BC CLASSIC

[BitPlayer]

Here\'s the analysis from the Pull The Pocket blog, which I think is spot on:

The aftermath of the Classic was surprising; to me anyway. After seeing what Bayern did happen in 1,000 races at Mountaineer, or Sunland or a half dozen other tracks that I play (including in So Cal, a couple times costing me money over the years), I just thought it was a non-starter. I was kind of shocked they even looked at it. When something happens on national TV I guess it gets more play. Regardless, the masses were upset and asking for an \"explanation\". The only explanation that\'s true is \"this happens a bunch of times, horses get wiped out, and we do nothing, and since it happened today we\'re doing exactly what we always do.\" That probably wouldn\'t have gone over well.

[Bet Twice]

Amen!

[miff]

Cali Stewards Ruling:

\"Following the running of the 12th race today (Breeders' Cup Classic), we posted the inquiry sign to examine an incident at the start (Dirt, 1¼ miles). Involved in the incident were the winner #7 Bayern (M. Garcia) and several horses to his inside — #6 Shared Belief (M. Smith) and #4 Moreno (J. Castellano). Film review revealed that #7 Bayern broke in sharply, bumped #6 Shared Belief, causing a chain reaction with several other horses to his inside, including #4 Moreno, who also broke out slightly. #6 Shared Belief finished fourth, 3½ lengths behind the third place finisher while #4 Moreno finished far behind the leaders. After speaking with the patrol judges and riders involved, it was our unanimous decision that pursuant to CHRB Rule 1699, that the incident occurred in a part of the race where the horses interfered with were not cost the opportunity to place where they were reasonably expected to finish\"

[TMW]

miff Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Gate fouls rarely cause a DQ because stewards
> understand that horses frequently break inward or
> outward first stride or so.Usually in a severe
> inward or outward break,which causes a cascading
> chain reaction, a DQ is made.If every minor gate
> foul resulted in a DQ, the game would awash in
> controversy and many players would bail.
>
> It stood out to me that an incident/foul of that
> severity was rather \"quickly\" dismissed.Judgement
> calls always going to cause problems to one group
> or another but yesterday was a clear takedown imo
> which would have been made if not for the
> \"Baffert\" factor.As far as Garcia intentionally
> breaking inward, I doubt it as he came out with
> both lines extended in an effort to dead send,
> very clear on any replay.
>
> Cali stewards will explain away today at 10am
> press conference at SA, should be enlightening.


The stewards will probably try to reason that all of the horses had 1 1/4 to position their horses in order to win if they were good enough. If so -- that is just lame. It may make sense if all horses had the exact same running styles but they do not. Bayern took away Moreno\'s only weapon (speed) and compromised the chances of 5 other horses especially V.E. and Shared Belief. All betting biases aside (and I won) the sport would have been better if the stewards took Bayern down.

I have been in love with this sport too long to drop out but, between Del Mar breakdowns, crooked trainers, and biased judges, I would be playing fantasy football or something like that instead.

[TMW]

miff Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Cali Stewards Ruling:
>
> \"Following the running of the 12th race today
> (Breeders' Cup Classic), we posted the inquiry
> sign to examine an incident at the start (Dirt, 1¼
> miles). Involved in the incident were the winner
> #7 Bayern (M. Garcia) and several horses to his
> inside — #6 Shared Belief (M. Smith) and #4 Moreno
> (J. Castellano). Film review revealed that #7
> Bayern broke in sharply, bumped #6 Shared Belief,
> causing a chain reaction with several other horses
> to his inside, including #4 Moreno, who also broke
> out slightly. #6 Shared Belief finished fourth, 3½
> lengths behind the third place finisher while #4
> Moreno finished far behind the leaders. After
> speaking with the patrol judges and riders
> involved, it was our unanimous decision that
> pursuant to CHRB Rule 1699, that the incident
> occurred in a part of the race where the horses
> interfered with were not cost the opportunity to
> place where they were reasonably expected to
> finish\"


As I predicted -- lame.

[jerry]

So, with that understanding of,the rule, is it Ok to knock another rider off his mount the first few strides out of the gate? I doubt they\'d go that far but it does fall within the definition if their rule. Where do they get these guys?

[jerry]

Wouldn\'t have gone over well? Uh, the favorite was the one who got wiped out. Wanna see some disappointed bettors?

[Dana666]

On the in-house TV show I heard surprisingly honest and candid analysis from Richard Migliore (and someone else whose names escapes me). They were a refreshing change from the usual shills at TVG who never speak a controversial word about racetrack management or corporations in general. Anyway, Migliore was shocked the horse didn\'t come down. He said had this been the 5th race at Aqueduct on a Wednesday, there would have been an immediate DQ.

The perception or reality is that Baffert gets away with stuff and that\'s not fair. Remember the BIG Cap a few years ago? This is very bad for racing and any game that proposes to be on the level.

I appreciate all the intelligent feedback here. I\'m sure Garcia wasn\'t trying to do what he did--he was trying to bust out and get to the rail ASAP, but I don\'t understand in what world anyone can say that didn\'t affect the outcome.

I remember a few years back when I was DQ\'d out of being the lone winner in a pick six at Del Mar. The infraction was my horse, breaking from post ten in a route race, shot out of the gate and cut off several horses on his way to the rail. He won by open lengths never being challenged and was DQ\'d. I never thought he would stay up.

Sounds like you all made a lot of cash, and if so God Bless you. Take the money and run with it. I have nothing bad to say about astute handicapping because When you go to the bank on Monday morning, it only matters that you were right, not why.

[jerry]

\"Reasonably expected to finish.\" And these people are judges. Between the drugs, the cheats and the imbeciles at the top, horse racing in America is just too third world. Can\'t play it with serious money anymore. Pity. I used to love this sport.

[miff]

"I lost all chance to win the race\"


...wide Mikey on Shared Belief after being blasted by Bayern.

[TreadHead]

But if you listened to Roger Stein this morning, you would hear that he told the stewards the exact opposite, and they open admitted it played into their decision.

[Bet Twice]

My money was on Cigar street, and had him boxed with SB, CC, and some others.  The stewards decision had no impact on the outcome for me - I was a loser either way.  My point being I believe I am looking at this without a biased interest.

  While I agree that the action of Bayern (by no fault of his jock, which is clear if you watch the replay) hurt the chances of others in this race, I find it hard to believe racing would be better served by having the outcome decided by the stewards - let the outcome be decided on the track, not in the conference room.  It was an unfortunate start, no doubt, but it\'s not like SB and Moreno finished 2,3, where dq\'ing Bayern would \" right the wrong\"...you\'d have ToNY as the winner and SB bumped up to 3rd, Moreno moved up from dead last.

[Wrongly]

What planet do you live on?  How many races do you watch?  That was by ever rule an infraction.  It was Baffy!  Only reason the horse didn\'t come down.  I previously thought the Stewarts in Illinois were the worst in racing, yesterday Cali lowered the bar on racing biggest stage.  No wonder the sport in which I love is dying!

[rossi3839]

Bob Baffert was on the Roger Stein show and it was interesting back and forth between Bob and Roger. Bob also said that Mike Smith text him this morning to congratulate him.

[miff]

Mike Smith too smart to offend Baffert in any way, wants to get a shot at riding some of those Cadillacs!