This week's From The Stand deals with a Judges Inquiry that took place in Race 4 at Woodbine Racetrack on April 24, 2010
, concerning a break in stride by #6 Jackets Required, driven by Randy Waples, past the half. Jackets Required finished unofficially second.
While reviewing the Inquiry film and the break of Jackets Required, the Judges referred to ORC Rules 22:27 and 22:09.
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 reads, “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.”
After reviewing the Inquiry tape and talking to the drivers involved, the Judges determined that when Jackets Required made a break, he interfered with three horses in the race – #1 Engineered Right (Paul MacDonell), who finished seventh, #3 Top Gear (Sylvain Filion), who finished third and #7 Willies Place (Luc Ouellette), who finished sixth. As the bolded section of ORC Rule 22:09 above states, Jackets Required had to be placed behind the horses he interfered with.
As a result of the above ruling, Jackets Required finished 2nd and was placed 7th for causing interference while on a break.
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