WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM HIS FRIENDS
By Ray Paulick
What do jockey Martin Pedroza and quarterback Brett Favre have in common? Critics in horse racing and the National Football League say they both did a little favor to help a couple of friends set records in their respective sports.
Favre was lambasted in 2002 when it appeared he “took a dive” late in the final game of the season between the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants, allowing defensive end Michael Strahan of the Giants to set an NFL record for the most sacks in a single season. The move took some of the shine off Strahan’s accomplishment, but the sack and the record are in the books.
Favre was ripped by, among others, Mike Freeman in the New York Times for “handing” Strahan the record as if he were “throwing change into a Salvation Army bucket.” Freeman said it was the “kind of mistake Favre may never live down.”
Pedroza helped Garrett Gomez win his fourth consecutive money title by reportedly telling Santa Anita Park stewards he was not feeling well and took off Cenizo, his mount in the final race of the year at the Southern California track. Gomez got the pick-up mount, won the race, and earned more than enough money to surpass Julien Leparoux, who had been well in front when he stopped riding in early December to visit family in France.
Earlier on Dec. 31, after Gomez’s first of two scheduled mounts of the day finished sixth (he won with his second mount), it looked as though Leparoux would win his first money title by a $194 margin. All Gomez needed to do aboard Cenizo was break from the gate, and the horse would have earned an appearance fee of $400, enough to pass Leparoux, but Cenizo won, giving Gomez year-end mount earnings of $18,571,171, compared to Leparoux’s $18,560,371.
Unlike Favre, who was widely criticized, Pedroza only had to put up with a snarky blog post from the Daily Racing Form’s Jay Privman on Jan. 1. Under the headline “PEDROZA MAKES MIRACULOUS RECOVERY,” Privman wrote, “Garrett Gomez won the national money title in the last race on Thursday when jockey Martin Pedroza fortuitously took off what turned out to be a winning mount. Yet Pedroza was back in action Friday, looking just fine.”
Privman or one of the Form’s other Southern California-based writers could have done some legitimate reporting on the circumstances and ethics of the issue, but apparently chose not to, despite the fact more than a few people are crying foul over how Gomez won the title.
Ron Anderson, the agent for Gomez, says it’s much ado about nothing. (UPDATE: The original version of this article, which read "much adieu about nothing," has been changed because my French pun did not go over well with readers.)
“This is certainly not the first time this kind of thing has happened, and it won’t be the last,” said Anderson, who steered Hall of Famers Gary Stevens and Jerry Bailey to multiple money titles during their careers. “At least four jockeys came into the room and offered to give up a mount so Garrett could get the title. We didn’t fix a race, and it’s not like they opened up the rail to let him win. So there’s a guy who offered to take off his horse, and he took off.”
Anderson wasn’t sure, but assumed Gomez would pay Pedroza his share of the $10,800 winner’s purse in the race in question.
“I talked to Mike Smith about how some people are upset over this, and Mike started laughing,” Anderson continued. “He said, ‘Do you know how many times we took off for Angel Cordero? I probably took off 10 horses in two days so he could win the Saratoga title.’”
Anderson said Hall of Famers like Angel Cordero Jr. and Pat Day would get pick-up mounts at night tracks on New Year’s Eve to go after a money title.
“Julien (Leparoux) and his agent the last two days of the year went around and tried to get on horses at Calder and couldn’t do it,” Anderson said (something the Paulick Report was unable to confirm). “I don’t get how some people don’t understand this. I don’t even know what to say to them. This has been done numerous times, and it’s been done numerous times with more manipulation than just one race.”
Anderson takes pride in the title, especially when comparing the number of mounts and wins by Gomez, Leparoux and third-place finisher Ramon Dominguez.
“Julien won almost forty more races than we did (247 by Leparoux from 1,284 mounts, compared with 210 of 967 for Gomez), and Ramon, who rides all year in New York—arguably our biggest circuit—he won 180 more races than Garrett (a total of 391 wins from 1,651 mounts). It looks like a misprint, but he’s still behind us in money.”
“I get out of bed 365 days a year to try and get leading rider,” said Anderson. “This is what motivates me.”
To win the title, a jockey needs a tireless, sharp agent, and plenty of live mounts in big races. And when all else fails, it doesn’t hurt to get a little help from your friends.
Copyright © 2010, The Paulick Report
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Tags: angel cordero jr., Brett Farve, Cenizo, daily racing form, garrett gomez, Gary Stevens, Green Bay Packers, Jay Privman, jerry bailey, julien leparoux, Martin Pedroza, Michael Strahan, Mike Freeman, mike smith, New York Giants, new york times, pat day, Paulick Report, Ray Paulick, ron anderson, salvation army, santa anita park
January 4th, 2010 at 7:57 am
Man, did I raise my kid wrong, be honorable and don’t cheat…what a boob I am…hahahaha!!
So, because (hahaha) it’s been done before (hahaha) it’s OK to “win” that way? Hahaha. Boy, is that a good one on Leparoux, who thought he might actually EARN the title…hahahaha!
January 4th, 2010 at 8:14 am
Can’t blame GoGo or Ron Anderson for gaming the system, but how about those California stewards for looking the other way? Heckuva job Cheney!
January 4th, 2010 at 8:40 am
In the list of things we need to fix in this game this comes in about 463rd
January 4th, 2010 at 8:47 am
Maybe Julien should have taken his vacation AFTER the 31st. if he wanted the title. After all. anyone could have took off even a 100 to 1 shot, and Garrett would have won. It happens every day. And Martin has taken off the last race for sick many a time. Go GOGO!
January 4th, 2010 at 8:53 am
On the “outrage meter,” this situation fails to register. The runner competed with a quality jockey aboard who gave it his best effort in the race. Where is the controversy?
January 4th, 2010 at 9:19 am
Fun post, but I agree that it’s much adieu about nothing.
If Garcia wanted to help Gomez out, then so what? I had already cast my Eclipse Award ballot for Leparoux anyway.
January 4th, 2010 at 9:26 am
I don’t understand why the jockey’s title is about purses won and not number of wins. In that case, neither won it - Ramon did. It takes more skill to pilot a cheap claimer through a big field to victory than it takes to sit on a grade 1-caliber horse and win. The title should be about number of races won, not the value of those races. But I also agree with the above comments - racing has far bigger problems to deal with than this.
January 4th, 2010 at 9:27 am
I agree with Howard Zucker. And I don’t agree that Julien Leparoux was so far ahead he could afford to take the rest of the year off. I was following the tally on NTRA, As Laffit Pincay says, in horseracing it’s not how you play the game, it’s if you win.
January 4th, 2010 at 9:50 am
…..And when Jay Privman reported it - it was news. Jumping all over the story four days later is much ado (not “adieu”) about nothing
January 4th, 2010 at 9:52 am
Oh for Pete’s sake, Just be happy about something Ray and Jay.
If I had a nickle for every time a rider took off in the last race because “he didn’t feel well” I could sit and respond to blog posts all day.
Yippiy Skippy
January 4th, 2010 at 10:04 am
Some racing people do not understand that there are more important things than than following the “Rules” The rules must be followed of course but some things are not covered by the rules and never will be.
Do what is right, not wrong is the honorable thing and some do not see the difference. Our great game declines.
rwwupl
January 4th, 2010 at 10:48 am
Smitty … Ado or adieu? C’mon Leparoux is from France. Didn’t you get my French pun?
Muggs … I think you exaggerate. It’s probably number 537 on the list of things we need to fix.
T.N. Trosin … I thought Ron Anderson did a good job of explaining how this is not a big deal and did not influence the outcome of a race (unlike, say, an NFL coach benching his starters before the playoffs and letting another team win).
January 4th, 2010 at 11:20 am
Exerpt from story:
—————————————————————————————————————–
“This has been done numerous times, and it’s been done numerous times with more manipulation than just one race.””
——————————————————————————————————————
Has anyone considered the customers of racing who have pick-6’s and other exotics purchased in advance and use “Jockeys” as part of the selection process,and their bets are not refundable?
The public does not like “manipulation” when racing holds their betting money.
January 4th, 2010 at 11:40 am
Julien showed more maturity and class and that family comes first. He is a proven talent, 2009 record or not, and is above the need to put a record above his personal life (and fresh baguettes) including chasing a record into New Year’s eve.
The importance of records is overblown by an industry looking for any non-catastrophic news. Turf-writers are too focused on fat numbers instead on quality, that is the big picture and how records are achieved by weighing the good against the bad and the ugly. One of the worse chase was when Maggi Moss went after her latest owner title. It was a cheap and pathetic use of horse flesh. Mike Gill is always pathetic and his being the “winningest” owner more than once while that is achieved on a trail of destruction then receiving an Eclipse Award was a troubling reflection on industry voters.
So some leading jockeys buy their titles… Surprise! A lot of things are fake and bought including stakes horses down to claimers looking sound enough to train and race on drugs. Jockeys should be far more worried about the genuine physical condition of all of their mounts –over health insurance, safety equipment and records– and demand total transparency as their #1 accident prevention as long as racing is so superficial and delinquent.
January 4th, 2010 at 12:03 pm
It’s “much ADO about nothing” - indeed
January 4th, 2010 at 2:14 pm
For everyone that thinks it’s no big deal when you let Jockeys manipulate things like mounts try to understand that it can work both ways.
What would have happened if a top jock took off his mount and 6% rider was put on the favorite in the last race of a P6 carryover situation? This sets a precedent and is a slippery slope at a time when all the big bets converge on the last race of the day. P6,P4, and Super Hi 5.
Why is it OK for Pedroza to lie to the stewards about why he was taking off the mount?
January 4th, 2010 at 2:35 pm
Pedroza returned Sunday with a big cat like grin on his face,obviously thinking that he had really pulled one off.
Mike Smith,laughed it off ,saying he took off 10 mounts in order to give Cordero the title several years ago.
Ron Anderson said at least 4 other guys in the room,voluntered to give up their mounts to shoo Gomez in…
does this make it right or even acceptable…Certainly Not…
yesterday at Gulfstream they couldn,t get the starting gate out of the way in a timely fashionand the race was rulled no contest..last month at Hollywood Park same thing but they let the results stand when some riders had pulled up their mounts
Obviously the riders have Zero respect for the stewards in California and can get away with whatever they want.
Julien Leparoux got screwed out of the money title and we bettors continue to get screwed on a regular basis.
Doug O,neil has sent 30 horses to Philly Park with more on there way.other trainers are sending their horses to Zia park and elswhere.
you have to look no further than the incompetent Stewards as a major factor in the decline of hoseracing in California.
January 4th, 2010 at 4:40 pm
Suitcase:
You are right. The people who run California racing seem to run it for themselves and put the customers on the bottom of the pole. Until they put on the show FOR the customers,and please the customers, they face a poor out outlook on the future.
January 4th, 2010 at 5:55 pm
Anderson sure is a good agent.I’d like to see an agent money won list.
January 4th, 2010 at 7:41 pm
By the way it’s pretty clear that Pedroza lied about being sick. The agent for Gomez was interviewed on the Roger Stein show about the incident.
Although giving another Jockey a mount has been done before it sets a bad example and gives those who wish to manipulate (cheat) an avenue to do so.
So now we have Jockeys lying to Stewards with no consequences.
We have Tri’s and Supers in short fields.
We have Jockey Agents with two journeyman Jockeys riding in short fields with uncoupled Owner/Trainer entries.
Honestly how about the CHRB coming out and making a statement that what Pedroza did (lying to the Stewards) is not acceptable. I don’t expect him to be suspended because apparently this has been done many times before. How about letting the Public know that this stuff will not be tolerated in the future.
Remember it’s CHRB.gov not CHRB.Jockey or CHRB.JockeyAgent or anything else. The CHRB should be protecting the public. How about it?
Thanks,
Andy
January 5th, 2010 at 12:42 am
Garrett earned 5k more per MOUNT all year on average than JL, he rode the FAVORITE in the last race, he is clearly an upgrade from Pedroza and he WON the race, and some of the posters here think this is a problem? There are some serious moral dilemmas in this sport, but this is not one of them.
It is absurd to suggest that GG doesn’t deserve the title when he is literally the best money rider in the game, rides hurt more than any other top jock, is tough as nails, and plays through the 4th quarter, and when JL sat it out of his own volition.
January 5th, 2010 at 3:40 am
1. Horse Safety (including retirement)
2. Takeout
3. Drugs
4. Declining Handle
5. Dwindling Attendance
6. Increasing and Obsessive Government Intervention
7. Breakage
8. Horses Rushed To Stud
9. Oversaturation of Tracks and Races
10. No Commissioner or Governing Body
11. No Marketing Plan
12. Absolutely No Desire or Strategy To Fix Any of This.
Yeah, I’m going to have to file this whole jockey thing under NOT AN ISSUE!
January 5th, 2010 at 4:44 am
I had a feeling on Thursday when Joel took off all his mounts because he was “under the weather” and Gomez picked up a nice winner that he was being helped along.
January 5th, 2010 at 8:50 am
I agree with Barbara—We get an upgrade with Gomez (Pedroza is underrated, he’s good as well), and Gomez wins the race–come on handicappers, we have much more problems than this. At least we know before the race something is up, we don’t always know what’s going on in the stalls at 2:00am–so get over it. Baseball takes their players out of games at the end of the season when playoffs are being decided, football as well–that’s much more out of wack than this—by the way–is Anderson the best or what?–race
January 5th, 2010 at 10:19 am
To Joe (would love to know who “JOE” is - I am a big fan of Rays , one of the few blogs i read - very informative. - Also find how Gomez won title to be irrelevant; Feel year end statistics also overplayed and not determinative of who is the best and more importantly “good for racing”.
I do need to take great offense at anyone calling my own national title years ago “cheap and pathetic” and do so in the same breath with Mike Gill. I realize that obtaining any personal goal, especially as a woman in this sport can be a product of ego but I assure you Joe, I can account for all my horses then and now. I try and stay in this game not just for my love of it, but to promote racing and continue to try and make it better - If all of us owners decided to just do something else, due to lack of public support, finances, or stupid perceptions and comments, then I guess youd have litle left to complain or write about - shane on you - you are clueless as to who i am or what i do-
January 5th, 2010 at 10:58 am
Joe, comparing Maggi Moss to Mike Gill. Really? Ms. Moss is the last of a dying breed in racing. From all that I’ve read and from talking to some of her trainers, she gives 120% of herself to racing, protecting and caring for her horses and promoting the game. That is the problem that horseracing has created for themselves. The obvious scoundrels not only don’t get kicked out of the sport, but are allowed to flourish. And the truely good guys (and gals) who are playing by the rules get overlooked and go out of business. Or in the case of Ms. Moss, her success is questioned because we are so jaded that we can’t realize that people can be successful through hard work and knowledge in this business. Let’s not run off Maggie Moss, let’s start with people with cobra venom in their barn with a stack of other rulings from around the world.
January 5th, 2010 at 11:24 am
From everything I have read about Maggie Moss, she sounds like a great owner. I read where she claimed a horse last year that she thought needed to be retired. She claimed it and retired it. How many people step up to the plate like that? I hope she wins many titles!
January 5th, 2010 at 3:06 pm
My apologies to Maggi Moss for making it appear as if I compared her to Mike Gill.
Ms. Moss has claimed several horses believed to be at risk by their followers and fans, including Siphonizer, in order to retire them. There is nothing in common between these two owners other than their strong will to lead a particular year by racing as many horses as possible. That was the sole point I intended to make in my previous post. I am sorry for failing to do so.
January 5th, 2010 at 11:16 pm
If horseplayers spent their time and energy worrying about this nonsense, how will any REAL problems get addressed?
Whatever the money title is, it’s meaningless. Except, of course, to Gomez.
Garrett, good job…umm…doing your job.