From the stewards at Churchill…

Sep 20: “Trap Line bled and was placed on See Vet List.”

Sep 21: “Scotch Chocolate returned lame and required the horse ambulance.” (The official race chart said nothing of this.)

Sep 22: “Circle Back Jack suffered a post-race heatstroke; placed on See Vet List.” (The official race chart said nothing of this.)

Sep 28: “Wake Surf and Reecho were injured in the paddock and scratched.”

And the following “claims” (sales) were voided because the horses came back with an injury of one kind or another:

Eyes of Gold, Sep 20
First Strike, Sep 22
Fitzpatrick, Sep 22
Outlier, Sep 27

At Delaware Park, this:

Sep 27: Will Or Won’t was scratched for being “lame in the post parade.” Which means she was either injured right before the race (highly unlikely) or brought to race that day already lame. Also, the “claim” of Laramore was voided for “unsoundness.”

And finally, from the harness world:

Lexington, Aug 12: “Andy Miller is hereby assessed a civil penalty of $500 and suspended three days [for] excessive and indiscriminate use of the whip resulting in welts.”

Delaware (Ohio) Fair, Sep 19: “While driving #2 Outer Banks during the stretch in race 15, Chris Page did use his foot to impel the horse.” Although, the stewards note, this was Page’s third offense in 365 days, he was fined just $1,000 and suspended 10 days. But get this: if not appealed, they wipe the suspension completely away. Imagine that.

Running Aces, Sep 21: “It was noticed by the State Vet Deja Vu Babyboo did have welts after the race. This is [driver] Nick Roland’s third such offense in 2024 at Running Aces. Nick Roland is hereby imposed a penalty of $1,000 and issued a three-day suspension.”

Now, for a bit of perspective on the above “punishments,” consider these:

Christopher Dubois was fined $200 and suspended three days in Maine for “using improper language to the vet regarding the scratching of his horse.” And Justin Ferrari was fined $500 in Ohio for “engaging in a verbal altercation with another licensee.”

This is horseracing.

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