Posted on 3/19/2008 12:13:14 PM

Horse Racing Betting - Musical Jockeys

By Brian Mulligan

Riding high in April, shot down in May, that’s life and that is the kind of sentiment that Rafael Bejarano must be feeling right now. The recent California import was having a career meet at Santa Anita before a spill, which in all likelihood ended his run at the meeting this year and took him out of action.

He has cracked vertebra in his lower neck and may just point to the beginning of Hollywood Park on April 25.

Astute horse bettors have to look for the next guy to take over the baton and offer good betting value as the season in Arcadia winds down.

There are a few candidates that clever bettors can point to but let’s examine some old pros that are not quite ready to start relaxing in the rocking chair.

The rider who will dominate the rest of the meet, barring injury, is Garrett Gomez. He was tracking Rafael in the second spot and this despite having about 30 less mounts that Bejarano through mid March.

Garrett will get the prime mounts and he immediately took advantage of the situation. The thing that horse bettors have to look for is who else will pick up the pieces?

A case could be made for the young guns, guys like Mike Baze, Joe Talamo, or Tyler Baze to move into the right spots and contend for the title but let’s look to experience to close out the meet as the old pros of the jocks room figure to come to the party dressed for success.

Nobody started out the meet faster than David Flores and he will finish up strong too. He has won more money than anybody except the top 2 pilots and has the kind of riding style that never gets old. David puts horses into the race from the get go most of the time and his mounts always have a puncher’s chance to succeed.

Clever horse bettors should look further down the list to get value as the meet continues and the pair of pros to watch are Alex Solis and Victor Espinoza.

After an anemic start to the meet, some people had questioned whether Solis was over the hill and about to hang up the racing boots but he had resurgence mid meeting and has been on a tear of late.

With only 165 mounts through mid March, Solis has won 25 races and that is only the tip of the iceberg. He has long-time connections to the racing community and the advent of the synthetic has actually enhanced his ability to allow a horse to settle and mow down the competition.

It was just 5 years ago when Solis had his best season ever winning over 200 races for earnings of his mounts of over $16 million. When the cash is on the line as the sprint evolves, look for Solis to excel.

Victor Espinoza has been hurt a bit by the fact that one of his main clients, Bob Baffert, has not had great success just yet on the synthetic surfaces but his versatile style is starting to be remembered.

He is still a money rider and is only one of 9 at the meeting whose mounts have earned over a million but the best thing he may have going for him is the fact he will likely stay home instead of hitting the Triple Crown Betting trail.

When all is said and done, bettors have to go with pros at the windows and with Espinoza, whose mounts have earned nearly $120 million career, your money can’t be in better hands.

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