I am sure that everyone has seen this by now, but I did think that it was interesting. Smith without a mount at the BC? The guy’s numbers speak for themselves. Interesting to see him having to sit this one out.
Also mentioned in the BC 2020 thread 
Yup, he’ll pick up the not so big $$ rides next weekend.
Some of it his own doing by choosing horses that have ended up being retired or injured.
He seems to think that he’ll be King of Del Mar.
I’m sorry I missed the other post!
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With Flavien Prat in Lexington, Mike’s battle might be with Umberto Rispoli who should give Mike a run for his money as Umberto is a good rider and rides many races during the day. :lol:
Flavien is supposed to be back at Del Mar on November 8 if he tests negative for COVID upon his return to So Cal.
It’s hard for me to imagine how that happened (Mike not getting a ride, any ride.) I’d hire him if I had a BC horse. :lol:
That’s kind of what I thought. Makes you wonder!
I guess he wants more than a few rides to go but it is suprising that he isn’t going.
He had at least 3 great horses to ride and all three horses were retired. Maybe he didn’t want to ride horses that weren’t expected to be favorites?
I can see why most owners/trainers would be reluctant to pull their regular jockeys off their big time horses at this late date.
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Umberto Rispoli and Juan Hernandez along with Flavien Prat will also be in KY this weekend so Mike might get pretty lonely.
I believe Mike did have a few chances but would have had to go through the Del Mar COVID protocol which he chose not to do the rides he might have gotten.
His regular mounts were retired (Honor A.P., Midnight Bisou, McKinzie). Mike choice Honor A.P. over Authentic in the Derby. Velazquez got the ride on Authentic.
If he’d already been in Keeneland, he might have picked up a few rides but the big names were gone. Trainers with favorites are going think twice about replacing a jockey just to get Smith on-board. The horse would have to be based in So Cal and the trainer risking maybe loosing a trail to an alternative jockey.
It’ll be good for him :lol: It’s not like he needs the $$
Given the Covid hoops he’d have to jump through, with all three of his big mounts gone, he probably figured it wasn’t worth the hassle.
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