You didn’t really think the discussion was over, now did you. Here is an annotated video.Interesting!
As stated, the powers that be are the stewards.
The results were not official for almost 22 minutes after the completion of the race. Anyone who assumed they were official before that gets what they deserve Gotta wait for the OFFICIAL to appear on the tote board.
Thank you all for the responses and the discussion! This is an interesting time in racing, and I think the discourse is a good thing, and can hopefully spur some needed changes in the sport.
As for the idea of reducing the Derby field to 14 and offering another, undercard race for the next 14 Derby point getters (including the AEs in the Derby), I like it. I think there’s something in there for everyone - 1) for the horsemen/owners there is a smaller Derby field (no auxiliary gate) and an expanded chance to participate in a big $1M race on Derby Day (and, potentially, the Preakness), 2) for CDI and the bettors, expanded wagering opportunities and hopefully a bigger handle for the day, and 3) for the general public, a smaller Derby field, demonstrating racing’s commitment to safety, and a more interesting lead up to the Preakness. If the berths for both the Derby and the new race are based on Derby points, that could also increase the field sizes for the prep races as the opportunities to get into either the Derby or a $1M race on that day expand. The winners of the Derby and the new undercard race will both be top 3 year olds who have run the same distance over the same track on the same day on their road to the Preakness. Assuming they both continue on to the Preakness, there is the potential for a fun rivalry of sorts to develop leading into that race, with discussion of which horse was better on Derby Day and etc. I’m not sure it’s a perfect idea, but we need something to at least get discussions started. The Derby is the one race that everyone watches, so if we want to show the public we are evolving as a sport, that’s the stage to use.
As others have stated above, increased transparency is a no-brainer. It has to happen.
As for the TC bonus idea, I am not a fan of that either, for the same reasons stated by others above. While I believe most horsemen and owners at this level care very much for what happens to their horses, incentives to run a horse still have the potential to do more harm than good for the sport, IMHO.