Maximum Security맥스카지노s Preakness status unclear after Derby DQ
The next stop in the chase for the Triple Crown is the Preakness, though both Maximum Security and Country House remain noncommittal for the May 18 race following Maximum Security맥스카지노s disqualification from the Kentucky Derby.
Owner Gary West said Sunday he is unsure whether to enter Maximum Security in the Preakness as he ponders appealing the historic decision.
West also said he realizes the appeals process could extend well beyond the upcoming race at Pimlico in Baltimore. And with Kentucky racing stewards맥스카지노 that led to his disqualification, there might not be a point to racing the colt in the Triple Crown series맥스카지노 middle jewel.
맥스카지노When you맥스카지노re not going for the Triple Crown, sometimes it doesn맥스카지노t make sense to wheel the horse back in two weeks,맥스카지노 West said in a phone interview with The Associated Press.
맥스카지노If there맥스카지노s going to be an appeal it will almost certainly be before the Preakness, but appeals historically take some time to sort out. Win, lose or draw, we맥스카지노re not going to know the outcome of that until probably months, if not years, down the road.맥스카지노
Maximum Security was first to finish Saturday맥스카지노s muddy Derby before becoming the marquee race맥스카지노s first winner to be disqualified for interference. Stewards elevated runner-up Country House, a 65-1 long shot, to the winner맥스카지노s circle after determining that Maximum Security impeded his path and two others맥스카지노 exiting the final turn. Maximum Security was ultimately placed 17th of 19 horses after starting as the 9-2 second betting choice, ending his four-race winning streak.
Stewards cited a section of the rule that calls for disqualification if 맥스카지노a leading horse or any other horse in a race swerves or is ridden to either side so as to interfere with, intimidate, or impede any other horse or jockey.맥스카지노
Chief steward Barbara Borden said in a news conference that she and two other stewards interviewed riders and studied video replays of the incident during a 22-minute review after the finish. The stewards did not take questions from reporters.
West said the earliest he could see the stewards맥스카지노 video evidence would be Thursday, which could determine if he files an appeal in a process he was still trying to understand.
맥스카지노We wanted to have the stewards explain to us what they saw and show us on their video the pictures of exactly what they saw, and they refused to allow us to do that,맥스카지노 he said.
맥스카지노That was really pretty bush league, because there is no rule that they can맥스카지노t show the film to the owner and trainer that got disqualified for the first time in the history of the Kentucky Derby other than they aren맥스카지노t working today, or Monday, or Tuesday or Wednesday.맥스카지노
The only other disqualification in the Derby occurred long after the race in 1968. First-place finisher Dancer맥스카지노s Image tested positive for a prohibited medication, and Kentucky state racing officials ordered the purse money to be redistributed. Forward Pass got the winner맥스카지노s share. A subsequent court challenge upheld the stewards맥스카지노 decision.
The latest Derby finish will be debated for some time, and that맥스카지노s not good for the beleaguered sport.
The lead-up to Triple Crown season and the week at Churchill Downs was not what horse racing officials had hoped for. And now, the focus during the run-up to the Preakness will be on what맥스카지노s happening off the track.
A scary spill for a filly and jockey opened Friday맥스카지노s for fillies, and winner Serengeti Empress won her first start since pulling up in her previous race because of external bleeding. That followed by the industry after the deaths of 23 horses over three months at Santa Anita.
Now racing moves to the Preakness and Pimlico, where nearly 6,700 seats at the dilapidated track have been deemed unsafe and will be unavailable. The Canada-based Stronach Group that owns Pimlico and Santa Anita has also over concerns that ownership may move the Preakness to Laurel Race Course.
And the best story on the track may not materialize: a Maximum Security-Country House rematch.
Country House trainer Bill Mott said the colt was in good shape after the Derby but remained noncommittal about the 1 1/8-mile Preakness, which is shorter than the Derby. It would mark his fourth race in eight weeks if he runs.
맥스카지노It may compromise his chances a bit and it맥스카지노s not a normal situation to run so often,맥스카지노 Mott said. 맥스카지노But the Triple Crown is not a normal situation.맥스카지노
West also declared Maximum Security fine but will monitor him the next few days.
맥스카지노The revenge motive doesn맥스카지노t even enter into my mind,맥스카지노 West said. 맥스카지노The horse proved he was the best horse (Saturday) by far. If he맥스카지노s not 100%, we would not even think about taking this horse to the Preakness and then we won맥스카지노t know that for a few days.맥스카지노