The Worst DQ Ever

[Dunbar]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

It occured at a blind spot going into the turn. You can't tell if he was clear or not.

So you agree with Rupert? If you can't tell if he was clear, you certainly can't tell that he impeded.

--Dunbar

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by Dunbar

So you agree with Rupert? If you can't tell if he was clear, you certainly can't tell that he impeded.

--Dunbar

Honestly, his description is a distorted account of what really occurred, and if you can take your " Rupert Rocks " glasses off, and actually watch it, you will see that.

I agree with him that it wasn't completely fair to take the horse down....but to say there was no way he was involved is indefensible. The pan replay on Racereplays shows all the stewards films.

[Dunbar]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Honestly, his description is a distorted account of what really occurred, and if you can take your " Rupert Rocks " glasses off, and actually watch it, you will see that.

I agree with him that it wasn't completely fair to take the horse down....but to say there was no way he was involved is indefensible. The pan replay on Racereplays shows all the stewards films.

Okay, I watched it. I agree that it's hard to tell whether or not the horse was clear. It's a DQ based on circumstantial evidence. You never see contact between Preemptory and the inside horses and you can't tell if there room for Preemptory to move in front. You see a sharp reaction from the first inside horse, but you (meaning "I") can't tell if that reaction is caused by repeated contact with the 2nd inside horse or caused by Preemptory.

I'll concede that it's not the worst DQ ever.

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

I've seen a lot worse. It's not really a fair call but I would lay 10:1 he did commit the foul....but nobody can prove it conclusively.

Okay, I'll take the 10-1. Maybe we can find someone who filmed it from a blimp.

--Dunbar

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by Dunbar

Okay, I'll take the 10-1. Maybe we can find someone who filmed it from a blimp.

--Dunbar

I wish we did.

Considering the horse inside Preemptory checked severely just as the turn broke, simultaneous to Preemptory moving from the five to two or three path, it seems like a very reasonable inference that a foul occurred. I am not saying I think that makes it a fair DQ.....but I would bet if you had a blimp shot you would see it was one. There is a big difference between the bumping that took place before this and the steady that took place after it.

I get the argument, and wish DQs were only based on what we know conclusively, but this isn't even in the bottom 50% of mediocre calls.

[freddymo]

Every track should have a "Johnny LaRue's Crane Shot" for such situations

[Indian Charlie]

How are there even blind spots in the first place?

Just how much more would another camera or two cost?

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

Just how much more would another camera or two cost?

I'm not excusing it but it costs a lot more than you think.

[Rupert Pupkin]

If you watch it from the regular pan shot and you hit the "freeze" (or pause) button right as the horse starts to take up, you will see that Preemptory is at least 1 1/2 lengths clear at that point.

With regard to whether Preemptory came in at all, I don't think there is any clear evidence from the head-on shot that he even came in. He may have slightly come in, but it's not conclusive. If he came in, I don't think he came in more than a foot (until well after the incident).

He obviously came in after the incident. He's obviously not going to go five-wide around the turn with nobody (except the winner) inside of him.

I think the main incident was simply a continuation of the bumping that had been going on between the 3 horses going down the backstretch. There was bumping between the 1a, the 1, and the 5 before they went into the turn. When they went into the turn, it got much worse and that was when the main incident occured. The 1a had been leaning in and bumping the 1 all down the backstretch. Then on the turn they end up bumping really hard. To me, all the evidence sows that the 1a, who was getting and bumping the 1 before the main incident was the culprit.

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by freddymo

Every track should have a "Johnny LaRue's Crane Shot" for such situations

I don't know why Guy Cabalerro was always giving LaRue a hard time about the crane shots.

For those of you who don't know what we're talking about, we're talking about SCTV (which was just as funny as the old Saturday Night Live IMO).

[blackthroatedwind]

You're correct....there is no conclusive evidence and I think it was a poor choice to DQ the horse.

The rest is conjecture, be it on your part, the stewards part, or mine.

There will, sadly, most likely be a worse call somewhere this week.