Did anyone see this?
 

This came from the NY Daily News today. It was written by Jerry Bossert (not the strongest journalist in the world).

TRIPPED UP:Jockey Norberto Arroyo Jr. has had his issues in the past with suspensions and an arrest, but on Wednesday he may have hit rock bottom when he flagrantly whipped the 2-year-old filly Hanna Can Fly twice in the face during the stretch of the ninth race when she was hopelessly beaten. The stewards hit him with a $500 fine, but after watching the head-on replay several times you can make the case he should have been fined more and given a suspension. It was disgraceful..



I was just curious if anyone did indeed see it. You would think the jocks would be smarter than this. Especially with the fallout of the Jeremy Rose situation. It just sucks the lack of concern that they show the horses sometimes. It seems that Arroyo still has some serious anger issues.

I just had a chance to watch it. You get a pretty good look at it on the head on at Cal Racing. It happens about 100 yards from the wire, she is on the rail. Arroyo has a red helmet on. There just doesn't seem to be any logical reason (at least to me) for him hitting the horse like that. The whacks don't seem as ferocious as Jeremy Rose's, but I just don't understand what his intent was.

How is it possible that he was merely fined and not suspended for that. It is inexcusable, especially in the light of the Jeremy Rose incident. :zz: At some point, the jockey's as a group need to be held accountable for their behavior. How the steward's can condone this behavior by their inaction is mystifying

I'm no fan of Arroyo; and even less a fan of the inadequacy of NYRA's video crew (it's 2008, do you think we might FINALLY get a TRUE HEADON of the stretch run?). With that said, and thus accounting for the lack of a TRUE HEADON, it appears that the filly was trying to get out (not significantly but trying nonetheless) and Arroyo was protecting himself, the horse, and horses to his outside and behind him, by trying to keep her straight--note the horse that shoots by to his outside just before the wire. A bit extreme, certainly, but justifiable nonetheless.

This is a distasteful subject: if NYRA (and most other tracks) can't provide adequate camera angles then they really shouldn't fine (or DQ) anyone, as doing so is based on assumptions rather than (correct interpretation of) facts.

What are you smoking to have drawn that completely inaccurate conclusion ?

WATCH THE REPLAY. Getting old arguing with people who either won't or can't (properly) watch races. On the other hand, WELCOME to the handicapping pool.

Hey Fatman when you get done answering Dahoss's question I got one for ya....


Do you sit or stand when you pee ?