Early in the '80's at Saratoga. NYRA carded a stakes for NY-breds. At the time, I was working in the barn of Hall of Famer James Maloney, who trained a fast and talented filly named Move It Now. Maloney entered her to run against the boys in that stakes. We led her over, she was saddled, warmed up, and as she was circling behind the gate waiting to be loaded, the starter sprung the latch. Maloney turned on his heel and went straight at a high rate of speed, cursing, for the racing secretary's office. No telling what might have happened had we not intercepted him. So it has happened before.

I notice that at Del Mar, an assistant starter stands in front of the gate during the loading, signals the starter as the last runner is being loaded, then moves behind the gate. Regardless, no excuse for a starter making that mistake, if it was not a mechanical failure. It's not a judgment call.

Strange day yesterday! Never saw a horse literally trample a seagull during the running of a race but that happened in the Marshall Jenney at Parx.