This week, From The Stand examines two races from Grand River Raceway

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Grand River Raceway – July 26, 2010, Race 10 (click here for the chart)

A Judges Inquiry took place during the tenth race at Grand River Raceway on July 26/10 that looked at a break by #2 Blue Monster (Phil Hudon) in the first turn. #2 Blue Monster was the unofficial third place finisher.

The Judges referred to ORC Rules 22:27 and 22:09 when assessing the break of #2 Blue Monster.

ORC Rule 22:27 reads, “When a horse breaks from its gait in a race the driver shall: (a) take the horse to the inside or outside of other horses where clearance exists; (b) properly attempt to pull the horse to its gait; and (c) continuously lose ground while on the break. If there has been no violation of (a), (b) or (c) above, the horse shall not be set back unless a contending horse on its gait is lapped on the hind quarter of the breaking horse at the finish, however, notwithstanding the foregoing, if interference caused by another driver(s) or horse(s) has caused the horse to be on a break at the finish, the Judges may, in their discretion, determine not to set the horse back even if a contending horse on its gait is lapped on the hind quarter of the breaking horse at the finish.”

ORC Rule 22:09 states:

“In the case of interference, collision, or violation of any rules, the offending horse may be placed back one or more positions in that heat or dash, and in the event of such collisions, interference or violation preventing any horse from finishing the heat or dash, the offending horse may be disqualified from receiving any winnings and the driver may be fined or suspended. If a horse is set back, it must be placed behind the horse with which it interfered. If an offending horse has interfered with a horse involved in a dead heat and the offending horse is set back, it must be placed behind the horses in the dead heat.”

The Judges used the pan and front tower shots for the inquiry and both videos are available below.

#2 Blue Monster goes off stride for driver Phil Hudon going into the first turn. The Judges were trying to determine if #2 Blue Monster caused any interference to the three horses behind her - #4 Imagine Semalu (Paul MacDonell), #5 Pocket Of Gold (Dave Wall) or #6 Lady Kelleigh Anne (Scott Coulter). It was the opinion of the Judges that when #2 Blue Monster made a break she caused confusion and interference to both #4 Imagine Semalu and #5 Pocket Of Gold. As the pan shot shows, both MacDonell and Wall were forced to take a hold of their horses and change course.

As a result of the interference and as the bolded section of ORC Rule 22:09 states, #2 Blue Monster must be placed behind both horses she caused interference to while off stride. Therefore, #2 Blue Monster was placed from third to sixth for causing confusion and interference while off stride in the first turn. Both #4 Imagine Semalu and #5 Pocket Of Gold were chartered with interference (i) after the start.

Grand River Raceway – August 6, 2010, Race 10 (click here for the chart)

There was a Judges Inquiry in the tenth race at Grand River Raceway on August 6/10 that dealt with a possible pylon violation in the first turn by #2 H S Blaze (Bruce Richardson). #2 H S Blaze was the unofficial second place finisher.

The Judges referred to ORC Rule 18:08.02 for the Inquiry.

ORC Rule 18:08.02 reads, “if, at a racetrack which does not have a continuous solid hub rail, a horse while on stride or part of the horse’s sulky leaves the course by going inside the hub rail or other demarcation which constitutes the inside limits of the course, the offending horse shall be placed back where, in the opinion of the Judges, the action gave the horse an unfair advantage over other horses in the race, or the action helped the horse improve its position in the race. In addition, when an act of interference causes a horse or part of the horse’s sulky to cross the inside limits of the course, and the horse is placed by the Judges, the offending horse shall be placed behind the horse with which it interfered. Drivers, who in the opinion of the Judges, leave the racing strip when not forced to do so as a result of the actions of another driver and/or horse may be fined or suspended by the Judges.”

For the inquiry, the Judges reviewed the pan and front tower shots and both are available below.

The pan shot shows #2 H S Blaze crossing over towards the pylons for driver Bruce Richardson as the field heads into the first turn. #2 H S Blaze is outside of the first pylon going into the turn, but then bears down and races inside the next two consecutive pylons before returning to the racing strip. The pylon rule states that any horse that races inside two consecutive pylons must be placed behind any lapped on horses. The Judges viewed the photo finish strip and determined that #2 H S Blaze was lapped only by #3 Carscot Quixote (Paul Walker).

The Judges ruled that #2 H S Blaze was not forced inside the pylons by any other horse and was therefore in violation of ORC Rule 18:08.02. As a result, #2 H S Blaze finished unofficially second and was placed third for violating the pylon rule.

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