Question about ride on Brother Nick Sar7 8/21/09
 

Okay, I only had the TV feed, so those of you at the Spa yesterday, please tell me how long Kent D was off Brother Nick before the race. My view showed a track handler leading the horse around, up, and into the gate--at least a couple of minutes--sans jockey. All the other jocks were seated.

Isn't there a rule about horses being required to carry their assigned weights for equal time?

Those of you there can perhaps tell me if the rule was followed in that race.

No biggie for me; I had no wager on the race. But if I had, I would be wondering, especially in light of Jerry Bailey's observation that Desormeaux has a rep for finding a way to get off his horse's back, to get weight off the horse, pre-race.

Just wondering if the playing field was level...

Exuse me, but:


Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha .............................

(in the absence of the rolling-on-the-floor-laughing-my-****in-ass-off smiley, it's the best I can do.)

he was off the horse for about 2 minutes. Last year there was a lawsuit and subsequent DQ of a graded winner who has bucked off the jock and been ponied to the gate, so there is precedent.

Happened at Gulfstream. Can't remember the race, though.

It was at Gulfstream and it was a stake race. It was Desormeaux who went to the stewards and raised hell because he ran second. They called the starter in to question him about the horse not carrying the weight to the post. And I think about 2 weeks or so later they gave Desormeaux first place money.

wonder why the other jockeys(even retired ones) are going to point out everytime he gets off his mount? he'll never live that one down. its just like any other job.

I think the precedent most of you are referring to is that of Green Girl, who was eventually dq'd, after a lengthy review process, from the Suwanee River win (http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...nee-river-win).

Most racing jurisdictions stipulate something like this: "If a jockey is thrown on the way from the paddock to the post, the horse must be remounted, returned to the point where the jockey was thrown and then proceed over the route of the parade to the post. The horse must carry its assigned weight from paddock to post and from post to finish" (http://www.nmcpr.state.nm.us/nmregis....2.5amend.htm).

But I suppose an owner-trainer team would have to protest the outcome, as Zwerling-Hennig protested the Suwanee.

It's probably not enough for bettors to complain. Apparently it's easier for track stewards to declare "caveat emptor" than enforce assigned weight rules.

I don't know... I guess I expected more and better from the Saratoga stewards. I made my first trip to the Spa earlier this month, on Whitney day, and was impressed with how professionally racing is handled there.

The weight was off of Salve Germania for at least 3 minutes before the start of the Balston Spa.

She got up to win at 24/1 odds.

Even if it wasn't the Lestor Piggot Arlington Million trick game plan.....if I was a trainer ... I would specifically instruct my jock to jump off for a few minutes every race for the rest of the meet.

i'm sure that three minutes made all the difference.

What can the Jock do?...Horse was all buzzed from his first time lasix.

I don't know if it did or didn't ... but I wouldn't pass up taking any little edge I can get .. no matter how subtle and extremely annoying.

Our turf horses are great ... a Euro with a 8-1-0-1 lifetime record coming off of a 4th in a listed race in Germany just overpowered a whole bunch of our fine Graded Stakes winners. A couple of them even Grade 1 winners on turf.

No Lasix

It might make about an inch or two difference.

an inch or two can be big. Would you not want it?

I remember the first Arlington Million ... Lestor Piggot was on a 1-for-12 longshot Euro filly named Madam Gay .. and he jumped off for about four minutes holding up the start while the horse seemed to be acting fine and with no appearnt equipment issues.

It is a stupid rule that needs to be changed. The safety of the horse and jock is often compromised and two or three minutes off doesnt mean a thing. If a horse had no rider for 10 minutes like the GP case that is a different story. Not to mention that the GP rule was a house rule, not a state rule and Saratoga/NY may not have such a rule.

Piggot did it to try and gain an edge. It didn't work, his longshot filly was 3rd.

The horse today also ran off in the post parade - something that probably helped her on the big cut-back. Either that or our Graded Stakes turf horses are somehow even worse than I thought.

Probably a combo

They just don't make 'em like English Channel anymore....

Oh yes there was. I guess it was announced at 10:30. Talking about it now on Trackfacts.
I guess there was also a late mention of bar shoes
on Our Edge.