Author Topic: Serious question about driver and horse  (Read 3259 times)

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Sweet Louis

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Serious question about driver and horse
« on: October 04, 2023, 12:29:03 AM »
There are debates weekly here about what drivers are top notch and which aren't but what makes 1 driver so much better on a horse than any other? My point is like when Pierce took over Sweet Lou he was a different horse on the track almost unbeatable...now Roy gets on Tattoo Artist and he's looking like hes almost unbeatable where other top guys who drove him never got these type of consistent races and results...now most will say Roy isn't a top level driver and I'm not arguing that but why is he able to do this with Tattoo when other couldn't? Again I'm not arguing Roy's talents but what's he doing that's getting TA to race like this every time he's on? Do some guys just have a relationship with a horse that suits the horse or what is it.

Chips N Salsa

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Re: Serious question about driver and horse
« Reply #1 on: October 04, 2023, 12:42:16 AM »
Pierce was a step up but Roy isn't the difference on Tattoo Artist Dr. Ian "Drugs" Moore is!

MIKE CAMPBELL

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Re: Serious question about driver and horse
« Reply #2 on: October 04, 2023, 01:13:31 AM »
Sometimes it is timing. Horse gets his act together the same time a new driver gets on board. Some think it was the driver that made the difference but in reality, it was the horse getting over an ailment, maybe the weather change, maybe the trainer made a change in diet, prerace, worked differently and it just coincided with a driver change. I've been around long enough to know most times when your horse wins a race, it is 95% because of the horse.

Fuguzzi

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Re: Serious question about driver and horse
« Reply #3 on: October 04, 2023, 01:16:22 AM »
If you and I put our heads together I'll bet we could come up with 200 guys who would get beat on SBSW.

MIKE CAMPBELL

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Re: Serious question about driver and horse
« Reply #4 on: October 04, 2023, 01:20:23 AM »
If you and I put our heads together I'll bet we could come up with 200 guys who would get beat on SBSW.
Sure, but over a span of 30 races I bet any driver would win most times on a horse like him.

Fuguzzi

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Re: Serious question about driver and horse
« Reply #5 on: October 04, 2023, 09:35:04 AM »
Sure, but over a span of 30 races I bet any driver would win most times on a horse like him.
You are right. they'd just be passengers.

Generation XYZ

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Re: Serious question about driver and horse
« Reply #6 on: October 04, 2023, 09:37:32 AM »
There are debates weekly here about what drivers are top notch and which aren't but what makes 1 driver so much better on a horse than any other? My point is like when Pierce took over Sweet Lou he was a different horse on the track almost unbeatable...now Roy gets on Tattoo Artist and he's looking like hes almost unbeatable where other top guys who drove him never got these type of consistent races and results...now most will say Roy isn't a top level driver and I'm not arguing that but why is he able to do this with Tattoo when other couldn't? Again I'm not arguing Roy's talents but what's he doing that's getting TA to race like this every time he's on? Do some guys just have a relationship with a horse that suits the horse or what is it.

There are factually some drivers that can make a horse more at ease, and relax during a race.  Definitely a connection of sorts.
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Fuguzzi

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Re: Serious question about driver and horse
« Reply #7 on: October 04, 2023, 09:39:01 AM »
There are factually some drivers that can make a horse more at ease, and relax during a race.  Definitely a connection of sorts.
Here are some  Herve, Buddy, Hennessey, Sonny Patterson, Jeff Gregory, Pierce

Generation XYZ

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Re: Serious question about driver and horse
« Reply #8 on: October 04, 2023, 09:40:31 AM »
Here are some  Herve, Buddy, Hennessey, Sonny Patterson, Jeff Gregory, Pierce

On the flipside Campbell could light up a lazy horse into a solid race horse behind the gate.
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Fuguzzi

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Re: Serious question about driver and horse
« Reply #9 on: October 04, 2023, 09:50:56 AM »
On the flipside Campbell could light up a lazy horse into a solid race horse behind the gate.
Walter, Yannick, Rejean, Luc and dare I say it, Rene Poulin!  Yes, a degenerate fuck up but as he used to say himself " I can leave outta there"! He could fire one up,

Bitter Truth

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Re: Serious question about driver and horse
« Reply #10 on: October 04, 2023, 10:20:21 AM »
Not a big-time driver either but Stephen Bouchard is another driver that could roll one..Tattoo Artist seems [haven't really researched it] to have been somewhat streaky in his career..When he's right, he's really good.

Fuguzzi

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Re: Serious question about driver and horse
« Reply #11 on: October 04, 2023, 11:43:13 AM »
Not a big-time driver either but Stephen Bouchard is another driver that could roll one..Tattoo Artist seems [haven't really researched it] to have been somewhat streaky in his career..When he's right, he's really good.
Don't kill me but I thing Stephane Bouchard was the worst driver in history to ever somehow lead the YR drivers standings. Not saying he couldn't drive and yes he got em off the gate good, but WTH. The guy was like 1 for his lifetime at the Big M and do you remember after he left YR he resurfaced at Saratoga and was like literally 1 for 100. A guy I knew who hated him would update me daily as his loss total climbed. Where is he now.   Just saying if you go back 50 years of all the guys who ever won driving titles at YR  Carmine, Herve, Lachance, Luc, Case. Brennan. Bartlett    Bouchard was the weakest.

Mailbox Money

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Re: Serious question about driver and horse
« Reply #12 on: October 04, 2023, 12:42:18 PM »
All animals either like somebody or they don't, horses are the same. Every driver projects an Ora that the horses sense. It could be the tone of his voice or the bit pressure.

Bitter Truth

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Re: Serious question about driver and horse
« Reply #13 on: October 04, 2023, 12:46:08 PM »
Thus the 'Not a big-time driver' prefacing on my comment..duh..Jus t comments were made about drivers leaving with horses..He fits the bill.

Parked

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Re: Serious question about driver and horse
« Reply #14 on: October 04, 2023, 12:52:14 PM »
Bouchard was injured when driving at Saratoga.  A lame horse was on top / went down and Bouchard went over him. Much like the recent wreck. I think Bouchard broke his neck and/or his back.  Never drove again.  He drove some for me and I had no complaints. 

 

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