Catch Driver Selection?

[Meadow Ford]

In the 80's/90's like most trainers I started using more and more catch drivers.
I would always ask the owner not who do you want to drive your horse, but who do you not want to drive your horse and why
Here are four possible answers as why they did not want so and so to drive their horse.
To Much Foul Language
To Much Whipping
I am afraid, if he likes my horse he will have one of his other trainers claim it.
No Driving Ability
For fun guess what answer of the four I got the most and what answer I never got.

Here is what my small sample of mid-west owners said.
Most owners left that choice up to me.
One owner said
"Please don't put that foul mouth so and so up. I don't want him coming up and asking my wife or friends how the f   are you".
Another said.
"I don't want to be associated with anyone that talks like  mother is only half a word".
Another said.
"Please don't put up so and so to cut and slash my horses".
Another said.
"I am afraid if so and so drives and likes my horse he will have one of his bigger clients claim it".
No owner ever said.
I know so and so wins a lot of races, but I don't think he has any driving skills".

I do know that all the wives, daughters, and girl friends wanted Dave Magee to drive their horse.
Why?
So they might get the opportunity to hug and squeeze him like a little Teddy Bear.

[Fuguzzi]

OOOOOOOOK

[jupiter]

That was the end of Tommy, as a catch driver, still got to drive Pershing Square, but he wasn't happy about it. After Billy was gone, some owners left like rats from a sinking ship. Lost some good horses , not the same after WRH died.

[Fuguzzi]

Virtually all their owners it is true. Not the same ballgame without Billy at the sales. His eyes and hands and "windpipe trick" with the yearlings was lost when we lost him. Still one of the greatest horseman and people and gentleman the sport will ever see and it will always be that way.

[Superfecta]

I respect Haughton going to the catch driver. Lou Guida was not my cup of tea, especially given his association with Morty Finder who was a degenerate scumbag. Can still picture him at the 52nd street OTB in Manhattan sucking up to the wiseguys who were part of that crew with Rene P. Wont mention names. Finder would wear Wall street suits with converse and look like a pariah. As for Nihilator, flat out monster  I think he could beat his daddy in a heartbeat. 12 wins outta 13 at 2   First horse to earn 3 million   Most money ever earned in stakes races at the time and on and on   Always reminded me of Whata baron

I remember Morty Finder at the Cloud Casino. He had the first table on the finish line. Wasn’t shy at the window.

As for pop and son, I would bet on Niatross. Nothing against your monster but I always felt his connections hand picked every race.

[Fuguzzi]

Wait a second...How do you earn 3 million plus in those days, win 12 out of 13 at 2, set numerous track and world records and win the most stakes money ever IF YOU ARE HANDPICKING EVERY RACE? Nihilator may be forgotten about by now in the annals of racing but he was one of the greatest pacers to ever wear a bridle.

[Superfecta]

Wait a second...How do you earn 3 million plus in those days, win 12 out of 13 at 2, set numerous track and world records and win the most stakes money ever IF YOU ARE HANDPICKING EVERY RACE? Nihilator may be forgotten about by now in the annals of racing but he was one of the greatest pacers to ever wear a bridle.

Yes. One of the greatest ever. In my book Niatross was the greatest ever.
My book has Michael Jorden as greatest. Many think it’s Lebron. Mario Lemaux is my greatest ever. Most feel it’s Gretzky. There isn’t any right or wrong. Just our opinions. Red Man, greatest ever 

[Fuguzzi]

ok buddy   Michael Jordan yes  Lemiuex no   Gretzky has twice as many goals as the next higher scorer  Only sport in history this has happened. There was a time   along time where Niatross was greatest ever  That time is no more   Would he transcend to any era without a doubt. But I have seen horses notably 3 he wpould have trouble with.  Carmine greatest ever? You are cute but he isnt even close. Tell me about his Meadowlands and Grand Circuit achievements. There are none.  Just to remind you, i raced horses in a partnership with Carmine under Jack Tashjiand and Robbie Soegelman for several years  He may have a soft spot in your heart but he was not the greatest ever  You have to realize that while they were competing, Herve and Buddy were better drivers and horseman than Carmine     Hope we are still friends

[Fuguzzi]

To me the greatness of Niatross is how he overcame his trainer, driver, asst trainer and groom to become the first to break !.50


Abysmal sire too except, basically, for Nihilator

[Open bridle]

Yes. One of the greatest ever. In my book Niatross was the greatest ever.
My book has Michael Jorden as greatest. Many think it’s Lebron. Mario Lemaux is my greatest ever. Most feel it’s Gretzky. There isn’t any right or wrong. Just our opinions. Red Man, greatest ever 

Jordan was the greatest basketball player of my lifetime. Lebron never learned the fundamentals of defense.  Niatross and Secretariat were the Jordans of the horse world. 

[old guy]

 

ok buddy   Michael Jordan yes  Lemiuex no   Gretzky has twice as many goals as the next higher scorer  Only sport in history this has happened. There was a time   along time where Niatross was greatest ever  That time is no more   Would he transcend to any era without a doubt. But I have seen horses notably 3 he wpould have trouble with.  Carmine greatest ever? You are cute but he isnt even close. Tell me about his Meadowlands and Grand Circuit achievements. There are none.  Just to remind you, i raced horses in a partnership with Carmine under Jack Tashjiand and Robbie Soegelman for several years  He may have a soft spot in your heart but he was not the greatest ever  You have to realize that while they were competing,

Herve and Buddy were better drivers and horseman than Carmine     Hope we are still friends

Wow Hadn’t thought of Jack Tashian in years.

[Superfecta]

ok buddy   Michael Jordan yes  Lemiuex no   Gretzky has twice as many goals as the next higher scorer  Only sport in history this has happened. There was a time   along time where Niatross was greatest ever  That time is no more   Would he transcend to any era without a doubt. But I have seen horses notably 3 he wpould have trouble with.  Carmine greatest ever? You are cute but he isnt even close. Tell me about his Meadowlands and Grand Circuit achievements. There are none.  Just to remind you, i raced horses in a partnership with Carmine under Jack Tashjiand and Robbie Soegelman for several years  He may have a soft spot in your heart but he was not the greatest ever  You have to realize that while they were competing, Herve and Buddy were better drivers and horseman than Carmine     Hope we are still friends

Yes, still friends.
You can’t go by just points. They are almost equal. The Great One averaged 1.92 points per game. Mario 1.88
Assists were 1.32 Wayne to 1.12 Mario per game.
Mario had a 0.75 goals per game average. I don’t know what Wayne’s number was but it wasn’t higher because Mike Bossy was #1 at 0.76
Mario had back issues and Hodgkin’s lymphoma shorten his career.
And while we are on hockey, someone needs to tell Barry Trots that Mike Bossy was the greatest goal scorer ever and it’s not Alexander Ovechkin. 

[Fuguzzi]

GRETZKY   894 GOALS
               1963 ASSISTS

               2857 Total points


This dwarfs everyone on the list by 1000 or more   Thats what i was saying it is scary

Greatest ever


Lemieux  11th all time  1700=+   1100 points behind WG

[Superfecta]

GRETZKY   894 GOALS
               1963 ASSISTS

               2857 Total points


This dwarfs everyone on the list by 1000 or more   Thats what i was saying it is scary

Greatest ever


Lemieux  11th all time  1700=+   1100 points behind WG

He played twice as many games as Mario.

[Fuguzzi]

Endurance is the other half of greatness