- Steward Machinations Endlessly Frustrate
Few areas bridging on-track competition and the pari-mutuel wagering process generate greater consternation from fan and runner connections than the mercurial modus operandi of the stewards. On a daily basis, the arbiters in the judge's stand hand down decisions that regularly show little consistency, uniformity or logic in application. The resultant frustrations, and frequent lack of recourse for all impacted by the decisions, contributes mightily to the ills that dog racing.
The most recent widely-publicized incident, involving Hollywood's 7th race on December 4, featured a hard-to-fathom non-DQ of winner Kbello, and a highly confusing win photo that needed multiple explanations and interpretations by the CHRB. Despite their attempts to clear the air on both elements which produced public dismay, the California stewards came off as ineffectual and borderline incompetant.
Problematic Jockey Norberto Arroyo, feeling the sting of Pimlico steward prejudice after having the 2006 Black-Eyed Susan stolen from him, Dale Romans and Smart and Pretty, asked famously, "Who stewards the stewards?". It's a fair question. Chris Paasch, furious that his much-the-best longshot winner was robbed for incidental contact in an overnight stake at Santa Anita, was reminded of a backstretch incident more than 20 years earlier by a steward when eventually even provided an explanation of the DQ.
In 2007, Tampa Bay stewards fleeced bettors by failing to declare a non-starter of a favorite held by the gate crew when he tried to beat the bell and reared as a result. Ninety minutes later, these same stalwarts of the game's sanctity, forced a favorite to run despite the Lonnie Arterburn runner breaking through the starting gate TWICE, and jockey Joe Rocco begging that the horse be scratched. In addition to endangering the health of Arterburn's horse and Rocco's safety, seven other runners were left in the gate for more than 9 minutes while a 9th unloaded starter, the eventual race winner, was allowed to parade with an outrider behind the gate: an obvious, and totally unfair advantage.
Every group of officials in every major sport undergoes regular, exhaustive evaluation by their respective national governing body. Not racing's. While an authoritative 'Board of Review' would be a simple solution to the unending complaints regarding steward inequities, the lack of anything resembling a national governing body makes any potential progress on this sorry subject just one more thing in the game that no one seems to care enough about to address.