Nicky's Race

I've watched Nicky's race quite a few times and to tell you the truth, I like what I see. This is a nice horse who belonged in this field under this jockey. I don't think he liked the far outside post--witness what being that far afield did to Dublin in the Preakness--and I think that may have been part of the problem in the beginning. He had to break straight and then immediately veer in, which is hard to do when you've never done it before.

That said, once he got away from the field he wanted to go out in front and probably would have run himself out quicker than he did by hanging second. As they turned for home, he was in a perfect position. And when he was asked for more, he responded once, and then just ran out of gas.

Smart jockey knew when his horse was done, didn't beat him up and just hand rode Nick across the wire. Would the result have been the same if he had gone out in front and stayed there? The winner win with that strategy and that is the way Nicky won at Delaware Park, but this was an experienced field who knows how to rate and wait.

This has not been Matz's year in terms of finding the right race at the right time for the right horse. Hopefully there will be a stakes race at Delaware Park in about a month because I think Nicanor will win there, in that company.

Don't count him out and be sure to bet on him his next outing. The odds will be good and I think he's about due.