Trying to make sense of this filly’s race record and workouts to figure out what equipment works with her and I’m getting mixed messages.
For all but one race she ran without any extra equipment and finished OTB for all dirt races. At the same time she had different jockeys on her back for her workouts and they threw out all kinds of comments (“refuses to rate at all” - equipment or energy comment?) until I set her jockeys. At the same time I put blinkers on her and the jockey said she loves her equipment, yet she finished third in her last race (which is a stakes race so that might not be a good race to compare).
Do I keep blinkers on her or take them off for her next start? Do I try something else? Do I have to spend the rest of this racing season playing musical chairs with her equipment?
It depends, I usually get the “I know the horse like the back of my hand” comment after 20-30 workouts. After that I look if there was something about instructions or equipment…
Also, I usually change the jockey if he/she says that they don’t get along with the horse, but once I overlooked that message and the jockey continued to ride/train that horse, until they knew it very well; and eventually the jockey started to like the horse, and said that they get along great
As for the blinkers, 3rd place in a stakes race is not bad… but you can also try something else.
So it’ll be better if I let her designated jockey continue drilling her for a couple more workouts before taking their suggestions seriously. She’s had a few “She hates her equipment” comments on having a default whip but her jockeys then were randomized and I also found out later that she doesn’t like turf.
Agonizing over her workout log is making me dread pouring through workout logs for all my 2YOs…
