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Riders differ: some like a horse to be “on the bridle,” fresh, strong and impassioned; others would rather guide and drive and tweak and fiddle, directing every motion. Some leave well enough alone, quiet and still until input is required.
Trainers, too, vary: conditioners for bigger outfits often have the luxury of employing a stable jockey who rides most, if not all, runners from the barn, and who gets to know the horses by riding exercise every momirg. Smaller operations select from a pool of freelancers, sometimes using the same jockey as often as possible, though others prefer to match certain horses with a certain riders.
So, to answer the question whether, or not, some racehorses perform better for particular riders, there are as many answers — and theories — as there are trainers. And there’s plenty of them.
“I definitely think horses respond differently to particular riding styles,” said trainer Richard Valentine of The Plains. “I firmly believe that a good, honest horse will try hard for any competent rider, but there are plenty of horses who seem to run better for certain riders.”
Valentine cited five-time champion hurdler Lonesome Glory: though two other jockeys rode him in his seven-year career, Blythe Miller alone partnered steeplechasings all-time leading earner in each of his important stakes victories.
“Lonesome Glorv is a perfect
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