Noah Syndergaard tries his hand at being a jockey
With the baseball season over for Noah Syndergaard and the New York Mets, the righthander appears to have his eyes on a second career.
Syndergaard turned up at Belmont Park on Saturday to watch his namesake run in the Champagne Stakes for 2-year-olds.
Despite a huge effort, Syndergaard, the horse, was nosed at the wire in the $500,000 stake.
It capped a disappointing week for Syndergaard, the pitcher, who was brilliant against the San Francisco Giants in Wednesday's NL Wild-Card game and took a no-decision as the Mets lost and were eliminated.
Syndergaard noted on Twitter that there are some weeks when it isn't meant to be.
Sometimes it's just not your week ?? Thanks for hosting me Mr. Fein and Mr. Pletcher! https://t.co/695JbxwCgz
— Noah Syndergaard (@Noahsyndergaard) October 8, 2016
However, he didn't waste much time at the track as he went to the jocks' room to get a lesson in race-riding.
If you're going to have a race riding lesson...Who better than HOF'r, North American all-time $$$ earning jockey @ljlmvel coaching?!? pic.twitter.com/bSVR7ft9PO
— KellySummers Wietsma (@equisponse) October 9, 2016
Mets star Noah Syndergaard poses for a photo with @nmrhof Hall of Fame jockey @ljlmvel at #Belmont @TheNYRA @Mets @Man_o_PR pic.twitter.com/frrbu1cWgs
— Team ABR (@TeamABRLive) October 8, 2016
Hall-of-Fame jockey John Velazquez was happy to offer a lesson.
The only problem? There isn't much of a career for jockeys who stand 6-foot-6 and weigh 242 pounds.