Sunland Park Stewards Admit DQ Error

[affirmedny]

unreal

https://paulickreport.com/video/we-o...dmit-dq-error/

[Michael]

I wish I got an apology after the Modern Games Breeders Cup debacle.

[$w1fT]

It's criminal. They said they looked at the wrong race. Ok, so what caused them to look at the wrong race in the first place? Because there was no objection from jockey or trainer.

And what came of the "wrong race" they looked at.

Something stinks.

[dilanesp]

There's an old legend about Todd Creed, the former announcer at Bay Meadows in the 1970's. Apparently someone snuck into his booth and switched his program from the program for the day before, and then everyone in the press box snickered as he called the first race using all the horse names from the previous day's first race.

This sounds like that, only not a joke.

[Inner Dirt]

If they looked at the wrong race, how could that have happened? Do they select the race feed themselves or is someone else involved? I have no idea how any of that works.

[thaskalos]

Inexcusable mistake. What good is the apology to the bettors when the bettors are the only ones who suffer as a result of this gross incompetence? And what sort of an "apology" was this if it didn't come directly from the mouths of the stewards themselves?

IMO...the racetrack should compensate the bettors for the unfair loss that they suffered...and the money should be withheld from the salaries of the stewards.

[Maximillion]

Not to make light of this-terrible mistake...but had to laugh at the unintentionally funny- "at most tracks" part in the last paragraph of that article.

[PaceAdvantage]

Maybe they started happy hour a little too early that day.

Isn't there more than one steward?

And NONE of them realized they were watching the wrong race?

They really don't deserve to be stewards any longer after that insanely basic error.

[elhelmete]

Originally Posted by PaceAdvantage

Isn't there more than one steward?

And NONE of them realized they were watching the wrong race?

My first thought exactly. All three!??!

[ScottJ]

One cannot help but bring back this "most famous" wrong DQ in Saratoga history. This quote from the New York Times coverage.

The horseplayers who have been howling for the heads of the three Saratoga stewards since those judges disqualified the wrong horse in the second race last Saturday finally got their wish Thursday, or at least a third of it. Salvatore J. Ferrara, the chief steward, has been ''reassigned'' to Finger Lakes Race Track in Canandaigua, N.Y. This punitive action by the State Racing and Wagering Board was the equivalent of sending Ferrara to the minor leagues, if there were a Double A franchise in Siberia. There was no joy in this announcement, nor any justice. Ferrara and two colleagues in the stewards' stand disqualified Allumeuse for a foul clearly committed by another horse. It was not even a close call. Allumeuse was 5 yards away from the incident.

I am still trying to decide which is worse : making an error of 5 yards or making an error of 25 minutes.

[the little guy]

Originally Posted by ScottJ

One cannot help but bring back this "most famous" wrong DQ in Saratoga history. This quote from the New York Times coverage.I am still trying to decide which is worse : making an error of 5 yards or making an error of 25 minutes.

I remember that day pretty well ( given memories play tricks on us all ). I'm one of the few that apparently did not bet the 7:1 Allemeuse ( 1:9 on the internet ). Pretty much nobody could even figure out what the inquiry was about as Allemeuse won pretty easily. After the DQ, but during the replay, the TVs all went dark. A little bit later, Beyer came down from the Press Box and shared that the Stewards apparently took down the wrong horse.

As I also recall, Jerry Bailey was telling the Stews they were looking at the wrong horse. I could be wrong about this but I seem to remember it that way. I'll have to ask him.

[ScottJ]

Originally Posted by the little guy

As I also recall, Jerry Bailey was telling the Stews they were looking at the wrong horse. I could be wrong about this but I seem to remember it that way. I'll have to ask him.

This is an even more interesting point to this discussion. One has to believe that the Sunland Stewards must have spoken with the jockeys involved, no? Wouldn't the jockey of the #2 horse have said that he rode an absolutely straight line?

( And sorry to bring back the Allemeuse, Part MMDCLXVI story - just hard to find anything comparable ... while trying to get used to the new paren style. )

[SG4]

To make bettors whole from this race I think the track would need to pay out about $36,000. If I could adjudicate I'd tell all 3 of these stewards that either they're fired, or they can keep their job but the restitution comes out of their paychecks over the course of the next year. Their excuse about watching the replay of the wrong race is ridiculous and nonsensical. Actually is there a way to fine them collectively for the 36k & still fire them, cause that's probably the real justice here.

[mountainman]

Malaise can set in like a disease up in the crow's nest. For non-bettors watching the clock in close confines, one race looks much like another. I sometimes remind our placing crew to stay alert and be ready for an unusual occurence. Because for racing officials, trouble is ALWAYS coming.

Do not misconstrue this as an apologist posting-their sin is beyond egregious. But having seen stewards and placing judges zone out to the point of near drooling, this error does not surprise me. Not even a little.

Believe me, over the course of a seemingly endless and non-desript race card viewed from the 4th floor by officials with no particular love of the sport, white line fever has NOTHING on white silk fever.

[ReplayRandall]

Originally Posted by mountainman

Rarely seen mistakes terrify me as a veteran official. If they were common, i could train my crew to avoid them.

Yeah. Common sense doesn't exist much anymore...Impossible to avoid THAT.