Will someone, SOMEONE, please teach these jockeys who ride in Graded stakes how to get their irons back if they blow one OR two! Do not, let me repeat, DO NOT try to stab your dangling, bouncing, flopping around stirrup with your foot. It doesn’t work. And going all full on “Ned The Coachman” or “General Custer” is not a strategy either.
Follow along carefully now:
Take your right hand while holding your cross (the reins for you spectators) in your left hand and grab the top of your right stirrup webbing (stirrup leather for spectators) slide your hand down (it’s not that far) the webbing and grasp the top of your iron. Physically place the iron on your right foot. Now, either ride on if that solves the problem OR in the case of two blown irons, now balance in the right iron, switch your cross (reins) to your right hand AND REPEAT the same damn thing with your left hand and foot! It should not take you more than six or eight jumps and I’m being wildly generous, to get your size 5 or 6 foot/feet back in the irons. It really should only take you a few seconds.
If lost: Place right iron on right foot. Repeat.
What in the hell is wrong with these riders? If you are so incompetent and inefficient in your profession as a jockey that you can not get your feet back in the irons if you lose one or both of them out of the gate or at any point in a race, you should decline to accept mounts in races of this caliber. You are clearly not proficient enough or not handling the pressure well enough to be riding races at this level. You are embarrassing yourself, the profession and the sport. Stop it.
A jockey losing an iron in a race is a daily occurrence at some or multiple tracks around the country. It happens. It’s no big deal. That is unless you don’t know what you’re doing. If you did not learn how to correct this situation somewhere within your “bug year” you need to stop accepting mounts until you learn the fundamentals of being a jockey. If you don’t, you are a danger to yourself and by extension a danger to others. Where are the stewards on this for crying out loud?
Now don’t get me wrong, shit happens when the gate opens but you have to figure out how to not only save yourself but you have to save your horse, your horses connections and the public who wagered on you. In that order. If riding in Graded stakes or just plain riding races in general is too much stress for your skill set to handle, please go back to galloping horses, every trainer needs good exercise riders.
And yes, I do speak from experience. In the 14th race I ever rode, way back when, I lost my left iron out of the gate going 6 furlongs on a bullring at Playfair in Spokane, Washington. And yes I tried to stab my iron with my foot. It didn’t work. I hung on and rode the race weakly with one foot in my right iron. I was flummoxed, confused and also embarrassed. It was my 14th race. Walking back to the jocks room an older rider (than me) named Billy Vens, walked up behind me and put his arm around my shoulder and in a calm and matter of fact kinda way explained to me exactly what I just explained above. THIS WAS MY 14TH RACE. I was not riding in a Graded stake. The problem of losing an iron was never a serious challenge to me again. By the time you get to the Graded stakes level you really need to have this “race riding 101 kinda thing” like blowing an iron figured out.
You saw the same thing in the Belmont Stakes last June that you saw in the San Diego Handicap at Del Mar on Saturday. Inexperienced or otherwise unlearned jockeys who should know better, riding in major races, losing their irons and seemingly having zero idea about how to recover. This blows my mind.
Oh yeah, it happened recently in another major televised race too. It happened in the Preakness last May to Johnny Velasquez riding the Kentucky Derby winner and favorite, Always Dreaming. Johnny lost an iron out of the gate. He calmly, and instinctively reached down and placed his iron back on his foot within a couple jumps and continued on – seamlessly. He even reached down a second time to adjust it. I’ll bet almost no one even noticed. That’s because John Velasquez knows what the hell he’s doing.
Comments 22
Hi Clint, I remember you when I was a Jockey at Arlington Park racetrack. I agree with a lot of what you said. I actually served as a Illinois racing commissioner on the Illinois Racing Board for five years so I learned a lot about the racing industry and what I believe needs to be done to bring the industry back to its glory days. I would certainly enjoy discussing with you and getting your opinions on what you think would be the best course of action to bring horse racing back to be a great and thriving sport again.
Author
Hey Allan Monat! Great to hear from you.. I will respond to you a personal email on Thursday, (Dec. 21st) Look forward to speaking with you.
Clint
You will. Really liked the article about the rider you want vs the one you need. If you’re not a top name trainer you can ship into Belmont or Saratoga you may get a big name rider, but he’s going to be as familiar with that horse by reading the pp’s in DRF. If the breaks go his way he may win it for you, if not he just may Mail it in.
Of course it helps if you have a reputation for running sound horses. And I do see where the AAA circuit guys get schooled in the NYRA races, but I think there will always be a distinct advantage when the rider knows the horse
Author
Great observations, Philip. You’re seeing it very accurately. This issue is very multi-layered and complicated as I sought to illustrate in the post you mention “The Jockey Want vs The Jockey Need. The value of a trainer working with a rider who has their (the trainer’s) best interests at heart is the key to success.
As I pointed out, a trainer can sure use a leading rider and will usually get their money’s worth but you better be a regular customer of that rider OR make sure you have your horse prepared and placed in the right spot to have a leading rider’s best interests at heart. It works both ways. Understand it. Use it. Benefit from it either way.
I really appreciate you reading my posts. Thank you. — Clint
Great advice! Great story! Well done! Amazingly simple solution.
Best
PE Muehleck
Author
Philip,
Thank you for reading my post. I appreciate your comments. Yes, this technique is extremely simple, quick and effective. Most riders used to learn to solve this riddle early in their careers. I’ve been stunned by the lack of this basic skill by what are many of today’s top level riders. Which of course was the catalyst for my post.
Hope to hear from you again! – Clint
It would be interesting to see Chris McCarron teaches that technique at his Riding School.
Author
Hi Debra… I’m not sure how much teaching Chris is actually still doing these days at the riding school. I think he kinda stepped down or at least aside. I would however be shocked if the people who are teaching at the riding school are not using this method since it is the single best way in which to regain a lost iron in a race.
THANK YOU FOR READING – Clint
Clint, great blog! I briefly rode at Playfair in ’83? Walked away (flamed out) in ’84-5. Today I own a digital marketing agency.
Having been raised (taught) back in the early days by David Hofmans, Jack Van Berg and other Hall of famers, they taught from the ground up and to see some of these 90 day wonders out there is disheartening.
Author
Luis,
You hit the absolute nail on the head. Most of these guys, unfortunately, are in over their heads with as you say, 90 days worth of experience. It’s pathetic and it shows like it did yesterday and in the Belmont Stakes last June.
The trainers you mentioned are relics of the past. These guys who drilled you how to be a horsemen and made you pay the price of learning from the ground up. Just doesn’t happen anymore.
Nice to meet a former Playfair alum. I rode there in ’77. You probably knew or remember Aki Kato, Jeanie Irwin, Billy Vens and others..
I also understand the burn out. I rode and trained and then walked away too only come back again and finally ride purely for the fun of it for a couple summers once again. Tough to get it outta your system.
Thanks for reading and commenting – Clint
Kato still rides at Turf Paradise
Author
I am still friends Aki Kato to this day. He’s a genuinely good guy and a good rider.
Patrick Husbands one of Woodbine’s best riders won 2 races last year on horses that he lost his irons early stage of those races……..a very gifted rider.
A rider in the Arrogate disaster the other day lost his stirrups but recovered but still ended up last.
Lastly, I had a rider stiff my horse many years ago using the lost stirrup excuse…..my horse was the favorite by the way. To make the matter even worse a jock’s agent told me to bet a 4 horse super bet just before the race that won & paid $1100. which I didn’t bet because I was sure my to be stiffed horse was going to win….LOL
I went to the stewards & they reviewed the race and suspended 4 riders for what were too lenient of suspensions. The agent of the rider that stiffed my horse came & apologized for what had transpired and one of the suspended riders came to me & pleaded innocence…….he got the biggest suspension, by the way.
The next out I put a girl on my horse….. and you guessed it…….the horse romped.
I am sure there are some unpublished stories that could shock the racing world out there along with the mysterious disappearance of some riders as well.
Author
Whoa, Ralph! I’m not sure what to say about all this stuff.. Other than the jock in the San Diego Handicap may have gotten his irons back but it took him almost 5/8’s of a mile to do so. All chance was lost for him at that point. MY point was it should have only taken him a few jumps to do so if he was a competent rider. His lack of skill is unacceptable at that level.
As for the rest of your comments… Personally, I’ve never seen or heard of anything like that happening on purpose for less than ethical efforts or for gambling. That would of course be a felony via tampering with a sporting event. But hey, I wasn’t there..
Appreciate you reading and commenting, Ralph.
Julee, did you read the article? The writer IS a jockey and even talked about when they lost their stirrup in a race.
Author
Hey Klarr74,
Thanks for commenting. Of course, Julee did not read the post. Otherwise she would know better than to make the statement she made. People embarrass themselves like this all the time:)
Thank you for reading and commenting!
Clint
This entire post makes me angry! If you yourself have never ridden a race or been in race tack you have no validity to comment! Race riding is not for the faint at heart! Most probably the hardest job, riding them in the mornings is difficult, times that by 100, for races. No one and I mean none has any right to criticize a jock! It’s a hard job only few can do! Can you imagine losing your irons??
Did you even read the blog?
Author
No Katy, she did not read the blog. Pretty obvious. Thank YOU for reading though!
Clint
Author
Dear Julee…. You actually need to READ my post. I speak from first hand EXPERIENCE. I’m sorry to burst your little pompous bubble since I have ridden races – and I explain in the post how to correct this issue. The feature picture is my foot in the iron. I’m more than happy to send you a few of my win pictures if you’d like. Next time read and think about what you are saying so you don’t embarrassing yourself.
Don’t be angry, just try to be a little more informed before you make comments that are outta line – Clint
Having never ridden a race but many racehorses in the morning, I have to say your description is right on. I would have to guess that the few jockeys this happens to might even run out of a little adrenaline in order to try to get that maneuver done. 98% of the time the jock is athletic enough and deft enough to recover the irons and then again we’ve seen horses that get rid of an Indian style the hallway and actually win the race but I agree with you. You should be able to do it at this level of racing.
Author
Thanks for reading Lisa. Jockeys must learn how to handle this situation. It happens more than most people realize. When you are a paid professional, you are being paid to right the ship. No excuses. Indian style is a very last resort and is a low percentage adventure!
Take care – Clint