Thanks for the replies, guys.
I think Mikki Sixx looks fabulous so far. Should be able to string a few more wins before tasting defeat. Could be anything. A bird in G Mc's hand is worth two in the Bush.
As for Hudon, my long time best friend and a terrific handicapper, Maywood Mike, thinks less of him than you three if that is possible. Refuses to even consider betting him under any circumstances. He would consider any driver change a significant upgrade.
Although I'm not a big Hudon fan, I'm not afraid to bet him IF I like the horse a lot, odds are decent, and the race sets up right. Phil is very good at one thing. He can "make speed" any place in a race, leaving, mid race brushing or closing from the clouds. Most horses he drives GO for him. But since he rarely drives one of the favorites, he needs to time his moves perfectly to have any chance. He isn't the greatest tactician. Rarely gets a second over trip. Tends to overdrive a lot of the time. And spends way too much time worrying about other horses in the stretch. Instead of concentrating on his horse, he is always looking around. I swear that one of these days his head will unscrew and roll down the track.
