Not to revisit bad memories, but I though the race where Cannon Shell's horse was DQ'd towards the end of the Churchill meet was much worse than this one. And I've seen some real doozies in Florida, where the stewards seemingly exercise no discretion at all (and adhere to the "a foul is a foul" mantra, regardless of the impact on the outcome of a race).

Chuck, why do they have to involve the court system for on track occurances? Doesn't the stewards have final say as far as fines and suspensions? I just think the legal system is busy with enough with there own issues to deal with the fact if Eibar Coa should be suspended this week or not.

When is the last time a jockey appealed to court a suspension of 3 or 5 days for something like Coa did? He'd never win. The only thing that could happen is the days get postponed until after Saratoga. He'd still get days.

Because we have rights as citizens and not allowing them due process would violate those rights? I am not a lawyer nor did I stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night but I believe that the stewards are acting on behalf of a government/state agency when they hand down suspensions and fines and as such Jockeys and trainers have rights to appeal under most state laws which would supercede any racing rules. I may be way off and a real lawyer may have better insight bot this is how it has been explained to me.

You are just filing an injunction which is simply a stalling tactic in cases like these.

Jockeys do this all the time.

I agree, to a point. If the Stewards repersent the state, then can't the state have a arbitrator for Racing. I am sure he can do other arbitration cases as well, but if a racing case comes ups, it must get resovled in no less then 14 days. I understand that anything involving the state can be this simple, but to allow months and even years to go by with no resolution it is only hurting eveyone involved but the person who asked for the appeal.

I doubt that this is high on anyone priority list in state gov't.

What if the ruling was in error? Shouldn't the injured party have time to a fair and proper hearing? Why is it hurting anyone if a jockey is allowed to continue to ride/?

What about no steward inquiry unless the jockey claims foul.
just wondering

If it was an error, why wouldn't a state issued arbitrator be able to correct it in 14 days?

How long does the appeal process take in other sports? Arbitration in contract disputes in sports get wrapped up much quicker than these in racing.

With trainers the process may have to be a longer one, as I doubt any medication appeals can be done by a third party testing party within 14 days, but even that shouldn't go on for months and years.

Eibar Coa should be serving his days, he is danger out there right now, and how can you send a message to him now? My bet is he won't take his days till Aqueduct. Is that fair? What if, and I hope this doesn't happen, his reckless racing hurts another horse or jockey, or multiple horses and jockeys. What then? We just shrug it off as nothing when he takes his days for the preceding events at Aqueduct in December?

I am just saying, the process is flawed, and needs to be looked at...

huh..what does knowing the partners have to do with it... coa got crazy with the left handed whip and took room from the 8..totally good dq..and i would have had a better pick 4 with the three......

I thought the same thing but thought better to just let it go.

Because in our legal system nothing gets done in 14 days.

Do you really think giving a jockey a week's vacation will make him ride any differently when he comes back?

That statement (the one in bold) is not true. While there are procedings that take much longer, there are things that get wrapped up in 2 weeks. I don't understand what the problem is with this? If other professional sports can get these appeal processes wrapped up in a matter of days or few weeks, why can't horse racing?

If giving him a week vacation, or more isn't going to help, then why bother policing it at all? Why not let them all just run all over each other? Who cares who goes down and who gets hurt or worse?

That is exactly the wrong idea. You have to have a punishment, be it suspension and/or fine. If they can choose when to take their suspension, then you are right, it becomes just a vacation. That nulls any effect of the suspension. The suspension process for jockeys and trainers is flawed, and it needs reform. Can you not agree with that?

Andy summed the whole thing well on the seminar from Siros this morning. "Punish the Jockey, not the Bettors."

Agreed, but how do you punish him when he puts his suspensions on hold for months or years? Seems to me he is just waiting for a trip back to Venezuela. Take the days, see the family and friends back home, and come back like nothing ever happend. What a punishment...

I dont think that giving jockeys days does a damn thing regardless of when he takes them. It just hurts the people who ride the guy on a regular basis, takes money out of his agents and valets pockets and gives the guy a vacation. What they should do is have a sliding scale of fines with the amount getting bigger and bigger everytime he commits another offense. You want to get guys attention? Take money directly out of their pockets.

That would be fine by me. I would be for it. I think we finally came to an agreement.

and really punish "T"