Author Topic: should regular raceway drivers be----  (Read 2809 times)

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rainman2

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should regular raceway drivers be----
« on: July 22, 2024, 09:14:02 PM »
driving 2 years olds [whether stakes races or not]?  Raceway drivers are racing horses that are fully broken in and ready to race.  Young horses mostly 2-year-olds and a few 3-year-olds are green. You see them 'bobbling' in a race (not pacing/trotting/but not galloping). Experienced drivers know what to do while raceway drivers drive on.
Comments on insight please 

jupiter

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Re: should regular raceway drivers be----
« Reply #1 on: July 23, 2024, 02:59:09 PM »
YOU pick the driver you use, so it's your choice. Are you saying there should be a criteria to drive 2 yr old's in overnights and stake races. That's absurd, I started racing 2 yr olds as soon as I got my license, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. I drove anything, that's the way you learn. You can get selective if you're lucky. In the past you had to have an "A" license to drive at the Big M and Garden State. NO place else, that I know of. I would have loved the judges in NY tell my father I couldn't drive one of our 2 yr old's in the NYSS.

Harness racer

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Re: should regular raceway drivers be----
« Reply #2 on: July 23, 2024, 04:20:48 PM »
Post was complete nonsense.  Where would all these “qualified” drivers come from when multiple stakes were occurring all over the place?

rainman2

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Re: should regular raceway drivers be----
« Reply #3 on: July 23, 2024, 04:49:33 PM »
Post was complete nonsense.  Where would all these “qualified” drivers come from when multiple stakes were occurring all over the place?

Sorry you feel this way about the post.

There are more ridiculous posts than this on horseplop.

Thank you for your concern.

Grandstand Handicapper

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Re: should regular raceway drivers be----
« Reply #4 on: July 23, 2024, 07:41:09 PM »
Top drivers, the best drivers in the game, at any point in time, were/are well qualified to drive 2yo's. From the Campbell/O'Donnell days when catch-driving really took on a life of it's own, to Mike Lachance, to Ron Pierce, to George Brennan, Brian Sears, and Dave Miller.....all of them are excellent horsemen and all of them knew how to drive 2yo's.....from educating them, teaching them, getting them to develop, to stakes races. They knew. There were drivers who many people felt were, not better, but more focused on it, perhaps specialized in certain aspects of it. Up north, Trevor Ritchie was a perfect example, and Steve Condren in later years. I can't tell you how many trainers asked Jim Doherty, not to drive, but to sit behind their 2yo's. Sonny Patterson Jr. was not only a trotting specialist, but also got a lot of business on trotting 2yo's.

Today, you can look at a case-by-case basis, but I wouldn't take for granted that every top driver has great, extensive experience training horses.....meanin g actually trained, managed, and ran a stable for an extended period of time. When Joe Bongiorno started driving, and doing well.....was he an excellent horseman? Because he grew up around his dad's barn? Because he sat behind horses when he was a little kid? Because he trained horses before? BS. That kid didn't know squat. He was not a horseman. What experience did he had baby-racing and driving 2yo's.....nevertheles s training them? Come on. There are many drivers today who are good horseman. I also think there are some who are not.

rainman2

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Re: should regular raceway drivers be----
« Reply #5 on: July 23, 2024, 09:15:04 PM »
Top drivers, the best drivers in the game, at any point in time, were/are well qualified to drive 2yo's. From the Campbell/O'Donnell days when catch-driving really took on a life of it's own, to Mike Lachance, to Ron Pierce, to George Brennan, Brian Sears, and Dave Miller.....all of them are excellent horsemen and all of them knew how to drive 2yo's.....from educating them, teaching them, getting them to develop, to stakes races. They knew. There were drivers who many people felt were, not better, but more focused on it, perhaps specialized in certain aspects of it. Up north, Trevor Ritchie was a perfect example, and Steve Condren in later years. I can't tell you how many trainers asked Jim Doherty, not to drive, but to sit behind their 2yo's. Sonny Patterson Jr. was not only a trotting specialist, but also got a lot of business on trotting 2yo's.

Today, you can look at a case-by-case basis, but I wouldn't take for granted that every top driver has great, extensive experience training horses.....meanin g actually trained, managed, and ran a stable for an extended period of time. When Joe Bongiorno started driving, and doing well.....was he an excellent horseman? Because he grew up around his dad's barn? Because he sat behind horses when he was a little kid? Because he trained horses before? BS. That kid didn't know squat. He was not a horseman. What experience did he had baby-racing and driving 2yo's.....nevertheles s training them? Come on. There are many drivers today who are good horseman. I also think there are some who are not.

Would anyone let Joe Bongiorno drive a (green) 2 year old?
Joe drives them hard and can be a raceway menace (danger) driving raceway stock.

simplify

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Re: should regular raceway drivers be----
« Reply #6 on: July 25, 2024, 09:33:26 AM »
What is your definition of a "raceway" driver?

As on owner I'm going my horse to whoever gives it the best chance to win. Pretty simple.

Calhoun

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Re: should regular raceway drivers be----
« Reply #7 on: July 25, 2024, 10:57:30 AM »
IDK about 2 year olds .

But I vote yes on breathalyzer testing

wiseowl

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Re: should regular raceway drivers be----
« Reply #8 on: July 25, 2024, 11:07:47 AM »
It is getting crazy you got to be a special driver to drive a two year old please stop the goofy posts.

Parked

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Re: should regular raceway drivers be----
« Reply #9 on: July 25, 2024, 11:45:24 AM »
Old saying..
You can’t drive a good horse bad and you can’t drive a bad horse good….

rainman2

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Re: should regular raceway drivers be----
« Reply #10 on: July 25, 2024, 05:42:14 PM »
It is getting crazy you got to be a special driver to drive a two year old please stop the goofy posts.

FYI, many other 'goofier' posts on horseplop.

Thanx for a response.

 

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