Racing’s challenge flag

It is the final of the U.S. Open. Thousands cram into the seats at centre court to watch Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer compete in a tennis match for the ages. With the game on the line, Djokovic shoots a forehand winner past Federer. With a raise of his hand, Federer challenges the close call and fans wait with anxious anticipation for the digitally generated settlement to the argument.

It is the Super Bowl and New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is unhappy with a call made on the field. He runs along the sideline and hurls a challenge flag onto the grass. Within minutes the argument is dealt with, and the correct result is upheld.

In Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League, participants now have the ability to call over umpires and referees on a regular basis to lodge an objection. Again, the appeals are subsequently dealt with.

So what about horse racing?

The ability for a participant to claim foul after a race is nothing new for racing. In this case, our sport is miles ahead of the curve, as participants had this option at their disposal decades before other sports followed suit. A driver may object after any race where he/she witnesses a violation. In fact, by Ontario Racing Commission rule, it is a punishable offence if a driver fails to object to a witnessed violation. That’s right - don’t appeal and you could be in trouble.

So in practice, what is happening on the track?

For whatever reason, our drivers rarely exercise their right to challenge a call in a race. In fact, some drivers have, by their own admission, gone years between objections even though they likely have had reason to appeal.

In other sports, one used to be able to argue that only referees and umpires were in charge of rules, and participants were simply in charge of playing the game. Times have changed however, and like in racing, participants in those sports now have the opportunity to take advantage of the appeal process. An advantage they seem to make great use of.

Every person involved in a race, from the customer to the participants, to the owners and track operators, to the judges who officiate the races, want the right call made. It’s one area where we’re all on the same side. For that reason, any suggestion that a claim of foul is poor sportsmanship, or should in some way negatively affect a driver in the future, is really tough to understand.

Our drivers are very open about their desire to be transparent about the races they participate in. They compete hard for every win, and expect fairness in every call made from the judges above. It is only natural to extend that thinking to their use of the objection rule when a driver feels there was an overlooked rules violation during a race.

Once a few participants begin exercising their right to appeal, the practice will become less an anomaly. Customers will appreciate the openness, and judges will make more correct calls than they make today. Like in every other sport, that is what we’re all striving for.

Darryl Kaplan
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