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Midnight Bourbon Tunes Up for Runhappy Travers

Winchell Thoroughbreds' Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow), who most recently clipped heels and nearly fell to the track in the stretch run of the July 17 GI Betfair.com Haskell S. at Monmouth Park, tuned up for an expected start in next Saturday's GI Runhappy Travers S. with a four-furlong work in :49.77 (17/68) over the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga Sunday.

“He's a very impressive horse,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “I think we're obviously very fortunate that he came out of the mishap in the Haskell in good shape and he's training well, per usual.”

Midnight Bourbon will be making his first start at Saratoga in the Travers. Third in last year's GI Champagne S. at Belmont Park, the handsome bay won the GIII Lecomte S. and was second in the GI Preakness S. earlier in the year.

Also at the training track Sunday at Saratoga, the Asmussen-trained Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) worked four furlongs in in :48.98 (7/68) in preparation for Saturday's GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S. and Yaupon (Uncle Mo), targeting the GI Forego S., went a half-mile in :50.50 (40/68).

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Prat Gets Seven-Day Suspension For Haskell Ride; Begins After Del Mar Meet Closes

Jockey Flavien Prat has been handed a seven-day suspension by the Monmouth Park board of stewards for his ride in the July 17 TVG.com Haskell Stakes that resulted in the disqualification of first-place finisher Hot Rod Charlie after Midnight Bourbon clipped heels in mid-stretch, unseating jockey Paco Lopez.

The suspension begins on Sept. 7, the day after the close of the Del Mar meet in California, where Prat is the runaway leader in the jockey standings. The suspension runs through Sept. 13.

Hot Rod Charlie, ridden by Prat, made a four-wide move into the stretch of the 1 1/8-mile Haskell. overtaking Midnight Bourbon to his immediate inside nearing the furlong pole. Hot Rod Charlie then drifted in to engage Mandaloun on the rail, but did so without sufficiently clearing Midnight Bourbon, who stumbled badly after Lopez appeared to attempt to swing his mount to the outside. Midnight Bourbon managed to stay on his feet, but Lopez was unseated as Hot Rod Charlie and Mandaloun raced as a team to the wire. Hot Rod Charlie won by a nose but was disqualified and placed last, giving Mandaloun the victory in the Grade 1 race and the winner's share of the $1,005,000 purse.

Neither Midnight Bourbon nor Lopez suffered serious injury and Lopez rode the following day.

The stewards conducted a hearing with Prat July 29 and issued the ruling on Sunday morning.

“Jockey Flavien Prat failed to make a reasonable effort to keep his horse from drifting in past the eighth-mile pole, allowing his horse to cross in front of Midnight Bourbon, which resulted in Midnight Bourbon clipping heels with Hot Rod Charlie, causing Midnight Bourbon to stumble badly, unseating his rider,” the ruling states.

“Mr. Prat's actions were in violation of NJAC 13:70-11.1 (crossing and weaving), which states: 'When clear a horse may be taken to any part of the course but no horse shall cross or weave in front of other horses in such a way as to impede them or constitute or cause interference or intimidation.'”

There was no immediate word on whether Prat would appeal the suspension.

Prat's suspension comes during the Los Angeles County Fair meet at Los Alamitos.

The post Prat Gets Seven-Day Suspension For Haskell Ride; Begins After Del Mar Meet Closes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Flavien Prat Suspended Seven Days for Haskell Ride

The Monmouth Park stewards have handed jockey Flavien Prat a seven-day suspension for his ride aboard Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) in the July 17 GI TVG.com Haskell S. The ruling was issued Sunday, three days after the stewards granted Prat a hearing.

The suspension runs from Sept. 7 through Sept. 13. The timing may not be a coincidence, as the suspension starts the day after the Del Mar meet closes. California racing then shift to Los Alamitos, where Prat doesn't normally ride on a regular basis. It will, however, keep Prat from riding the full meet at Kentucky Downs, which runs from Sept. 5 through 12.

The New Jersey Racing Commission prohibits its stewards from speaking to the press.

Via text, Prat said he will not appeal.

“Not much to comment. I will take the days and move on,” he texted.

The Haskell will go down as one of the more controversial races run this year. Prat positioned Hot Rod Charlie outside of Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) and Mandaloun (Into Mischief) in deep stretch. Hot Rod Charlie appeared to come over two or three paths in the stretch and impede Midnight Bourbon, who fell. Neither Midnight Bourbon nor his jockey, Paco Lopez, was seriously injured.

Hot Rod Charlie, who crossed the wire a nose in front of Mandaloun, was disqualified and place last. Mandaloun, who may yet be declared the official winner of this year's GI Kentucky Derby, was awarded the Haskell victory.

The spill gave critics of the New Jersey Racing Commission's whip ban plenty of ammunition as those opposed to the rule argued that had Prat used his whip, the spill would not have happened.

In the official ruling, the stewards stated that “…Prat failed to make a reasonable effort to keep his horse from drifting in past the 1/8th pole, allowing his horse to cross in front of #6 Midnight Bourbon, which resulted in Midnight Bourbon clipping heels with Hot Rod Charlie, causing Midnight Bourbon to stumble badly, unseating his rider.”

The ruling cited racing regulations under the category of “crossing and weaving.” It reads: “When clear, a horse may be taken to any part of the course but no horse shall cross over or weave in front of other horses in such a way to impede them or constitute or cause interference or intimidation.”

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Monmouth Stewards Hold Hearing for Prat, Ruling Expected Sunday

Over a teleconference, the Monmouth Park stewards held a hearing with jockey Flavien Prat Thursday morning concerning his ride aboard Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) in the GI Haskell S. run July 17. The stewards called for a hearing after disqualifying Hot Rod Charlie from first place. In a tight finish, Hot Rod Charlie may have come over on Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow), who was in third at the time. Midnight Bourbon fell, tossing his jockey, Paco Lopez. Neither Lopez nor Midnight Bourbon was seriously injured.

According to a Monmouth Park spokesman, the stewards will wrap up the case Sunday and issue a ruling at that time.

“The hearing went fine,” Prat said via text. “I just have to wait now for their decision.”

The New Jersey Racing Commission does not permit its stewards to speak to the media and the section on the commission's website listing rulings has not been working properly for some time.

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