What's with so much gate drama?

Sailor Kenshin · Postby **Sailor Kenshin** » Thu Jan 13, 2011 1:45 pm

So I notice at Aqueduct, a LOT of the horses don't like to load. They have to use two guys each horse to shove them in from behind.

Now I do not remember that from my old racing-fan days!

"See all that gate drama?" I muttered out loud to my viewing companion, as an entire line of horses refused to get in the gate. "Must be a NY thing."

So yesterday we're watching the NYRA coverage from Gulfstream and Tampa Bay: "See? All the horsesTHERE are just walking right into the gate. Really is a NY thing."

Until this horse Aussie Austin starts acting up. He has a jock whose name I know: Alex Solis. Horse is kicking and bucking, they move the camera away from him in fact and go to a front-gate angle.

Five minutes or so later they're still coaxing him in.

"I take back what I said about NY horses now."

They finally get him into the gate and the race is on. He proceeds to charge up from way back to win. He's not wearing wraps or a hood or a shadow roll or nothin'. He just wins.

Which leads me to wonder what the deal is with tough loaders and whether it relates at all to how the horse will run. And whether one nervous horse can set off a whole field, and if it bugs the others to just stand there while the gate divas are loading.

Any answers?

ratherrapid · Postby **ratherrapid** » Thu Jan 13, 2011 2:02 pm

gate crews and particular handlers vary in their skills and equine experience.will see more gate problems at outset of year than at the end. only a small % of horses refuse to load. a high % however can be spooked or shied from loading by an inexperienced handler unable to read the cues.

Jessi P · Postby **Jessi P** » Thu Jan 13, 2011 2:49 pm

I have noticed that the horses racing in NY seem to be among the most difficult in and around the gate. This surprises me when NYRA is supposed to have "The best gate crew in the US" according to many horse racing commentators.

reenci · Postby **reenci** » Thu Jan 13, 2011 5:36 pm

if its not a firster or a baby....the horse is trying to tell you something.....and most times what that is ..."im sore :idea:

...or getting there"

zinn21 · Postby **zinn21** » Thu Jan 13, 2011 9:11 pm

Jessi P wrote:

I have noticed that the horses racing in NY seem to be among the most difficult in and around the gate. This surprises me when NYRA is supposed to have "The best gate crew in the US" according to many horse racing commentators.

You must have read my mind. That New York crew battle more bad gate actors than any other circuit IMO..

ElPrado · Postby **ElPrado** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 7:15 am

Maybe some of them were sent there to work with a better gate crew to start with?

zinn21 · Postby **zinn21** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 7:49 am

Maybe some of them were sent there to work with a better gate crew to start with?

I wouldn't think decisions are made where to race based on gate crew. But who knows..

Dave C · Postby **Dave C** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 8:23 am

Well if your horse can't get off the stewards list for acting up at the gate and is capable of competing on the NY circuit, I could see owners making the decision to ship there. I don't think this is an explanation for the observations of the OP however.

Sailor Kenshin · Postby **Sailor Kenshin** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 1:34 pm

The NYRA gate crews are supposed to be the best? Then is it the horses?

And did horses need like two loaders each in the 'old' racing days (ie: 1960s-ish)?

Bid · Postby **Bid** » Sat Jan 15, 2011 4:15 am

My guess is that Reenci is partly correct with many telling you they are sore. In previous years, the drugs would mask that. Also, I'm guessing trainers don't spend the time standing them in the gates in the morning the way they used to. Horses get rushed through and jocks need to get back for their next practice mount in order to maximize income. So, they back up to the finish line, gallop once around, and are back in the barn just as they are starting to get warmed up. Might also explain (along w/pedigree) why we have no distance horses these days.
As far as NY is concerned, I'm guessing more of their races are televised so it looks worse there.

griff · Postby **griff** » Sat Jan 15, 2011 9:52 am

One night at Charles town, when it was 15 degrees, a jockey decided he did not want to ride his horse.. they walked.joged that horse back to the paddock from the far side of the track where the jockeys were huddled in a shack tring to stay warm and my horse, alonge with others did a 5 to 10 minute cold soak with no exercize until the new jockey joged his horse back to the gate and loaded..

Can/t say it was the owners fault his jockey bailed but i do know his horse gained a hell of an advantage jogging to the paddock and back while the rest of the horses just stood there in 15 degrees.

griff

Sailor Kenshin · Postby **Sailor Kenshin** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 8:49 am

Bid wrote:My guess is that Reenci is partly correct with many telling you they are sore. In previous years, the drugs would mask that. Also, I'm guessing trainers don't spend the time standing them in the gates in the morning the way they used to. Horses get rushed through and jocks need to get back for their next practice mount in order to maximize income. So, they back up to the finish line, gallop once around, and are back in the barn just as they are starting to get warmed up. Might also explain (along w/pedigree) why we have no distance horses these days.
As far as NY is concerned, I'm guessing more of their races are televised so it looks worse there.

I'm not sure. When broadcasting from Aqueduct is done for the day, or they have a dark day there, OTB shows Santa Anita, Gulfstream, Parx, Sunland, Fair Grounds, whoever has a card that day.

It does seem the farther west and south you go, the better horses behave at the gate overall.