Irregular Regulation
Real Writing on Racing 💯
Does anybody know what’s going on here?
If you have been a listener of the Going in Circles Podcast Network you likely would have heard at least a few rants by yours truly about some inane ruling by some set of stewards somewhere in the United States. One thing that the simulcasting era has done is allow us all to watch far more races from far more places than what we used to see back in the day of Allumeuse, the horse who served as the main character in the worst stewards decision in modern day racing history. For those that aren’t familiar with the event, Andy Beyer wrote about it when he was the horseracing writer for the Washington Post. Beyer has long been a critic of how racing is regulated on the field of play and has written a ton of different stories over the years about the topic. This one from August 5, 1986 still rings true in so many frustrating ways.
“As long as racing officials can be appointed on the basis of political connections, as long as they don't feel any sense of responsibility to the betting public, stewards are going to cause embarrassments for the sport.
The only thing that will change after Saturday's debacle is the attitude of many of New York's racing fans. They never again will harbor illusions about stewards' competence or concern for the public.”
Just over the last several days several wildly inconsistent decisions emanated out of that same stand where the New York stewards so royally screwed up thirty five years ago. A few weeks back a non-call in the Hall of Fame stakes where a horse cut off a rival so severely that the offended horse pulled up out of the race led to the stewards putting out an odd statement in defense of their position that seemed to quote a rule with different language than is on the books. Yesterday a filly named Make Mischief (!) in the 7th race clearly broke through the gate prior to the starter sending the signal to start the race, seeming to be grounds to declare her a non-starter making the fact that the assistant starter seemed to also still have a hold of her as she left the gate a moot point. Yet the stewards ruled her a starter seemingly ignoring both issues by declaring, unanimously I might add, that “Make Mischief did not gain an unfair advantage at the start of race 7”. The New York rule states, “Every horse shall be declared a starter when the stall gates open on the signal of the starter…” Make Mischief’s stall gate did not open on the signal of the starter, it opened when she forced it open a split second prior to the starter pushing the button to open the gates (in other words the signal). Even Saratoga Track announcer John Imbriale noted that she left the gate prior to the others as he stated in his call of the race and yet the inquiry sign was never even posted.
The right thing to do there was to declare the horse a non-starter for betting purposes and allow her placing for purse money to stand as found in that same rule 4009.21 regarding non-starters and refunds. The betting public would have felt they were being protected, the connections of the horse would have been compensated and the incident would have been but a footnote in the history pages. Yes NYRA would have lost a few dollars but integrity isn’t without its costs and as strong as business has been, the loss would have been easily absorbed. That wasn’t how it went and today more than ever the general feeling among those in racing circles is that NYRA has a stewards problem and with each questionable call made the grumbling is going to get louder and louder.
Travers Day
There are too many stakes to fully cover and since we are heading out to the track in a little bit we will give some quick thoughts to each of the graded stakes run today at Saratoga.
Ballston Spa – Not a stellar edition of this grade 2 turf event for fillies but an interesting group that seems relatively evenly matched. I am going to use the #2 Tamahere who has gotten two less than stellar trips in her last 2 and I’m hoping in a race that is distinctly lacking in speed, Irad let’s her run early and doesn’t fight her like last out when he got in a wrestling match with her. I’m also going to use #4 New York Girl who was progressing nicely this spring before throwing in 2 clunkers inclining last out at Saratoga where she broke slowly and then was badly checked going into the first turn, losing all chance behind a slow pace.
Ballerina – A bigger field than I expected but oddly one without much speed outside of the huge favorite Gamine. She will be wearing an aluminum pad today which we don’t know if she has been wearing or if this is the first time with it since only NYRA reports shoe information (which is a separate story in itself). There has been a lot of talk that she hasn’t been as good this season as she was last year which is probably true but we are also talking about a historically great year where she won the Acorn by 18, the Test by 7 and the Breeders Cup Filly Sprint by 6. The issue is the lack of pace pressure to soften her up though Baffert has indicated that he will instruct Johnny Velazquez to just let her roll as he feels that she is better doing that than trying to rate some. I’m going to key on #3 Casual and #6 Estilo Talentoso underneath if there is any value. IMO Ce Ce and Sconsin may be a little overplayed and I don’t see much difference between those two and the ones I noted behind Gamine.
Forego - This is a very competitive and evenly matched group. I can’t say that I have much enlightening to say outside I don’t like playing #Firenze Fire outside of Belmont, don’t trust #7 Yaupon at a short price though he may try to wire them and I wouldn’t touch any Saffie Joesph runner at Saratoga with a ten foot pole which has worked out quite well this meet. I ALWAYS root for #2 Whitmore though oddly he only has one win at 7 furlongs among his 15 lifetime wins (6-1-1-1)
HA Jerkens – The race of the day for sure. The best three year old sprinter versus what might be the best three year old period in Jackies Warrior versus Life is Good. The rest of the field seems up against it and here is to hoping that the two stars throw down in the stretch to give us a memorable race. Jackies Warrior has been outstanding since cutting back to one turn races, the question is at some point do all these huge efforts take a toll? The two questions that we have for Life is Good is how good is he off the layoff coming off of an injury and what about the trainer change to Todd Pletcher from Bob Baffert? All things being equal, I’d favor Life is Good as I believe he is the best three year old that we have seen this year but all things aren’t equal and that’s why we run the races.
Personal Ensign – Letruska has been awesome this year, dominating her last two after upsetting division kingpin Monomoy Girl with a super game effort in the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn this spring. The question in this race is can anyone press her early enough to soften her up? As Time Goes By is fast herself though not a dedicated front runner like Letruska. I’m taking a shot that she can stay close to her and apply the pressure that has not materialized in Letruska’s last two starts and pull of the upset here. I also believe that Swiss Skydiver is going to run a big one and if Letruska and As Time Go By run each other into the ground, last years Alabama winner might be poised to pick up the pieces. Royal Flag was really sharp last out over the track and Could get a share too.
Sword Dancer - Tribhuvan has gone from rabbit to one of the division leaders albeit a pretty soft division. How much pace pressure he gets from Channel Maker who has returned to his doldrums after having a great month last season, could decide this race. I’m leaning toward using Rockemporer if his price is right. He only has three lifetime wins and is far from a star but I think this race may set up for him and the favorites are all vulnerable. I have been a big proponent of the euro shippers this year and mostly that is a strategy that has worked but wonder about Japanhaving shipped over during a heat wave and also a little skeptical that O’Brien raced him in a really soft spot albeit with him carrying 140 with him carrying 140 pounds(!) as his prep for this. Ryan Moore doesn’t travel to just rack up frequent flyer points but I’m fading him in here.
Travers – This isn’t a great rendition of the Mid-summer Derby but Essential Quality is a worthy favorite in here. Midnight Bourbon coming off a bizarre fall in the stretch of the Haskell and figures to be the main speed in here which gives him a punchers chance of stealing it. I believe that Masqueparade will be stalking him and preventing a super slow pace which should play directly into Essential Quality and jockey Luis Saez’s hands. The rest seem to be one run closer types that don’t seem to be getting a pace scenario that is in their favor.