CDI suspends Saffie Joseph indefinitely

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by freddymo

The horses were withdrawn already without exception so no horses were dying on the track so the suspension is about what potentially defaming a guy? What was the goal of the suspension since his horses aren't running?

Likely the goal was to get the Joseph horses off the grounds as soon as possible to remove all risk. The racing commission only went so far as to scratch the horses already entered.

If his horses are truly compromised then they needn't be running in a race to be susceptible to sudden death. They could drop during morning training just as easily as they could in the afternoon. What if he took the Lord Miles Derby scratch on the chin and opted to prepare for the Preakness by working him at Churchill on Saturday morning?

Doubt CD wanted to see how that would have played out...

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

Likely the goal was to get the Joseph horses off the grounds as soon as possible to remove all risk. The racing commission only went so far as to scratch the horses already entered.

If his horses are truly compromised then they needn't be running in a race to be susceptible to sudden death. They could drop during morning training just as easily as they could in the afternoon. What if he took the Lord Miles Derby scratch on the chin and opted to prepare for the Preakness by working him at Churchill on Saturday morning?

Doubt CD wanted to see how that would have played out...

This makes total sense.

[King Glorious]

Freddymo, I'm in agreement with you.

We've had one euthanized today and another injured.

Updated to note that the second horse was also euthanized.

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

Freddymo, I'm in agreement with you.

We've had one euthanized today and another injured.

Updated to note that the second horse was also euthanized.

The cluster of breakdowns amongst the entire horse population at CD and the sudden deaths from a single barn are 2 very distinct problems.

CD neutralized the second problem from propogating further with a simple--if extreme--emergency measure.

It will be interesting to see if they implement any emergency measures (e.g., cancel training, cancel racecards, surface evaluation, etc.) after today to address the first issue.

[King Glorious]

Absolutely two different issues. I’m in no way comparing them. But what’s worth mentioning, and I know you fully understand this, is that the general public that’s tuned in for the Derby will more than likely be unable or even unwilling to see the difference. Hell, as you posted, look at how Paulick reported.

I see both sides. I believe in due process and innocence until proven guilty and all that but at the same time, as was pointed out by others, there are times when suspensions are made pending the results of an investigation.

If this hadn’t been Derby week, I wonder if it would have been handled the same way or with the same swiftness but I find it hard to believe that the extra attention on Churchill this week didn’t play a part in this.