Winchester's Sword Dancer and the Stewards

[plasticman]

Joe, i disagree with your assessment on this, respectfully of course. I went back a few minutes ago and watched this race (from August) and don\'t think that there was anything there at all to warrant a DQ. Al Khali is a huge specimen with a high head and a tough horse to ride due to his size and gait length. While  he was \'bothered\' somewhat, i believe that the top 2 horses were in a furious sprint to the wire, i don\'t think the slight \'check\' cost this horse a placing, he\'s just not \'handy\' enough and he\'s not a \'true\' sprinter. This race came down to a quick late sprint, AL was not gaining enough on the top two horses to say that even 10 strides after the wire he would have been 2nd. He wasn\'t \'getting\' to either horse imo.

Normally, disqualifications that \'cost a horse a placing\' are made if the horse who was \'cost\' a placing is gaining rapidly on another horse. Al Khali was not \'gaining rapidly\' on the top 2 horses and he was beaten by over 1 length at the wire for 2nd. I think the distance between the 2nd and 3rd place finishers was a huge factor in this \'non call\'. If Khali was beaten for 2nd by a rapidly diminishing margin, i think you might have a case....there\'s actually a point with a few strides left where the 2nd place finisher seems to \'rebreak\' when he feels the pressure of the winner. Rahy was \'loafing a bit\' but when the winner came along side, he picks up again and starts running again. Its not likely Al would have outgamed this horse for 2nd, even with a clear path all the way.