Kentucky Derby Drama

[BlueStarLizzard]

First disqualification for the winner of the Kentucky Derby happened today.

I don't think it should have gone down the way it did. Maximum Security did bump another horse, but I don't think his little freak out impacted Country House at all.

Plus, the owner and the jockey rubbed me the wrong way. They used the situation to win, when they shouldn't have been the ones to raise the objection at all.

[WLJ]

Russians

[Hawkmoon]

I don't know the rules well enough to make a serious comment. From the perspective of an unknowledgeable spectator, I didn't see anything that I would consider serious enough to have earned a disqualification.

[Andiron]

Seemed like legit racing to me but I don't know the first thing about pony races. 

That being said,  even with the foul (is that what this is called?)  The horse that got DQ'd was clearly going to take it.

Bet Vegas took it in the shorts on those odds 

[WLJ]

Local news is saying it could be appealed to the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission or even the courts.
Honestly I don't know enough about the rules on horse racing to say one way or the other.

[BlueStarLizzard]

I know just enough to know I don't know enough to really make a judgement. I noticed the issue during the race and I did think it came close to a catastrophe, but the horse and rider that I was concerned with was the green silks on the inside rail.
If he had made the objection, I would have agreed with the potential foul.

Plus, I didn't see anything that made me think it was any intentional dirty moves on the part of Maximum Efforts jockey. The horse got a little spooky and, if anything, the jockey got him back under control and back in the race on a shitty track very neatly.

Country House didn't get fouled at all. He was all the way on the outside and I couldn't see any sign that he was affected by anything Maximum Effort did.

If anything, I want to know what the green silks said to the stewards.

[French G.]

I don't know jack about horse racing, just aghast that that much money running in those conditions. Doesn't the risk of a maimed horse skyrocket?

[Hawkmoon]

I know just enough to know I don't know enough to really make a judgement. I noticed the issue during the race and I did think it came close to a catastrophe, but the horse and rider that I was concerned with was the green silks on the inside rail.
If he had made the objection, I would have agreed with the potential foul.

Yes, it almost looked like Maximum Effort's jockey threw an elbow at the head of the horse running inside him, to his left.

[BlueStarLizzard]

Yes, it almost looked like Maximum Effort's jockey threw an elbow at the head of the horse running inside him, to his left.

That was probably an optical illusion because of the camera angle. It was the horses that bumped and I imagine the jockey was struggling to keep his balance, thus elbows waving. I honestly don't know how they do it, perched like that at those speeds.  I think of all the times I went down and I actually had my butt *in* the saddle.

And in that much muck? It looked like a close one. I really did think we were going to see a pile up at one point.

[BlueStarLizzard]

I don't know jack about horse racing, just aghast that that much money running in those conditions. Doesn't the risk of a maimed horse skyrocket?

I don't think racing conditions really matter. It's a risky sport no matter what they do.

FWIW, pretty much all equestrian sports really are dangerous as hell for both horse and rider. Dressage is kind of tame, but then you have stuff like eventing and foxhunting and that's just the English riders.

[Jamisjockey]

I don't know the rules well enough to make a serious comment. From the perspective of an unknowledgeable spectator, I didn't see anything that I would consider serious enough to have earned a disqualification.

Samsies.

[WLJ]

A lot of calls in both basketball and football that I just flat out don't see even in replay either

[230RN]

Could not see well enough to call it.

https://youtu.be/Ci_ychn7ga0

But 55:1 odds for Country House?  Holy Mackerel !  Did I get that right?

[WLJ]

The ruling was unanimous

Barbara Borden: “Good evening. The riders of the 18 [Spinoff] and 20 [Country House] horses in the Kentucky Derby lodged objections against the 7 [Maximum Security] horse, the winner, due to interference turning for home leaving the quarter pole. We had a lengthy review of the race. We interviewed affected riders. We determined that the 7 horse drifted out and impacted the progress of number 1, in turn interfering with the 18 and 21 [Bodexpress]. Those horses were all affected, we thought, by the interference. Therefore we unanimously determined to disqualify number 7 and place him behind the 18, 18 being the lowest-placed horse that he bothered, which is our typical procedure.”

The rule, as written, is below:

"If a leading horse or any other horse in a race swerves or is ridden to either side so as to interfere with, intimidate, or impede any other horse or jockey, or to cause the same result, this action shall be deemed a foul. ... If, in the opinion of the stewards, a foul alters the finish of a race, an offending horse may be disqualified by the stewards."

Rules officials explain why Maximum Security was disqualified in Kentucky Derby
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/horses/kentucky-derby/2019/05/04/kentucky-derby-2019-steward-explains-disqualification/1106686001/

What I saw upon further review was 7 suddenly moved out of his lane and that caused a chain reaction. I did notice in the resulting chain reaction at least one horse stumble almost to the point of going over and I think that more than anything else caught the attention of the stewards.

To translate for  you NASCAR folks.
That Dale Earnhardt %$#! don't fly in horse racing. Too much chance for both riders and horses to get hurt.

[WLJ]

It could be overturned in appeal but I doubt it due to the ruling being unanimous and after knowing what to look for I can now see it for myself. A lot of this is knowing what to look for.

What made this decision so difficult is that Maximum Security didn’t cause any of his rivals to pull up. He didn’t knock anybody off stride. His transgressions were subtle, but were obvious to anybody who studied the replays as long as the stewards did.

Billy Reed: Bizarre Derby result could be appealed, would make possible Preakness rematch interesting
https://www.wave3.com/2019/05/05/billy-reed-bizarre-derby-result-could-be-appealed-would-make-possible-preakness-rematch-interesting/

I have to disagree with the didn't knock anybody off stride part. Like I said above I did notice a horse, edit START, to stumble in the chain reaction. Maybe he means he didn't directly knock anybody off stride.

[Hawkmoon]

Could not see well enough to call it.

https://youtu.be/Ci_ychn7ga0

So the [alleged] interference occurred earlier in the race than I thought.

[BlueStarLizzard]

Watching again.

Yes, there was a foul. Actually, I'd say now there were two. Code of Honor and War of Wills.

However, I'm still not sure Country House deserved that one.  

I hope Country House crashes and burns in the Preakness. I wouldn't like a Triple Crown to be awarded this year. It's too messy and would sully the whole thing.

[French G.]

Screw it, give them swords, maces, and lances. Burn the rule book. Lots of new prop bets that way.

[WLJ]

There are times when I wish someone would take Trump's phone away.
No Mr. Trump political correctness had nothing to do with it.

   The Kentuky Derby decision was not a good one. It was a rough and tumble race on a wet and sloppy track, actually, a beautiful thing to watch. Only in these days of political correctness could such an overturn occur. The best horse did NOT win the Kentucky Derby – not even close!

    — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 5, 2019

Donald Trump Blames ‘Political Correctness’ for Kentucky Derby DQ Ruling
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/05/05/donald-trump-blames-political-correctness-kentucky-derby-dq-ruling/

[BlueStarLizzard]

 

He needs a social media editor.

Sooo bad...

[MechAg94]

You get the good with the bad.  If he had a social media editor, none of what he said would be "Trump".  It would be the same as all the other politicians. 

[French G.]

I keep wanting Milo for press secretary. I mean they're gonna act like idiots no matter what he does, might as well have fun with it.

[WLJ]

Next stop is court I guess if they want to continue fighting this
And Maximum Security won't be running in the Preakness so no rematch there at least

UPDATE: Maximum Security’s owners appeal of Derby result denied by Kentucky Horse Racing Commission
https://www.wave3.com/2019/05/06/maximum-securitys-owners-appeal-derby-ruling-with-state-racing-commission/

[230RN]

You get the good with the bad.  If he had a social media editor, none of what he said would be "Trump".  It would be the same as all the other politicians.  

Agreed.  It's refreshing to hear an official's reactions, even on non-poliical matters, before it gets polished and the corners rounded off and cleaned up and sanitized and lubricated by protocol wonks.

Especially the lubrication part.

Especially the lubrication part.

Terry, 230RN

[RoadKingLarry]

I don't think racing conditions really matter. It's a risky sport no matter what they do.

FWIW, pretty much all equestrian sports really are dangerous as hell for both horse and rider. Dressage is kind of tame, but then you have stuff like eventing and foxhunting and that's just the English riders.

Messing with horses can always get dangerous.
Anytime you take one of the stupidest animals on the face of the earth and mount him/her on an animal known to get spooked into panic by it's own shadow you have a recipe for potential disaster.