Mario o' Mario, please go back to Maryland o' Mario!

NoLuvForPletch · #1 02-19-2008, 07:45 AM

Anyone care to take on the task of explaining what Mr Pino was thinking in the 8th at Aqueduct yesterday (Feb 18)? He must've been watching the series premiere of KNIGHT RIDER (which might be off the air before the Gotham, that is how bad it was) the night before and thought he was driving KITT because the only way he was going to win from where he put that horse was to hit Turbo Boost and go over them. How does he not angle out at the 1/16 pole once clear of the horse to his outside?

fpsoxfan · #2 02-19-2008, 08:05 AM

Yeah that was a real thing of beauty. Most certainly gets second and maybe even wins if not for that brilliant move. There has been some real comical rides in the past few weeks at the ole inner track.

NoLuvForPletch · #3 02-19-2008, 08:35 AM

What I find to be most scary is the way it looked to me was Laysh Laysh Laysh seemed to realize there were horses in front of him and started to drift out on his own and I can swear that Pino keeps him inside.

jms62 · #4 02-19-2008, 11:19 AM

Yes he was looking to tightrope the rail like Phillipe Petit. A horrific ride to say the least...

blackthroatedwind · #5 02-19-2008, 11:25 AM

I don't know, I have a much different take on this horse than you guys. He was moving OK on the inside, and while it wasn't as heavily a biased track yesterday as many other days, I applaud Pino for staying inside. Basically, I think Laysh Laysh Laysh got as close as he did because of the ride he was given, and it wasn't until very late that he actually got close to winning. Had he been swung outside, and in the clear, I'm far from convinced he would have been able to have made up the same kind of ground, and thus it wouldn't have mattered that he had room. You can't have everything and to me knocking Pino in this instance is misplaced frustration.

Mario Pino was obviously encouraged to come to NY because of the utter incompetence of the riding community, especially with the track being as heavily biased as it has been, and has been specifically instructed to stay inside. He has done that well, and perhaps he got a little punished for that yesterday, though in the big picture I don't believe so, but overall he was trying to do the right thing. To me, criticizing yesterday's ride is not looking at the big picture.

jms62 · #6 02-19-2008, 11:29 AM

But there was nowhere to go , it seemed to me that he had to check late in order to avoid running up the back of the other 2. Don't you think that he should have moved to the 3 path late ?

blackthroatedwind · #7 02-19-2008, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jms62

But there was nowhere to go , it seemed to me that he had to check late in order to avoid running up the back of the other 2. Don't you think that he should have moved to the 3 path late ?

And how exactly was he supposed to do that?

jms62 · #8 02-19-2008, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

And how exactly was he supposed to do that?

I'd have to watch again but I thought he had the opportunity inside the final furlong. Of course being 5'11 and 205 my jock skills are limited.. At best...

NoLuvForPletch · #9 02-19-2008, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

And how exactly was he supposed to do that?

Andy, watch the race again. He is clear of Law N Dora about 5 jumps outside of the 1/16 pole and starts off the rail but for some reason doesn't get him out. Laysh Laysh Laysh is under wraps for the last 8 jumps.

#10 02-19-2008, 11:30 AM

You mean to tell me that Elliott, Mirage, and Garcia are frauds? Say it ain't so, Andy!!

blackthroatedwind · #11 02-19-2008, 11:35 AM

I guess one could argue that there was a moment around the sixteenth pole where he could have, and should have, angled outside as he cleared the fourth finisher. It seems like he committed inside into the stretch, for whatever reason, and he stuck to it.

I can see the argument saying he would have been better off moving outside. Perhaps Pino overcommited.

asudevil · #12 03-01-2008, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoLuvForPletch

Anyone care to take on the task of explaining what Mr Pino was thinking in the 8th at Aqueduct yesterday (Feb 18)? He must've been watching the series premiere of KNIGHT RIDER (which might be off the air before the Gotham, that is how bad it was) the night before and thought he was driving KITT because the only way he was going to win from where he put that horse was to hit Turbo Boost and go over them. How does he not angle out at the 1/16 pole once clear of the horse to his outside?

Did today change your mind?

Cajungator26 · #13 03-01-2008, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asudevil

Did today change your mind?

I had a feeling someone was going to bring this up.

NoLuvForPletch · #14 03-02-2008, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asudevil

Did today change your mind?

Okay, he can stay. Is that what you wanted me to say?

But seriously, I'm pretty sure ANYBODY would have won the Stymie today aboard Malibu Moonshine. The horse was too slow to keep up and can run 2 miles if he wanted to. The other two horse were done after 3/4's. I thought he'd win by 10 when they turned for home. You can't seriously think that ride was some kind of genius on his part?

And by the way, in case you didn't see the races, his ride on AJ Kids was a thing of beauty, being 6 wide on the turn. If he got caught I'm sure you wouldn't be asking me these questions.

And he almost got taken down on Lee Stewart with some savy left handed whip action nearing the wire as his horse drifted out pretty good.

blackthroatedwind · #15 03-02-2008, 10:33 AM

He wasn't six wide on the turn with AJ's Kids. He was two wide for most of the turn and angled four wide late on the turn and was forced/bumped out wider into the stretch. I thought he rode that horse fine.

I also think he should have been DQ'd in the first race.

NoLuvForPletch · #16 03-02-2008, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

He wasn't six wide on the turn with AJ's Kids. He was two wide for most of the turn and angled four wide late on the turn and was forced/bumped out wider into the stretch. I thought he rode that horse fine.

I also think he should have been DQ'd in the first race.

Don't really want to argue with YOU, but he looks like he's about 5 wide when they get to the 5/16ths pole, then gets bumped wider as they approach the quarter pole. Of course, I'm not in a blimp over top of them so there is really no way to see.

He won, so it's really a non issue I guess...

PSH · #17 03-02-2008, 11:45 AM

I also think he should have been DQ'd in the first race.[/quote]

I could not believe they kept him up and there was also no inquiry by the stewarts. Jockey claim of foul and they kept him up. Glad they did as it did help me out in the DD....

Makes you wonder how they keep a horse like that up and take down some of the ones that they do...

asudevil · #18 03-01-2008, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

What happened today that would change his mind?

5 Lee Stewart Pino M G 123 6.90 4.20 2.90

9 A J Kids Pino M G 120 22.60 11.60 8.70

1 Malibu Moonshine Pino M G 115 31.60 10.20

The Bid · #19 03-01-2008, 11:20 PM

Pinheads are only as good as the last ride they give. Hes fine for the night, he will resume being a goat around 1pm tomorrow.

blackthroatedwind · #20 03-01-2008, 11:21 PM

He rode them fine.....two were the best in bad fields and one got a great set up. He didn't do anything remarkable with any of them.....just as he hasn't done nearly as much wrong as some seem to think.....at least in my opinion. Being the second best rider at Aqueduct right now isn't a lot to be excited about.

Frankly, Pino is what most of these guys aren't....a professional jockey. I say this as a compliment. He doesn't get left a majority of the time ( see Rajiv Maragh ), he tries to save ground when possible ( unlike Norberto Arroyo among others ) and he displays a reasonable sense of patience. He rates to win, like today, when given the opportunity.