rides at Ellis. Corey Lanerie returns for a second year after spending his summers previously at Saratoga. He's the leading rider currently at Churchill as their meet winds down to the final three days. Robby Albarado will also takes his whip to "The Pea Patch"...a popular nickname for Ellis...where soybeans are grown in the infield. Add in Brian Hernandez, Jr., Miguel Mena, Jon Court, Chris Landeros, Didiel Osorio, James Graham, Calvin Borel and Channing Hill and you have 10 of the top 15 jockeys in the standings at Churchill headed to the track off US 41. 

Top trainers also choose to barn their thoroughbreds at Ellis also. Steve Asmussen, Brad Cox, Dale Romans, Michael Maker, Kenny McPeek and William Bradley will all have runners during the Friday, Saturday and Sunday racing calendar. They comprise six out of the top ten trainers at Churchill currently. Local favorites Paul McGee and Joe Sharp also participate in the Ellis meet....as well as many others who run at the Twin Spires. 

Ellis has also brought in Joe Kristufek as the track analyst...he holds the same position at Churchill. Ellis has also moved a number of stakes races to Sunday...so that the jockeys and trainers who may opt to go to Saratoga, Chicago and New Orleans for big Saturday stakes can still get back and be competitive at Ellis with promising two-years olds and such. The money available to win for owners has improved each of the several last years and is an incentive to stay around the area instead of taking your chances at Saratoga or Monmouth. 

Ellis is also close to Indiana Downs and Hoosier Park...so there will continue to be an influx of top runners and trainers there that won't hesitate to make the 3 hour van ride with their runners to compete. 

Ron Geary purchased the track from Churchill Downs back in 2006...just months after a tornado destroyed several building on the grounds.  Churchill, who had owned the track for a decade, had done away with some of the traditions that had existed before, shortened the racing schedule and even stopped growing soybeans out in the infield. They were considering closing the facility altogether...but Geary had a vision. The few couple of years were rough...but Geary prevailed...bringing popular Churchill tracck announcer Luke Kruytbosch for a couple of meets before Luke's untimely death in 2008. 

He also added video gaming terminals as an option for gamblers, a move that has proven to be profitable for tracks who have installed them. 

The one thing Geary believes he has accomplished is creating a family-friendly environment with free admission, Sunday Dollar Days at the concession stands and the addition of wiener dog, ostrich and camel races.

Now entering his 12th meet as the track owner, it wasn't until five years ago mostly because of the addition of Instant Racing casino-style games and a partnership with Saratoga Casino and Raceway in New York that Geary began to feel like the track was on the right path again.

Ellis has survived the rough stretches. The summer meet could be the most successful in terms of profitability that the track has ever seen. 

Not bad for a place that has soybeans instead of mint juleps in their infield...


paulie
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