Is the DQ "controversy" good PR for horse racing?

[Blenheim]

One never hears much about horse racing any more except for on Kentucky Derby Day; the 23 breakdowns; the doping; horse racing is an obsolete and dying sport . . . mostly bad news most of the time. I don't know, but I think for this one brief moment in recent memory, horse racing has been in the forefront for more than just one day.

I think the correct decision on the DQ; the beginning of the banning of doping; the coalition of racetracks beginning the banning of doping and the reintroduction of the Horse Racing Integrity Act are all pointing to what may be the beginning of a reversal of negative news to a new beginning of a positive news cycle for our great Sport.

Of course it is still early yet and one can never be too optimistic.

[f2tornado]

The way casual fans are talking on social media, I’d argue this will only hasten the current downward trajectory of the sport.

[tjfla]

Great PR!!!




Nothing like having a sport cherry pick which "RULES" it wants to follow or having someone claim foul that had nothing to do with any of it.


I just hope they follow the same "rules" for EVERY race from Golden Gate to the BC



A horse clips heels with another or touches horse out of gate=DQ
Horse comes over from Post 10 to get the lead on the rail=DQ(Impeded lane)





I will NEVER bet on another race again because of this weekend

[Gold Medal]

Originally Posted by f2tornado

The way casual fans are talking on social media, I’d argue this will only hasten the current downward trajectory of the sport.

You are a early frontrunner for post of the day. The people on this site are living in a bubble. The sentiment here might be 99% in favor of the DQ, but casual fans are about 99% against the DQ.

Even Trump tweeted out how this was a very bad decision and that it is a roughly ran race and the PC enviorment of today is the main reason for the DQ and that the best horse did not win and it wasnt even close.

The derby was just fine before the activist stewards got ahold of it this year.I know the social justice warriors on this site love to pull out their rulebooks and quote rule #365B-4fy26 to make their case. Who knows maybe you guys will be advocating pita oversight next year.

It was a fun run while it lasted but horse racing will never be the same sport as it was. The industry just sold its soul to the devil yesterday by taking down a horse that led every step of the way and was actually pulling away at the end because he "fouled" 2 horses that even casual fans know were never going to come close to beating him.

You want to fine the jock and give him days f you dont believe his explanation than fine, but should have never taken down the horse !!

[Dream_Police]

This is not about the fatalities at SA or Churchill or any other track, this is about the inconsistency of these decisions. Bayern wipes out the field in the BC Classic and he stays up, MS impedes WOW (who doesn't file an objection)and he comes down?! This happens every day and nobody in the industry seems to care. Every state has a racing commission and seems to have a different take on what an foul is and that's what pisses the fans, casual or otherwise, off.

[tjfla]

Yep and IF KY Derby follows "RULE" it set this year than 3 or 4 horses in 2020 should already be DQ and will have to do a replay as soon as the gate opens




Take a look at this picture at start of the race. 17 should be DQed in first 4 steps for interference on 16 and 15


https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-rac...equence-233505

[Gold Medal]

Originally Posted by Dream_Police

This is not about the fatalities at SA or Churchill or any other track, this is about the inconsistency of these decisions. Bayern wipes out the field in the BC Classic and he stays up, MS impedes WOW (who doesn't file an objection)and he comes down?! This happens every day and nobody in the industry seems to care. Every state has a racing commission and seems to have a different take on what an foul is and that's what pisses the fans, casual or otherwise, off.

You might have just taken the lead for post of the day. I forgot about Bayern. He basically took out the entire field at the start and stayed up.

How many times have you seen jockeys shift a path inward in the stretch to pin another horse against the rail to try to intimidate him or a horse shift a path or two outwards to float another horse wide.

And the only horse that had even a small case to make a objection WOW didnt file a objection because they didnt want to take down the winner just so they could move up from 8th to 7th.

So if the "victim" didnt press charges and the state (stewards) didnt press charges ( no official inquiry from them ) than why should a couple weasels like Prat ( horse not affected ) and Court ( horse gassed and fading either way ) be allowed to change the outcome of the derby ?

[Gold Medal]

Originally Posted by Gold Medal

You might have just taken the lead for post of the day. I forgot about Bayern. He basically took out the entire field at the start and stayed up.

How many times have you seen jockeys shift a path inward in the stretch to pin another horse against the rail to try to intimidate him or a horse shift a path or two outwards to float another horse wide.

And the only horse that had even a small case to make a objection WOW didnt file a objection because they didnt want to take down the winner just so they could move up from 8th to 7th.

So if the "victim" didnt press charges and the state (stewards) didnt press charges ( no official inquiry from them ) than why should a couple weasels like Prat ( horse not affected ) and Court ( horse gassed and fading either way ) be allowed to change the outcome of the derby ?

Actually I will answer my own question the way many here would have ...

Because rule r3wuire-fhtdsdh74-c64g on page 632 of the rulebook clearly states he should have come down ...

[burnsy]

You gotta be kidding me? Do you run a track? The rule changes are a good thing. This call is a disaster. The cops were at the Racino 6 times Saturday night for fights and arguments. The fans can't bet this horse back because hes not coming. Don't blame them either. The grandstand in Pimlico is partially condemned. This could be the last of Pimlico if nothing changes. This was always the least cared about race of the three......I'm predicting Ho Hum in two weeks. Summer is starting....casuals are gonna tell racing to shove it. They can do 50 other things.

Yeah, this is gonna be a block buster....