ponyplayerdotca
12-27-2010, 12:53 PM
Midway through the stretch, 1A ONESTEPTOGO dives down to the rail, cutting off 3 COUNTY GUN. He does so in order to make a strong rail run at the leader, 7 VALID OCEAN PASS.
Just as the 1A goes to slip up the rail, the 7 gets whipped right handed and veers closer to the rail, effectively shutting off the path for the 1A to make his run. The jockey on the 1A has no choice but to pull back on the reins until the wire, about 4-5 jumps.
The stewards first ruled that the 1A was DQ'ed for the original dive to the rail that doomed the 3. Then they ruled the 7 was DQ'ed for cutting off the rail path for the 1A in deep stretch.
So, instead of the finish being 7-1A-2-5-3, they placed the 1A behind the 3, then the 7 behind the 1A.... Official finish 2-5-3-1A-7.
My question: if the 1A committed a foul to get into position to challenge the leader, why should the leader be penalized for cutting off a horse that shouldn't have been there in the first place without its foul first?
I understand the stewards' logic once they decided, but to award the 2 a maiden victory for finishing 5 lengths back seems ridiculous.
Just as the 1A goes to slip up the rail, the 7 gets whipped right handed and veers closer to the rail, effectively shutting off the path for the 1A to make his run. The jockey on the 1A has no choice but to pull back on the reins until the wire, about 4-5 jumps.
The stewards first ruled that the 1A was DQ'ed for the original dive to the rail that doomed the 3. Then they ruled the 7 was DQ'ed for cutting off the rail path for the 1A in deep stretch.
So, instead of the finish being 7-1A-2-5-3, they placed the 1A behind the 3, then the 7 behind the 1A.... Official finish 2-5-3-1A-7.
My question: if the 1A committed a foul to get into position to challenge the leader, why should the leader be penalized for cutting off a horse that shouldn't have been there in the first place without its foul first?
I understand the stewards' logic once they decided, but to award the 2 a maiden victory for finishing 5 lengths back seems ridiculous.