hooper Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This is the statement the Stewards attach to their
> decisions.
>
> With regard to interference, New York is a
> “Category 2” state, meaning that Commission
> rules provide that if the interferer is guilty of
> causing interference and such interference in the
> judgment of the Stewards has altered the finish of
> the race, then the interferer is placed behind the
> offended horse. The Stewards consider whether the
> riders of the horse or horses that are offended
> continue to give effort to the finish of the race.
> The Stewards also consider whether the offending
> jockey acted in a willful or careless manner while
> interfering with another horse or jockey, for
> which the interferer may be disqualified, i.e.,
> placed last or unplaced in the order of finish.
> For example, if an offending jockey acts in a
> dangerous manner, exhibits extremely improper
> riding or impedes several horses, the Stewards may
> disqualify the offending horse without regard to
> the specific effect of the foul on the order of
> finish.

Thank you. This strikes me as an insane rule. It is not the stewards fault with a rule like that. What does "altered the finish of the race" mean? A bad foul pretty much alters the finish of the race -- maybe not in a meaningful way for purse money or betting results - but the finish is pretty much altered.

And, how do they take into consideration if the jockey perseveres or not? That just seems like a recipe for disaster to me. What if the horse was injured by the foul or the jockey wanted to ride carefully because he did not know if the horse was injured or not? What if the horse went down -- no foul because the jockey did not persevere? It seems a crazy thing to consider if the foul was flagrant and capable of injuring the offended horse.


The foul in question here was blatant and flagrant - but it did not appear to be the jockey's fault -- the jockey seemed to do his best to avoid committing the foul but the horse had a mind of its own.