very well said! :tro:

Just my $.02...

This was the wrong call, but it was a (relatively) close call. Junior Alvarado was negligent in not ensuring his mount maintained a straight course. As DrugS alluded to on Twitter, the proper punishment would have been to leave the order as is, and simply fine Alvarado (both for the stretch issues and the far turn bear out). However, the 1 did take the 3's path ever so briefly in mid-stretch. It is my opinion that this did not cost the 3 a placing and that's why the number should have stayed up.

The problem with the Mshawish race was that the instigator was really the 3, who was herded out into his two rivals to his outside. That forced Irad Ortiz, Jr. to move Mshawish out, even after contact had been initiated by the 9. For the numerous situations this meet where numbers stayed up, these were two pretty weak DQs by a group of stewards that are, at best, inconsistent.

Just to be clear... You just said pretty much what I said other then you thought the call Monday was wrong. I thought it was close, but correct.