Disqualifications often fuel heated debates, with those betting on the horse taken down usually getting very vocal about how they were discriminated against. Sometimes, of course, a dq is so blatant, nobody can say a nasty word about the stewards.

    But, we have to remember it's not just the bettors who are affected by the dqs. The owners who get taken down lose a portion of their winnings, the trainers lose a portion of their 10 percent, as do the jockeys. And don't forget about the records of the horses.

    Last Wednesday, I witnessed a strange dq in the 10th race at Gulfstream Park, not because I think they took down a horse who didn't deserve it, but because the stewards didn't go far enough in sorting out the entire incident.

    They were racing 7 1/2 furlongs on the turf course, and in the stretch, Salutation, with Manny Aguilar, and Louie's Baby Boy, with Eddie Castro, were battling for the lead, with Conquest Goinggone, and Tyler Gaffalione, trying to catch them on the outside. Suddenly, Cornelio Velasquez came flying down outside of Conquest Goinggone, and as he was about to sweep by all three leaders, Saluation swerved to the right repeatedly and slammed Louie's Baby Boy, who was forced outward just as Terry's Charm came by. Aside from Louie's Baby Boy getting destroyed, Gaffalione had to stand up on Conquest Goinggone so as not to be crushed between Louie and Terry, and in so doing, he not only lost his irons, he lost fourth place to Matanzas Inlet, who was coming up on the inside.

    Terry's Charm went on to win the race, Salutation held on to second, Louie's Baby Boy was third, Matanzas Inlet fourth and Conquest Goinggone limped home fifth with Tyler still searching for his irons.

    The red signs all lit up, and soon the stewards rendered their decision - Salutation was disqualified from second and placed third. Since Terry's Charm won, and Matanzas Inlet came late and was nowhere near the others, it seemed like a just decision. But was it? The only ones with a legitimate beef were all the connections of Conquest. Here are the paydays each received: Terry's Charm, $21,600; Louie's Baby Boy, $7,200; Salutation, $3,240; Matanzas Inlet, $1,440; and Conquest Goinggone a measly $360, which all the rest of the finishers also got.

    First of all, if not for the infraction, Conquest would have finished no worse than fourth, so he would have collected $1,440. That's more than a thousand bucks than he got. And he might have had enough left to pass a horse or two late. The real question is, how could the stewards not drop Salutation behind Conquest since the foul against him was so blatant? I would imagine his people are wondering the same thing. 

    Finally, it would have changed the order of finish drastically as far as the mutuel payoffs are concerned, and that is a major concern. 

    IT'S ALL OVER-DRIVEN - What there was of the Florida freshman sire race this season is all but over. Ocala Stud's Overdriven picked up his fourth winner on Sept. 2 when Over Limit won at Woodbine, going wire-to-wire and scoring by three-quarters of a length in his second start. The gelding bred by Ocala Stud raced six furlongs in 1:11.24. Over Limit had won his first try, too, but was disqualified and placed second. 

    Biondetti is the only other freshman with a chance to catch Overdriven, but the Woodford stallion has just one winner, and 17 have started. 

    

 

 

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