Bizarre Judges Call

[DeanT]

I know this is a tbred area, but I wondered if it was ok with PA.

This call is absolutely bizarre. I am wondering if anyone has ever seen a call like this in throughbred racing and if anybody can think of anything close with the runners. I think this might be the most bizarre leave up I have ever seen in any type of racing.

You can fast forward to about 1:40 if you want. It is the one horse, sitting in second with the red saddle pad. He leaves the course and then rejoins it. The judges left him up as the winner.

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[cj]

Did they give a reason? I would have to guess they say he was forced off the course to leave him up. Very, very bizarre race. It certainly didn't look like he was forced out. Maybe they are protesting the lack of a passing lane.

[DeanT]

There is a rule that you can cut inside in the lane if you are avoiding an accident. But you cant pass the field.

I watched a race at ELP last year where an Asmussen FTS almost fell over the rail, got back on and won. It was a display of athletic talent. I dont think this one fits like that :)

Regardless this is getting some play. Industry websites are reporting it.

[cj]

The 1 to 5 on the horse makes it smell even worse. That horse was certainly not avoiding an accident.

[Imriledup]

That's the most bizarre thing i've ever seen. You can't be serious that this horse didn't get disqualified. Is it April 1st today?


Usually with Pylons they take down a horse who goes inside them to gain an 'unfair' advantage. That makes Rosie Ruiz look like mother theresa.

[cj's dad]

The 1 to 5 on the horse makes it smell even worse. That horse was certainly not avoiding an accident.

At 1/5, more than likely a negative show was pool was created; therefore more pressure (real or imagined) on the stewards to leave the #1 up- BTW- where is the Western fair held? besides somewhere out west.

[DeanT]

Western Fair is in London, about an hour up the road from Detroit. I think the Fair part is for a fair they have each year there.

Andrew Cohen, CBS news analyst is a race fan and has a blog. He calls em like he sees em. He chimed in on this.

http://www.harnessracing.com/blog/western-fair-pylong-race-a-joke-381.html#entry381

Western Fair Pylon Race a Joke

October 29th 2008

0 comments (http://www.harnessracing.com/blog/western-fair-pylong-race-a-joke-381.html#entry381)
Want to know why so many outsiders (and insiders) consider harness officials a joke? Check out this (http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/news/iss1008/westernfairrace1029.html) video from last night's action at Western Fair Raceway in Ontario, where a horse cruises along in the HOV lane (that's inside the pylons) for about an eighth of a mile and still manages to withstand a judge's inquiry.

What's the point of having judges if you allow a horse like this to get winner money? And what's the point of having harness media if everyone is so afraid to call a fraud a fraud. The judges at Western Fair should be fired immediately for allowing that result to stand and the track should be sanctioned by the Ontario Racing Commission for allowing it to happen.

I'd like to hear what you say but please don't give me the "the horse did not gain an advantage" line. If that's the case then let's do away with the pylons altogether.

[BUD]

If someone told that story w/out video proof and they told you what the official outcome was ---You would know doubt consider that person to be a story teller.

Thanks for sharing Dean.....


Also at your convenience give me a pm....At your convenience no hurry.

[nativenova]

harness racing rule :7.6.15.2.3

7.6.15.2.3 Horses using the expanded inside lane during the homestretch drive for the finish of the race, must first have complete clearance of the pylons marking the inside boundary of the racecourse. Any horse or sulky running over one or more of the pylons or going inside the pylons while attempting to use the expanded inside lane, may be disqualified or placed back one or more positions.

How he remained the winner is beyond me,
what makes this any different then a horse going off stride and being lapped on?
and being placed back one or more positions?

[showbet]

Here are the rules (http://www.hoosierhoofprints.com/IHRC_Information/IHRC_Rules/PylonRules.htm) in Indiana regarding pylon violations. The rules (http://www.lrc.state.ky.us/kar/811/001/075.htm) in Kentucky are virtually identical, and I assume they the same at every harness track that uses pylons instead of a rail.


Sec. 15.

(a) If at a race track which has pylon demarcations, a horse, or the horse's sulky, leaves the course by brushing, running over and/or going inside of the pylons, that horse may be penalized by a disqualification if, in the opinion of the judges, the action:



(1) Gave the horse an unfair advantage over other horses in the race, or

(2) Helped the horse improve its position in the race.

(3) Drivers going inside the pylons and not immediately correcting their position.



(b) Horses using the inside to pass must have complete clearance of the pylons.

(c) Drivers striking pylons, but not gaining an unfair advantage, may be fined.

(d) When an act of interference causes a horse or part of the horse's sulky to be in violation of these rules and the horse is disqualified, the offending horse shall be placed behind the horse with which it interfered.



It sure looked to me like (1) the action gave the horse an unfair advantage over other horses in the race; (2) the action helped the horse improve its position in the race; and (3) the driver went inside the pylons and did not immediately correct his position.

[BombsAway Bob]

races such as that make slots seem like a safe bet...

[Bubba X]

It's a disgrace.

Ontario Racing Commission
http://www.ontarioracingcommission.ca/about.aspx?id=51



Head Office
Ontario Racing Commission
10 Carlson Court
Suite 400
Toronto, Ontario
M9W 6L2
(416) 213-0520
(416) 213-7827 FAX

Western Fair Raceway, London
(519) 438-7203 Ext. 511
5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on live night race days
12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on live afternoon race days

Integrity Hotline

In place since April 2002, the Integrity Hotline is the ORC's tips line, encouraging people to anonymously provide information about racing related activities.

1-877-ONT-RACE
(1-877-668-7223)

[cj]

harness racing rule :7.6.15.2.3

7.6.15.2.3 Horses using the expanded inside lane during the homestretch drive for the finish of the race, must first have complete clearance of the pylons marking the inside boundary of the racecourse. Any horse or sulky running over one or more of the pylons or going inside the pylons while attempting to use the expanded inside lane, may be disqualified or placed back one or more positions.

How he remained the winner is beyond me,
what makes this any different then a horse going off stride and being lapped on?
and being placed back one or more positions?

This rule is for tracks with a passing lane I would guess. Western Fair does not have one. I'm sure they have a rule for the pylons though.

[titans1127]

From the standardbredcanada.ca website:

Dream Well began the race from Post 1 and had been sent off as the 2-5 post time choice. The pacesetter in the race, Greystone Dylan, went straight to the lead from the outset after being sent off at odds of 47-1 -- the longest shot in the eight-horse field.

After briefly considering a brush to the lead, McElroy opted to drop Dream Wall in the pocket behind Greystone Dylan. McElroy eventually got locked in with his mount and appeared to have trouble controlling the gelding, who looked to be full of pace.

McElroy eventually took Dream Wall to inside the pylons along the final turn -- presumably for the safety of the rest of the field. Late in the stretch, after having been inside multiple consecutive pylons, Dream Wall came back onto the correct side of the pylons and hit the wire first.

This morning, Trot Insider touched base with the Ontario Racing Commission for comment on the race, but nobody was available for comment at that time.



I guess apparently the horse just wanted to go too fast and since there was no where to go he had to get pulled off the course to stop an accident from possibly occurring. I assume since Western Fair has no passing lane that was the best course of action to take. Even though the incident started on the turn, I assume if there was a passing lane this wouldn't have happened as the driver could have probably waited for it to open up. To me regardless it still sounds a bit fishy and an explanation needs to be properly given out.

[cj]

I saw 100s of horses boxed in at old Freehold and none of them caused an accident.

[cj's dad]

I saw 100s of horses boxed in at old Freehold and none of them caused an accident.

What were u then? about 15?? Whose ID did you use to bet there ???

[DeanT]

Whose ID did you use to bet there ???

I dont know, but I am betting that nice vase you used to have that mysteriously wound up in an Atlantic city pawn shop supplied the bankroll.

Oh hold it, that was me when I was 15. Wrong family :)

[boomman]

Western Fair is in London, about an hour up the road from Detroit. I think the Fair part is for a fair they have each year there.

Andrew Cohen, CBS news analyst is a race fan and has a blog. He calls em like he sees em. He chimed in on this.

http://www.harnessracing.com/blog/western-fair-pylong-race-a-joke-381.html#entry381

Western Fair Pylon Race a Joke

October 29th 2008

0 comments (http://www.harnessracing.com/blog/western-fair-pylong-race-a-joke-381.html#entry381)
Want to know why so many outsiders (and insiders) consider harness officials a joke? Check out this (http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/news/iss1008/westernfairrace1029.html) video from last night's action at Western Fair Raceway in Ontario, where a horse cruises along in the HOV lane (that's inside the pylons) for about an eighth of a mile and still manages to withstand a judge's inquiry.

What's the point of having judges if you allow a horse like this to get winner money? And what's the point of having harness media if everyone is so afraid to call a fraud a fraud. The judges at Western Fair should be fired immediately for allowing that result to stand and the track should be sanctioned by the Ontario Racing Commission for allowing it to happen.

I'd like to hear what you say but please don't give me the "the horse did not gain an advantage" line. If that's the case then let's do away with the pylons altogether.

Agree 100%! Because I'm not a huge harness guy, I reviewed the rules and the video several times and there is no question this borders on criminal! You can tell by the announcer's call that he is reasonably sure that the horse will be disqualified, as there is absolutely no doubt the horse left the course on his own and CLEARLY gained an unfair advantage by doing so. This makes some of the thoroughbred missed calls that I've seen across the country look tame in comparison!:mad:

Boomer

[cj's dad]

It also appears that right about the time he passes the white building he breaks stride- there was something strange about his stride all the way around.

THIS is why I never bet the sulkies since many years ago (30) at Ocean Downs in OC, Md.

[cj]

I dont know, but I am betting that nice vase you used to have that mysteriously wound up in an Atlantic city pawn shop supplied the bankroll.

Oh hold it, that was me when I was 15. Wrong family :)

He knows better! I was already in the Air Force. Why else would I go to New Jersey???

[onefast99]

The one thing about this race that makes no sense is this horse went a much shorter distance then the rest of the field by the route he took. If I had a horse in that race I would be appealing the distribution of any purse monies to that winner. Bad call not taking that one down.:bang:

[lamboguy]

this incident only solidify's my arguement about integrety with parimutual raceing. it is the same thing as the mutual pools being unsecure, in this case the steward"s have a compromised brain and should be taken out of the place in handcuffs.

try doing that a few times and see if we can raise the integrety of the sport.

[MONEY]

I stopped betting harness racing years ago because of the lack of integrity in the game.
Before they had the passing lane at Freehold I thought that I had a 40/1 winner in one race. The horse lead wire to wire and was in front by 10 or more lenghts when it knocked down a pylon. I had seen this many times before, and didn't think anything of it because no action was taken in any of the other times. I couldn't believe it when my winner was taken down and placed out of the money.
In another incident at Monticello I hit an exacta, I remember the #s 3-7. The 3 was 9/2 and the 7 was 99/1. I got a hefty $37.00. That was the last harness race that I ever bet, it was in the early 90s.

money

[Zman179]

The judges need to be fired and pronto. Something like this makes me never want to bet on a harness race again because I know that the judges won't do the right thing when it calls for it.

One thing though is definitely for sure: I will never bet on Western Fair again until those judges are sacked.

[lamboguy]

they don't care if they get fired. out them in jail for 18 months and see if that does the trick.

if you swindled a bank, the feds will lock you up for 10 years. this is just as bad.

[cj]

Is the distance of the race going to appear as "about" 1 mile in the PPs?

[cj's dad]

He knows better! I was already in the Air Force. Why else would I go to New Jersey???

Sorry- I was thinking Freestate - wasn't that the one on US-1

[cj]

Sorry- I was thinking Freestate - wasn't that the one on US-1

Never heard of it. :liar:

[titans1127]

Update on the race:

Trot Insider has received notice from Ontario Racing Commission executive director / CEO John Blakney that a pair of appeals have been filed regarding Western Fair's 12th race on Tuesday, October 28.

Blakney explained that after the race in question took place, the presiding ORC judges conducted an inquiry and reviewed the situation. The judges then decided to leave the Don McElroy-driven Dream Well (http://trackit.standardbredcanada.ca/?op=QRAP&id=494015) as the official race winner, even though the gelding consecutively paced on the inside of numerous pylons on the final turn and through a large majority of the stretch.


Blakney did not tell Trot Insider who the parties were that launched the appeals, but he did divulge that driver Larry Nickle has been suspended three days for a driving infraction that apparently occurred in the contest.

Nickle was steering Greystone Dylan in the race. Greystone Dylan was the 47-1 longshot that was on the lead during the mile, directly in front of McElroy and Dream Well before the duo passed into the inside safety lane.