Dixie Band

What's going on with this colt now that he's in his 3yr.old season. He went from winning the Spectacular Bid Stakes and the Arlington-Washington Futurity as a 2yr.old, and looking like he may be a potential Derby contender on down the line, to really tanking in the Dixiana Futurity in his last race as a 2yr.old, and a well beaten 5th to D' Funnybone in the Swale Stakes on Florida Derby Day. Will Dixie Band even be considered now for a Run For The Roses in 2010? His best racing has been done with Garrett Gomez up. He didn't look good with David Flores or Julien Leperoux.

Yes Cigar you can say it. There's no one in the game that goes after a win as aggressively in the stretch drive as Garrett Gomez does. He's one of the best at it that I've ever seen. Look back at the video of Dixie Band's first and second win's, which were a maiden special weight followed by the Spectacular Bid Stakes when Gomez was riding, and look how much more aggressive in the stretch drive that Dixie Band is with Gomez aboard. He won his third start, the Arlington-Washington Futurity with David Flores up, but it was a much more conservative ride. The same with Flores aboard at Keenland when Dixie Band tanked in the Dixiana Futurity Stakes. Like I said, nothing against David Flores. He's a money rider. But he's not Garrett Gomez, and Dixie Band's running style is much better suited to Garrett Gomez than to David Flores. imo.

One of the great things about Gomez, and its probably his biggest asset, is his ability to finish. He really knows how to maximize his horse down the stretch. He might be one of the top ten finishers on a horse of, dare I say it, all time.

I'm just wondering why Dixie Band's connections switched to David Flores as his jockey from Garrett Gomez? His first race, a maiden special weight at Arlington, and his second start, the Spectacular Bid Stakes, Garrett Gomez rode him aggressively to victory. In his third start at Arlington, the Arlington-Washington Futurity, David Flores managed to win on him, but only just. He seemed much more reserved riding Dixie Union. And most recently at Keenland again with Flores, Dixie Band tanked in the Dixianna Breeders Futurity finishing 10th. This is a colt that should be going in to the Breeders Cup Juvenile as one of the favorites with 3 wins on synthetics, instead, looks like he'll be staying home. I have nothing against David Flores, he's a very accomplished rider, but Garrett Gomez is currently one of the best in racing. Is always very aggressive on his mounts, and seems to know how to find the wire. I think Dixie Band would benefit by going back to Garrett Gomez as his jockey, as he seems like a horse that needs to be ridden aggressively and not so conservatively. imo.