Kentucky Derby Controversy--You Decide

Louisville Courier Journal ^ | May 11, 2003 | damper99

[damper99]

Derby photo of jockey investigated Santos carried nothing but whip, his attorney says -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By JENNIE REES jrees@courier-journal.com The Courier-Journal

This image is enlarged from a Getty images photo that was e-mailed to a state racing steward at Churchill Downs on Thursday. It was taken as Jose Santos changed the whip position in his hand after crossing the finish line.

By James Squire/Getty Images

This enlarged AP photo was taken from a slightly different angle at about the same time as the Getty Images picture and shows the green silks of Empire Maker's jockey through Santos' hand.

AP Photo

This enlarged Courier-Journal photo was taken moments before the Getty and AP images as Santos started the whip's movement that resulted in th controversial hand position.

C-J Photo by James H. Wallace

Racing stewards at Churchill Downs are investigating whether jockey Jose Santos was carrying a prohibited item in his right hand when he rode 12-1 long shot Funny Cide to a dramatic victory in the May 3 Kentucky Derby.

The investigation was prompted by an inquiry by the Miami Herald, which yesterday published a picture of Santos that an accompanying story said raised question about whether he was holding something other than his whip when he crossed the finish line.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Whatever the case may be, one thing is certain. It sucks to be the horse.

[lelio]

purse money will be redistributed according to the new finishing order
Where are they going to get the money to do that? Most of it has already gone out in paying off the bets. Perhaps they have insurance to cover this.

[baseballfanjm]

It's true. At first I thought that something was in between his fingers, but now that I look at it, it's clear that the contrast in color between the shadow and the jersey of the jockey behind him gives the illusion of a 3D object. The other angle shots seal it. He's just adjusting his whip.

[HairOfTheDog]

No, not the bet money.... the bet money stands. The Purse money is the money distributed to the winning horses.

[Celtjew Libertarian]

I know my eyes don't exactly work right, but I've looked at that picture several times and I don't even see what's there that people think is the object in question.

[HairOfTheDog]

Please tell me what you are talking about with restrictor plates! Is this a car-racing joke?

[HairOfTheDog]

There is no wrist strap on that whip. They change whip hands too often and the straps would be in the way.

[tubebender]

Sounds like a job for Crazy Glue...

[SAJ]

Yep.

[blackdog]

A high voltage shock will not make a horse run faster. As a matter of fact, it would cause him to stumble, sidestep, or put on the brakes.

[blackdog]

Plus the wrist strap makes the crop dangerous in a fall. I had one around my wrist snap in the middle and skewer me clean thru the cheek. Getting stabbed is pretty common when you fall on them. Eyes poked out, etc.....

[Terry Mross]

I lost 90 bucks by betting on Empire Maker and I don't see anything here. Santos won fair and square. I see "daylight" but I don't see another whip. The simple fact is Empire Maker started her run too late and got beat.

[Jewels1091]

How many people are going to say "sorry, we screwed up"....NONE, not any abccbsnbc, they all made it sound like he cheated...but none of them will come back and say no, it was just the shadows and the color from behind.

[strela]

Whatever the case may be, one thing is certain. It sucks to be the horse.

Completely unrelated but related quote:

"No matter whether the stone hits the pitcher or the pitcher hits the stone. Either way, its going to be bad for the pitcher."

[Uncle George]

Wanna bet how many of these "SOUR GRAPES" whiners are left lib's? They are so pissed off at our President, they even accuse a jocky of cheating. Oh the irony of it all, sheeshhhhhhhh.

[stylin19a]

It's my understanding that there is nothing in the rules that prevent the jockey from having something else in his wip hand.
This is a tough case. First to prove that he had something else in his hand, then identify it, then find that it was used to cheat.

[try phecta tom]

Wrong, just ask
valhall, Arkinsas Derby

[try phecta tom]

Misspelling intinded, ya'll

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Where are they going to get the money to do that?

I took it to mean that the owners of Funny Cide would not get the purse but that the "new" winner would get the winning purse.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Please tell me what you are talking about with restrictor plates! Is this a car-racing joke?

Yes. NASCAR dictated to car owners and drivers that a restrictor plate would be required to be installed on all vehicles for races on tracks over 1.5 miles I believe. The restrictor plate mounts between the carburetor and the top of the engine to restrict the air/fuel mix. This has the effect of keeping the maximum horsepower and therefore the speed of the vehicle below a certain level. Seems they think this will result in fewer injuries/deaths in the event of crashes.