Never saw this one before

[cj]

6th at Oaklawn (4-17-2020) the 11 horse had blinkers put on just before loading, Vic announced it, and less then a minute later if that the field was on its way. The horse was not supposed to be wearing blinkers according to the two sets of past performances I've seen.

Anyone else ever seen this? Feels like this should have been a purse money only situation to me.

[jay68802]

Heard them announce that a horse is not wearing blinkers in the Post Parade, but will be wearing them in the race. Every time I checked, the PPs had the horse wearing blinkers.

[dilanesp]

This is the new thing. Soon, the track veterinarian will be permitted to give the horse a shot of Lasix at the gate.

[cj]

Turns out the horse wore blinkers in his first starts, but it wasn't in the official record. I guess they made the horse take them off in the paddock. Then the stewards watched a replay and saw he did in fact wear them so they put them back on.

It was poorly communicated and particularly so since it occurred as the horses were nearly all loaded, but in the end nobody was really hurt or misled.

[Dave Schwartz]

Originally Posted by cj

Turns out the horse wore blinkers in his first starts, but it wasn't in the official record. I guess they made the horse take them off in the paddock. Then the stewards watched a replay and saw he did in fact wear them so they put them back on.

It was poorly communicated and particularly so since it occurred as the horses were nearly all loaded, but in the end nobody was really hurt or misled.

I completely agree. It becomes a matter of non-disclosure.

Of course, who is actually responsible?

[Robert Fischer]

Originally Posted by Dave Schwartz

I completely agree. It becomes a matter of non-disclosure.

Originally Posted by cj

Turns out the horse wore blinkers in his first starts, but it wasn't in the official record.

NASA is working on a new technology. Something called the "checklist". Of course it could be years before racing is able to incorporate such tech...

Doesn't racing already have a paddock guy to see if things like blinkers or testicles are attached to a horse?

If not, why?
Can't be difficult to train someone to check 4 or 5 items on a checklist and pay them about min. wage...

[jay68802]

Originally Posted by Robert Fischer

NASA is working on a new technology. Something called the "checklist". Of course it could be years before racing is able to incorporate such tech...

Doesn't racing already have a paddock guy to see if things like blinkers or testicles are attached to a horse?

If not, why?
Can't be difficult to train someone to check 4 or 5 items on a checklist and pay them about min. wage...

A. Check track bias notes

B. Read conditions of race.

C. Handicap the race.

D. Decide if odds are correct.

E. Bet or do not bet race. (See D.)

F. Repeat.

[cj]

Originally Posted by Robert Fischer

NASA is working on a new technology. Something called the "checklist". Of course it could be years before racing is able to incorporate such tech...

Doesn't racing already have a paddock guy to see if things like blinkers or testicles are attached to a horse?

If not, why?
Can't be difficult to train someone to check 4 or 5 items on a checklist and pay them about min. wage...

Apparently a first time starter just shows up in whatever the trainer wants as far as equipment goes and it is the job of the Equibase employee to report it. Since that person isn't in the paddock, this is always going to be a problem until it gets fixed. Some things you just can't see well from way above even with binoculars. I watched the replay of the horse's first race and it is very hard to see the blinkers even knowing already they were there. The track should be responsible for reporting this information to Equibase IMO.

[Saratoga_Mike]

CJ,

I thought in order for a horse to wear blinkers, the horse had to break from the gate with blinkers on. Then at the time of entry, whether it's a first-time starter or first-time blinkers, the trainer designates the horse as such (i.e., will wear blinkers). After that, if the trainer wants to take off the blinkers, he needs to declare that at the time of entry.

Is that correct? If so, isn't this entry information (blinkers on/off) provided to Equibase, along with the jockey/Lasix info?

[cj]

Originally Posted by Saratoga_Mike

CJ,

I thought in order for a horse to wear blinkers, the horse had to break from the gate with blinkers on. Then at the time of entry, whether it's a first-time starter or first-time blinkers, the trainer designates the horse as such (i.e., will wear blinkers). After that, if the trainer wants to take off the blinkers, he needs to declare that at the time of entry.

Is that correct? If so, isn't this entry information (blinkers on/off) provided to Equibase, along with the jockey/Lasix info?

From what I was told yesterday, not for first time starters. The horse wore them the first time but it wasn't recorded so officially the horse never had worn them. It is up to Equibase to report equipment on first time starters. That seems like a very difficult job to me that could be handled better by the track. The same paddock judge that checks the horses could easily report what equipment first time starters are wearing.

The horse showed up in the paddock with them yesterday but since it hadn't been declared "first blinkers" the trainer was told they had to be removed. I guess the trainer protested and said the horse wore them, the stewards watched the replay and saw them, and at the last minute they were put on and the horse ran as he should have, with blinkers.

The way it was announced (no fault of Vic obviously) was just poor. It was made to sound like the horse was adding blinkers just before the start and no other explanation given.

[Robert Fischer]

whattabout the shoes?


is it correct that 'bends' are disallowed at Oaklawn Park?

Oaklawn(although there just HAS to be occasional 'bar' shoe changes that I don't recall) = can't recall anything other than "No Changes" (vs. NYRA "Horses 1,3,5 and 7 are wearing 1/4" bends in seemingly half of the races")


Bar shoes? IIRC? someone in the Hidden Scroll thread said that Whitmore has been wearing Bar Shoes. Is that something that is noted on the pre-race 'shoe board/changes'?

[Saratoga_Mike]

CJ - thanks - I didn't know that.

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by Robert Fischer

whattabout the shoes?


is it correct that 'bends' are disallowed at Oaklawn Park?

Oaklawn(although there just HAS to be occasional 'bar' shoe changes that I don't recall) = can't recall anything other than "No Changes" (vs. NYRA "Horses 1,3,5 and 7 are wearing 1/4" bends in seemingly half of the races")


Bar shoes? IIRC? someone in the Hidden Scroll thread said that Whitmore has been wearing Bar Shoes. Is that something that is noted on the pre-race 'shoe board/changes'?

As Spike Lee told us, it's gotta be the shoes.

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