The latest culprits taking a hit for Lilliputian-sized fields in Southern California are jockeys agents. Agents are thick-skinned folks who book mounts for riders, traipsing prayerfully after trainers in need of someone to guide their horses around the track at race time.
Most agents represent two jockeys.
They read condition books with the guile of a zealot, and often know where a horse will fit in an upcoming race better than the trainer. But a lot of times, the agent might have two good calls in the same race, and rather than lose one of the mounts for his rider, he convinces one of the trainers not to enter. That s their job, but it s not healthy. If an agent only had one journeyman rider and one apprentice, it would help the spirit of competition. Richie Silverstein says the criticism is unfounded, although not exonerating his cohorts completely.