Stewards | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘I Would Hate For A Younger Jockey To Feel The Way I Did’: Hollie Doyle Felt ‘Intimidated’ By Stewards

Hollie Doyle admits she made a mistake with her whip use when riding Echo Brava in a Jan. 30 race at Kempton, leading to a six-day ban from the stewards. However, Doyle told the Racing Post that she appealed that ruling due to the way she was treated by the stewards during their inquiry.

“I'm fairly thick-skinned but I felt pretty intimidated in the inquiry,” Doyle told racingpost.com. “I was repeatedly interrupted and spoken over. I accepted I had hit the horse short unintentionally but I couldn't get a word in.

“The tone in which I was spoken to backed me into a corner and left me no way to describe the incident. That's one of the reasons I opted to appeal. I would hate for a younger jockey to feel the way I did.”

Doyle's appeal was denied on the basis that there were no extenuating circumstances that could have justified her penalty being reduced.

“We are grateful to Hollie for raising the concerns she had following her experience at Kempton,” said a spokesperson for the British Horseracing Authority. Over the past two years the BHA has developed and facilitated training for all stewards across the country on process and procedure, and while the pandemic has had an impact on that, further professional development in this regard is ongoing and planned in 2021.”

Paul Struthers, chief executive of the Professional Jockeys Association, has called for audio of Doyle's inquiry to be made public.

You Be The Judge: Did Delta Stewards Make The Right Call?

If a horse clips heels and a jockey falls during the running of a race, even when, as in the following case, both horse and rider walk away with no more than bumps and bruises, stewards are often called upon to adjudicate the outcome.

During Monday's fourth race at Delta Downs in Vinton, La., stewards made the call to disqualify the winner, Miss Nitap (7), for interference in mid-stretch after a claim of foul from the rider of the second-place finisher, K R Lucky Day (6). Miss Nitap was placed second, while K R Lucky Day was moved up to first.

The race chart is available here.

A head-on replay of the stretch run shows Mrs. Judy (5), inside K R Lucky Day at the eighth pole, darted across several paths to bump K R Lucky Day from the inside and impede the path of oncoming rival Birdie Call (8). Birdie Call subsequently clipped heels and stumbled, losing rider Daniel Flores in the process. The incident looks ugly on video, but both Birdie Call and Flores walked off the track under their own power. Flores took off the rest of his mounts for the day, complaining of minor pain in his left arm and shoulder.

Stewards may yet impose sanctions on the rider of Mrs. Judy, Gerard Melancon, as well as the rider of Miss Nitap, Thomas Pompell, but those sanctions will not affect bettors whose wagering dollars rode on the outcome of this race.

Did the Delta Downs stewards make the right call here? You be the judge!

The post You Be The Judge: Did Delta Stewards Make The Right Call? appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

ARCI Strengthens Model Rule Restrictions On Crop Use, But Declines To Limit Strike Count

Jockeys will be prohibited from using the riding crop more than two consecutive times before being required to wait three full strides in order to give the horse a chance to respond under an expanded Model crop Rule adopted by the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) last week.

The modified rule tightens restrictions already in place but clearly says that any use of the crop to “urge” the horse must be limited. The new RCI Model Rule continues to rely upon the judgement of the Stewards as to when to impose sanctions, but is clear that using the crop more than two consecutive times or not waiting three full strides before reuse is to be regarded as a rule violation.

The RCI did not include an overall strike count in the actual rule but did approve corresponding guidelines to advise officials that use of the crop more than six strikes during the race is something to be assessed. The RCI Board did not want to remove the authority of the Stewards to exercise judgement based on the specific instances of the race but did want to provide guidance as to when to start questioning the possibility of overuse.

“If our accredited Stewards cannot judge when a jock has crossed the line then perhaps they should not be in the stand,” said former jock and racing official Doug Moore who is Executive Director of the Washington State Racing Commission and Chair of the RCI Rider and Driver Safety Committee.

“If the officials fail to exercise their responsibility in this matter then the feeling at the meeting was that the matter must be reviewed up top in assessing someone's job performance and deciding whether to keep them on.”

“Several years ago we changed the riding crop requirements to rely upon poppers which provide an audible stimulation to the horse in addition to the visual one of showing the horse the crop,” said RCI Chairman Tom Sage. “As a result, it is extremely rare to find a horse with evidence of crop misuse coming in off the track.”

“In helping to protect the horse we may have created an opposite impression with the public as they now hear the noise coming from the crops,” he said.

RCI President Ed Martin noted that testimony from the Jockey Club as to public perception was taken to heart and the regulators found it compelling to help address that by defining clearly what the chance to respond should be.

“The image of someone wailing away on a horse coming down the stretch is not a good one for a sport struggling to assert a positive image. But controlled and limited use with three full strides to respond was something the regulators believed would help mitigate that,” he said.

There was resistance to putting a hard strike limit in the Model Rule to emulate what Maryland and Delaware have enacted. Some jurisdictions felt that it would be deemed arbitrary and not withstand legal challenge in their states. Others questioned the “magic” of the number 6, asking why not 5 or 7 or 8? The collective wisdom was to use a strike limit as a guideline and leave the judgement in the hands of the officials as every case is individual, especially when you consider different track lengths.

There was universal agreement that any abuse of the horse in any way must be severely addressed. The RCI committees intend to develop progressive penalty guidelines in this area in the coming months to ensure that multiple violations are deterred across the system.

“We appreciate the input we have received on this issue from countless individuals and organizations like Breeders Cup, the Thoroughbred Safety Alliance, the Jockey Club, the AQHA, the Jockeys Guild and our regulatory veterinarians,” said RCI Chair Tom Sage.

“We believe we have found a balance that protects the horse, mitigates perception problems, and maintains the essence of a sport where every horse runs its best in every race,” he said.

FULL TEXT OF THE ARCI RIDING CROP MODEL RULE

Adopted 12/4/2020 – changes underlined.

(7). Use of Riding Crop

(a) Although the use of a riding crop is not required, any jockey who uses a riding crop during a race shall do so only in a manner consistent with exerting his/her best efforts to obtain a maximum placing that affects purse distribution or wagering pools.

(b) In all races where a jockey will ride without a riding crop, an announcement of such fact shall be made over the public-address system.

(c) No electrical or mechanical device or other expedient designed to increase or retard the speed of a horse, other than the riding crop approved by the stewards, shall be possessed by anyone, or applied by anyone to the horse at any time on the grounds of the association during the meeting, whether in a race or otherwise.

(d) Riding crops shall not be used on two-year-old horses before April 1 of each year.

(e) The riding crop shall only be used for safety, correction and limited encouragement, and be appropriate, proportionate, professional, taking into account the rules of racing herein. However, stimulus provided by the use of the riding crop shall be monitored so as not to compromise the welfare of the horse.

(f) Use of the riding crop varies with each particular horse and the circumstances of the race.

(g) Except for extreme safety reasons all riders should comply with the following when using a riding crop:

(A) Initially showing the horse the riding crop, and/or tapping the horse with the riding crop down, giving it time to respond before using it;

(B) The riding crop shall not be used more than twice in succession and the ~~Having used the riding crop, giving the~~ horse must be given a chance to respond before using it again;

i. “Chance to respond” is defined as at least three complete strides and one of the following actions by a jockey:

1. Pausing the use of the riding crop on their horse before resuming again; or

2. Pushing on their horse with a rein in each hand, keeping the riding crop in the up or down position; or

3. Showing the horse the riding crop without making contact; or

4. Moving the riding crop from one hand to the other.

(h) When deciding whether or not to review the jockey's use of the riding crop, stewards will consider how the jockey has used the riding crop during the course of the entire race, with particular attention to its use in the closing stages, and relevant factors such as:

(A) The manner in which the riding crop was used

(B) The purpose for which the riding crop was used

(C) The distance over which the riding crop was used and whether the number of times it was used was reasonable and necessary

(D) Whether the horse was continuing to respond.

(i) In the event there is a review by the Stewards, use of the riding crop may be deemed appropriate in the following circumstances:

(A) To keep a horse in contention or to maintain a challenging position prior to what would be considered the closing stages of a race,

(B) To maintain a horse's focus and concentration,

(D) To assure the horse maintains a straight course, or,

(E) Where there is only light contact with the horse.

(j) Prohibited use of the riding crop includes but are not limited to striking a horse:

(A) On the head, flanks or on any other part of its body other than the shoulders or hind quarters except when necessary to control a horse;

(B) During the post parade or after the finish of the race except when necessary to control the horse;

(D) When the horse is clearly out of the race or has obtained its maximum placing;

(E) Persistently even though the horse is showing no response under the riding crop; or

(F) Striking another rider or horse.

(k) After the race, horses will be subject to inspection by a racing or official veterinarian looking for cuts, welts or bruises in the skin. Any adverse findings shall be reported to the Stewards.

(l) The giving of instructions by any licensee that if obeyed would lead to a violation of this rule may result in disciplinary action also being taken against the licensee who gave such instructions.

ARCI Riding Crop Guidelines for Stewards

In addition to the rule restricting crop use to two consecutive instances before giving a horse the opportunity to respond as defined as three full strides:

A jockey may use a riding crop in an underhand position on the hind quarters or shoulder without the wrist rising above the shoulder during a race prior to the final 1/4 mile of the race; or with both hands on the reins to tap the horse on the shoulder.
A jockey may use the crop as necessary to control the horse for the safety of the horse and rider.
A jockey who elects to use a riding crop for limited urging, except as permitted above, should not use the crop more than six times during the race.

The post ARCI Strengthens Model Rule Restrictions On Crop Use, But Declines To Limit Strike Count appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Del Mar Stewards: Baffert Fined $2,500, Brinkerhoff Handed 45-Day Suspension

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has been fined $2,500 by the Del Mar stewards, reports the Daily Racing Form, over Merneith's positive for Dextromethorphan in her second-place finish in the fourth race on July 25.

“A number of my staff were sick with COVID this summer, including Merneith's groom,” Baffert told the Paulick Report after the positive result was made public. “I learned he had been taking over-the-counter cough syrups that contained Dextrorphan. This has been an issue in other states where contamination has lead to positive tests. That's what happened here. This is clearly another case of contamination. Ultimately, this is my responsibility. It's really embarrassing for the barn, but that's what happened. #2020 sucks.”

Del Mar stewards also took action against veteran trainer Val Brinkerhoff, suspending him for 45 days and issuing a $3,000 fine over Girl Can Partie returning a positive for Metaproterenol after winning the seventh race on Aug. 1, 2019. Sunday's ruling stated that the penalty was inclusive of a syringe found in Brinkerhoff's truck, which the trainer told DRF was a precaution for colic while shipping a horse to Emerald Downs, also in August of 2019.