Meadowlands Pace Appeal Filed

Reports indicate that the connections of Charlie May have filed an appeal with the New Jersey Racing Commission regarding the placing that cost the Ohio-bred colt the 2021 Meadowlands Pace victory this past Saturday (July 17).

In the $700,000 Final, Charlie May was first across the finish line, a neck ahead of Lawless Shadow. But Charlie May was placed ninth for interfering with Rockyroad Hanover and Abuckabett Hanover as he came three-wide and momentarily went off stride heading into the stretch.

“At the end of the day, I don’t know if it will work out, but I’m going to fight for the little guy,” owner Don Tiger told the USTA. “One of my biggest pet peeves with all this is that they didn’t talk to any of the drivers after the race. I think with a race of this magnitude you should talk to some of the folks and see what they say. My attorney was told that and he said that doesn’t make sense. You can watch the video, but you should also be able to consult and see what some of the people have to say. It’s due process; I just want them to get as much information as possible.”

According to Tiger, driver Brett Miller was very surprised by the placing.

“Brett said the horse in front of him interfered with him and that caused the chain reaction,” said Tiger. “He went to the winner’s circle and never thought in a million years they would take us down. It’s a muddy track, there’s bumping at the beginning, and (Southwind Gendry) put some steps in on the backside, he put some steps in on the turn. When you’re watching TV, you see the incident and it goes bang, bang, bang.”

Last year's two-year-old pacing colt of the year in Ohio for Tiger and trainer Steve Carter, Charlie May (McArdle - Stipple Hanover) is not eligible to the Little Brown Jug, but can be supplemented if he wins one of the following races: the North America Cup, Meadowlands Pace, Messenger Stakes, or Cane Pace. Tiger hopes that if the appeal doesn't go his way that his horse would still be considered as a possible supplemental entry.

“The only thing I hope and pray will happen, is that the Little Brown Jug Society sits down and says, this horse crossed the wire first, the race is under appeal, we should at least allow him to be able to supplement to the Little Brown Jug. Not get a free ride, to be able to supplement,” said Tiger. “They can make those decisions. Give us an opportunity that was taken away. Give us a chance. All we’re asking for is a chance. I could instead go to the Ohio Breeders Championship and he’s 1-9 or 1-5 instead of 10-1 in the Little Brown Jug, but give me and my camp the opportunity to make that decision.”

Tiger also noted that if he wins the appeal he'd give the connections of the horses that finished sixth through 10th in that race each $35,000 for racing under those stormy conditions stating that "everybody deserves a payday."