A Question for my fellow Hastings punters

[HuggingTheRail]

Yesterday (Sept 2) prior to the 6th race, did anyone see what happened to cause the 8 horse - Louder - to be scratched?

The reason I ask...I was watching the horse as it approached the gate, as I had bet on it. It was moving toward the starting gate fine, when suddenly the jockey was off the horse. I thought I saw Alvarado walk away okay...but then he was booked off the rest of his mounts yesterday...and is not riding today.

Anyone know what happened??...I was watching that specific horse and didnt see anything amiss.

Cheers!

[HuggingTheRail]

http://www.drf.com/news/article/88234.html

[Paging]

Here's the article from CBS Sports Line if you don't have DRF Access.

http://horseracing.sportsline.com/cbs/headlines/showarticle.aspx?articleId=21595

[46zilzal]

Yesterday (Sept 2) prior to the 6th race, did anyone see what happened to cause the 8 horse - Louder - to be scratched?

The reason I ask...I was watching the horse as it approached the gate, as I had bet on it. It was moving toward the starting gate fine, when suddenly the jockey was off the horse. I thought I saw Alvarado walk away okay...but then he was booked off the rest of his mounts yesterday...and is not riding today.

Anyone know what happened??...I was watching that specific horse and didnt see anything amiss.


Since I was 10 feet away, I will recap what went on. It took awhile to put it together as I was manning the television camera of their loading and was as 'up in the air" as any fan would have been. Notice this rider was off all mounts from that race onward?

First, riders cannot dismount once up in the saddle unless: 1) their tack needs adjustment, and then they relate this to the starter and the gate crew comes over to help, or 2) The track vet (who is right there viewing the loading after watching all of them in the paddock) wants the rider to dismount so he can check him or 3) they are thrown off.

None of these things happened in this case. As the horse was heading to the gate, the rider jumped off and simply ran off the track behind the back fence. I have never seen this in all the years I have gone to the races. Almost immediately, the gate crew (not knowing what to do) got the starter over. Confusion began as no other horses loaded and all came out. The starter, vet and a few gate crew disappeared behind the fence. About two minutes later, two fellows came out and started sifting through the track surface along the back fence and all around where the horse had stopped before he got off.

All the horses were unloaded. The 8 was scratched. There was a pow wow amongst racing officials and they continued to look all over the race track, bending down to pick up the dirt.

Wonder what they were looking for????????

[Tom]

I suspect he didn't throw up?:rolleyes:

[46zilzal]

I suspect he didn't throw up?
If that had been the case another rider would have taken his place.

[xtb]

Maybe they were looking for a tranquilizer dart. :p

A few weeks ago an episode of Psych aired that was shot at Hastings. (the track was supposed to be in Santa Barbara but they didn't do a good job of hiding "Hastings" in various places) The storyline was about race fixing by having a cameraman shoot tranquilizer darts at the favorite, from his camera.

[46zilzal]

Maybe they were looking for a tranquilizer dart. :p

A few weeks ago an episode of Psych aired that was shot at Hastings. (the track was supposed to be in Santa Barbara but they didn't do a good job of hiding "Hastings" in various places) The storyline was about race fixing by having a cameraman shoot tranquilizer darts at the favorite, from his camera.
I was talking with that crew and told them some of the camera angles to try. Don't know it they did it or not. Nice guys. THEIR cameras were Ferrari's to my Chevrolet.

[xtb]

I was talking with that crew and told them some of the camera angles to try. Don't know it they did it or not. Nice guys. THEIR cameras were Ferrari's to my Chevrolet.

I thought I saw your name in the credits.

[banacek]

From the Vancouver Sun today:

RULED OFF: Jockey Pedro Alvarado, the leading rider in four of the last five years, has been suspended indefinitely by the board of stewards as a result of an incident prior to the sixth race on Sunday at Hastings. Alvarado jumped off his horse, Louder, as they approached 11/16-mile gate, and left the grounds through the works yard. In their ruling, the stewards said Alvarado has been "suspended and denied the privileges of the grounds pending the outcome of the investigation." The stewards met with Alvarado Monday morning but refused to discuss the "incident," deferring to Sam Hawkins, the director of racing for the B.C. Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch. "Alvarado has been suspended for allegedly violating the rules of racing," said Hawkins. "We are not prepared to say any more at this time."

[HuggingTheRail]

Thanks for the info 46...sounds weird.

Cheers

[maxwell]

Speaking of Hastings ...

I was thinking of entering the handicapping contest in October but I'm sort of ticked off that they are making 8 of the 15 races mandatory plays. And 5 of the 8 are at Hastings!

I guess Santa Anita, Keeneland, and Belmont are just not up to snuff. :D

What are these clowns thinking about? :mad:

[46zilzal]

Let's see, if a football pool or basketball pool handicapping contest were put on in South Carolina, don't you think it possible that a few of the games under consideration for evaluation would be those in which South Carolina participated?

[Hosshead]

From the Vancouver Sun today:

The stewards met with Alvarado Monday morning but refused to discuss the "incident," ...
I hope Alvarado got rid of the buzzer before he shook hands with the stewards.

[maxwell]

46,

A few is two ... maybe three. Five is 62%. 8 of 15 is like 55%

At the Woodbine contest, three of the 10 races were mandatory; two were from Saratoga. Common sense.

To my thinking, handicapping is a personal pursuit. Let the players find their own playable races.

Hastings' format is totally out of wack. :ThmbDown:

[46zilzal]

Hastings' format is totally out of wack.
Then I suggest you pass....

[maxwell]

:ThmbDown: = pass. :)

[46zilzal]

The commission report is not out yet, but inside information is that the rider is ruled off the remainder of the meeting. He will miss all the season ending stakes races.

[banacek]

And the horse he jumped off last week (and was scratched), ran this week and won.

[46zilzal]

And the horse he jumped off last week (and was scratched), ran this week and won.
Louder would have won the week he was on the back as well.

[banacek]

Louder would have won the week he was on the back as well. I thought he would have too - even without any "assistance".;)

46, any inside info about what he is claimed to have done? Will that info be released, do you think?

[banacek]

As 46 said:

http://horseracing.sportsline.com/cbs/headlines/showarticle.aspx?articleId=21788

Say 46, it sounds like you know a lot of the Hastings people. The person quoted from the BC Gaming Enforcement Agency, Sam Hawkins. When I grew up in Saskatchewan there was a harness driver named Sam Hawkins - could it be the same guy?

[46zilzal]

I will find out for you.

[46zilzal]

46, any inside info about what he is claimed to have done? Will that info be released, do you think?
The commission report is not out, but my sources say he has not cooperated at all, hence the rest of the season ban

You should come over to the gate sometime and introduce yourself......

[banacek]

You should come over to the gate sometime and introduce yourself......

Thanks. Since I'm in the interior (Kamloops) , I don't get to Hastings as often as I'd like, but next time I do, I will do that.

[banacek]

I will find out for you.

Thanks again. Don't go to any trouble - just curiousity.