Jeff P
05-28-2006, 12:45 AM
For some reason tonight - don't ask me why - I promise it won't happen again anytime soon - I decided to the play the card at Evangeline Downs.
In R8 I made a bet on the #10 horse JOES PROSPECT. After being loaded into the gate he reared up and tossed ST JULIEN out the back of the gate. Great. They back him out. The rest of the field waits while the state vet takes a look at him. For some reason I can't help but think of last Saturday's Preakness. Some sixth sense about gate mishaps and bad outcomes screams at me to cancel my bet and just watch. After watching for a couple of seconds that's exactly what I decide to do. Unfortunately I ran out of time. ST JULIEN was back aboard JOES PROSPECT and back in the gate and they were off faster than I could punch the right keys.
During the running of the race JOES PROSPECT broke well and made the lead rather easily from his outside post. I let out a sigh of relief about not being able to cancel the bet. ST JULIEN is a guy who understands the game and knows how to get a horse to relax on the front end. And that's exactly what I watch him do. Going into the far turn the #7 horse moves alongside my horse. Instead of letting it out a notch ST JULIEN gives JOES PROSPECT a breather and takes back just a bit. I smile knowingly. ST JULIEN is a patient rider and will have something left turning for home.
But there's also something karma wise in racing that ties gate mishaps to bad outcomes.
#7 MADDIS SUN AVENUE cuts in front of my horse and takes his path. Of course my horse clips heels and falls. I see it. I'm sure anybody and everybody watching sees it. During the call of the race the track announcer makes no mention of it. He just keeps droning on in his monotone and tells us that #7 MADDIS SUN AVENUE is the new leader.
#7 MADDIS SUN AVENUE eventually finishes second. The stewards flash the Inquiry Sign. Several minutes later the announcer tells us "#7 MADDIS SUN AVENUE has been disqualified for interference and placed ninth."
Now, here's where it get's interesting and the two reasons I'm posting...
After the race replay they show video of the foul. And the announcer gives us the stewards ruling. He says - and I quote: "Entering the far turn, #7 MADDIS SUN AVENUE will cut in front of #10 JOES PROSPECT causing the rider to take up and lose valuable ground." I kid you not. The guy actually said this while video was playing that very clearly showed JOES PROSPECT clipping heels and falling.
Ok. That's the first one.
Now, here's the second one. I just looked at the chart. It echoes what the announcer said. It says "MADDIS SUN AVENUE was disqualified and placed ninth for causing interference..."
I see just one problem with this. A head count of the horses reveals that it's a field of 10.
Please. Somebody slap me - no wait - PUNCH ME - if I even think about playing an Evangeline card ever again.
I didn't realize the product was THAT bad. Now I know.
-jp
.
In R8 I made a bet on the #10 horse JOES PROSPECT. After being loaded into the gate he reared up and tossed ST JULIEN out the back of the gate. Great. They back him out. The rest of the field waits while the state vet takes a look at him. For some reason I can't help but think of last Saturday's Preakness. Some sixth sense about gate mishaps and bad outcomes screams at me to cancel my bet and just watch. After watching for a couple of seconds that's exactly what I decide to do. Unfortunately I ran out of time. ST JULIEN was back aboard JOES PROSPECT and back in the gate and they were off faster than I could punch the right keys.
During the running of the race JOES PROSPECT broke well and made the lead rather easily from his outside post. I let out a sigh of relief about not being able to cancel the bet. ST JULIEN is a guy who understands the game and knows how to get a horse to relax on the front end. And that's exactly what I watch him do. Going into the far turn the #7 horse moves alongside my horse. Instead of letting it out a notch ST JULIEN gives JOES PROSPECT a breather and takes back just a bit. I smile knowingly. ST JULIEN is a patient rider and will have something left turning for home.
But there's also something karma wise in racing that ties gate mishaps to bad outcomes.
#7 MADDIS SUN AVENUE cuts in front of my horse and takes his path. Of course my horse clips heels and falls. I see it. I'm sure anybody and everybody watching sees it. During the call of the race the track announcer makes no mention of it. He just keeps droning on in his monotone and tells us that #7 MADDIS SUN AVENUE is the new leader.
#7 MADDIS SUN AVENUE eventually finishes second. The stewards flash the Inquiry Sign. Several minutes later the announcer tells us "#7 MADDIS SUN AVENUE has been disqualified for interference and placed ninth."
Now, here's where it get's interesting and the two reasons I'm posting...
After the race replay they show video of the foul. And the announcer gives us the stewards ruling. He says - and I quote: "Entering the far turn, #7 MADDIS SUN AVENUE will cut in front of #10 JOES PROSPECT causing the rider to take up and lose valuable ground." I kid you not. The guy actually said this while video was playing that very clearly showed JOES PROSPECT clipping heels and falling.
Ok. That's the first one.
Now, here's the second one. I just looked at the chart. It echoes what the announcer said. It says "MADDIS SUN AVENUE was disqualified and placed ninth for causing interference..."
I see just one problem with this. A head count of the horses reveals that it's a field of 10.
Please. Somebody slap me - no wait - PUNCH ME - if I even think about playing an Evangeline card ever again.
I didn't realize the product was THAT bad. Now I know.
-jp
.