Last thing Racing Needs right now!

[ponyplayer]

http://www.miami.com/mld/maimiherald/5828759.htm

Heard about this on the Jay Privman Radio Show.
:(

[linrom1]

Posted on Sat, May. 10, 2003
Report: Photo of Derby-winning rider raises questions
Associated Press

MIAMI - A photo of Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Jose Santos prompted Churchill Downs to question what was in the rider's hand as he crossed the finish line aboard Funny Cide, The Miami Herald reported Saturday.

Two Kentucky Derby stewards called the photo "suspicious," and Bernie Hettel, the state's steward at the May 3 race, said the photo could lead to further investigation, the newspaper said.

The three stewards in charge of America's most famous race and the lawyer for the Kentucky Racing Commission will meet Saturday to set a course of action, the Herald said.

The stewards - Hettel, Rick Leigh and Jack Middleton - have the ultimate authority over a race's results.

The photo, which ran in several newspapers the morning after the race, depicts a dark area in the space between Santos' right hand and his whip, the newspaper said.

Santos acknowledged Friday he carried an object in his hand during the race and described it as a "'cue' ring to call the outriders."

"Why do you want to write about this negative stuff?" Santos said before he hung up the phone at New York's Belmont Park, the Herald said.

Santos said Friday he was carrying the ring to alert an outrider to his presence. An outrider is a rider aboard a pony that can guide a thoroughbred before and after the race.

"I have never heard of a cue ring. I don't know what it is," Hettel said.

Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith also told the Herald he had never heard of it.

Leigh, a Churchill steward, told the newspaper the photograph looks "very suspicious."

It is unclear whether the dark image in Santos' hand is a shadow, the light green background of the silks worn by the jockey behind him or something illegal. Other photos show Santos firmly grasping the whip with his whole hand after crossing the finish line, the Herald said.

Getty Images photographer Jamie Squire said he magnified his picture to examine it more closely. He added that he was able to "definitely see something in his hand besides the whip."

Brandon Lopez, an editor at Getty, told the Herald the photograph was not altered.

Kentucky Racing Commission rules do not prohibit a jockey from carrying an object - other than those specifically prohibited - in his hand.

When asked if riders are permitted to carry anything other than a whip, Hettel told the newspaper: "Why would they want to? It's the biggest race of the year. You have enough to do with the whip and the reins that there is no reason to carry anything else."

Santos was voted an Eclipse Award in 1988 as the nation's outstanding jockey and was the leading rider in purse earnings from 1986 to '89. This was his first Kentucky Derby victory.


In my opnion Santos and Eibar Coa are the biggest crooks in racing.

[Hammerhead]

Could be a shadow or mis-quote. I watched it and myself can not tell. Reporters are reporters could be anything for a story. I sure hope that is all it is. But another blow to racing for something like that to be reported on channel 7 National news.

[lousycapper]

Leave it to the media to dig up dirt on the horse racing industry now that the crooked wall street firms have ponied up [no pun intended] $1,500,000, 000 to get the pit-bull-attorney-generals off of their case. Yetch, that's a lot of zeroes. The honesty & integrity of horse racing doesn't interest the public slobs... otherwise Jerry Springer wouldn't be popular. Give us a steady diet of rape, murder and bull sh!t... tisk, tisk.

-L.C.

[Kentucky Bred]

I hope this goes through. It should go right to the pic of Santos' hand. TVG has a better blowup of the pic.

http://www.equidaily.com/bestbet/extras/derby/derbyhnd.html


The pic looks very suspicious...it really does. There is a black object between his hand and his stick for sure. But what is it? The fear, of course, is a buzzer to shock the horse down the stretch for something a little extra right when you need it.

But in the Derby??? I just can't believe it until some new truth comes out. I pray it is not true, although the publicity leading into the Preakness would be incredible. Right now negative publicity for racing is at least some publicity. A Triple Crown champion would sure be better though.

Kentucky Bred

[PaceAdvantage]

Kentucky Bred....your link shows us 6 pictures that only offer more proof that he had NOTHING in his hand....

Better check your link....but I like your link, so I will offer up a new thread....


==PA

[Kentucky Bred]

I thought this was the only thread on the subject and then I went to the Racing posts and bam! You guys got close-ups and blow-ups. I still don't know why one photographs appears to have nothing and one looks like there is something between the palm and stick.

KB

[JustRalph]

I have replayed the video at 1/4 frame over and over again and looked at all the pics......if he was palming something.....he ought to get the Magician of the Year Award.......because if he was, he was damn good. I watched it a gazzillion times at 1/4 frame and I didn't see it look like anything was palmed except those two photos........I am wondering if anybody at the Miami Herald has a case of Photoshop finger..................;)

[kenwoodall]

The racing industry is making a big deal out of this so Santos will be clear and will not believe the real fixes! LOL!