This NYRA rule true?

[saratoga guy]

The rule cited by the stewards in their online reports is this:

4035.2. Foul riding penalized.
(a) When clear, a horse may be taken to any part of the course provided that crossing or weaving in front of contenders may constitute interference or intimidation for which the offender may be disciplined.
(b) A horse crossing another may be disqualified, if in the judgment of the stewards, it interferes with, impedes or intimidates another horse, or the foul altered the finish of the race, regardless of whether the foul was accidental, willful, or the result of careless riding. The stewards may also take into consideration mitigating factors, such as whether the impeded horse was partly at fault or the crossing was wholly caused by the fault of some other horse or jockey.

...There is no mention of any restrictions to their decisions with respect to finishing positions.

Besides that - the example given in the post cited that started the thread is completely absurd:

"If the 4th horse had come 2nd or 3rd. the winner would have been taken down, but since the horse finished 4th the rule said he wouldn't be taken down since it didn't effect the order of finish as to payouts."

Say what?!? If the winner was DQ'd the 4th-place finisher would move up to 3rd and affect payouts.

All that said, practically speaking there probably aren't a lot of inquiries or objections involving 5th-place or lower -- but the rules don't prohibit it.