Pound for Pound – Toughest Athletes

by Ed Meyer

posted on August 20, 2019 in Blogroll, General Discussion, Horse Racing, WinningPonies.com | No Comments >>

Image may contain: one or more people, people riding on horses, horse and outdoor

 

We’re all guilty. – You know, when your big bet looses and you’re questioning the ride by the jockey. – But I’m here to tell you as a sports fan that jockeys are the toughest athletes pound-for-pound. I bet that lump in the back of your throat feels like a bowling ball right now. I wonder what was going through the mind of Chris Landeros in this picture? – Not sure who caught this scary moment, but kudos on showing the best athletes in sports.

This was the third race at Saratoga on Saturday for trainer Gary Gullo with his runner Blacktop Legend. – The trainer wins 17% with sprinters and was a solid longshot at 13-1.  Landeros is a quality rider with skills you’d back with a $2 wager. – As the gate broke, there was no bumping, cutting off, or doing anything wrong. It’s just part of the sport.

The best part was that Landeros who’s foot came out of the stirrups, his runner went face down into the dirt, and was about as off-balance as the law allows. – Not only did he regain his mount and not go down, but he also managed to settle out and come running for third place money. – Talk about a tough day at the office. – Landeros had a pair of third-place finishes on this day.

Jockeys get a bad rap sometimes from sore losers. – Sometimes it’s the trainer, fans, or people who like to bitch. – But when you see something like this it makes you take a deep breath and sit back in amazement. – With only the toe of their boot in the stirrups, they balance like one of the Famous Wallendas. – You know, they have a lot in common. Both don’t have a safety net when they ply their trade.

Next time you hit the track and there’s a PDJF Day. – Go ahead and stop by. You’ll meet retired big-time riders and the jocks who rode at your favorite track years ago. They usually have some cool bid and win prizes, and all of the proceeds go to the “Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund.” – A really great day of fun with jockey foot races, old fashioned pie in the face bidding, and tons of fun for the kiddies! – You can’t beat it, and as I said before it goes to a great cause.