Man, good memory, Tex.  I just looked it up.  30 days seems awfully lenient but then again it's US racing and US rules.

I suppose the fact that the push occurred 100 past the wire and they were slow might have mitigated the punishment.

I thought Soumillon should have gotten 12 months because of the sheer danger and recklessness of a full speed shove.  I get the other rider was bearing in but still...

And Soumillon wasnt a hand push, looked like he got a shoulder into it as well to me. Thank goodness the field was small.

And now this. Wow.  He's lucky the stewards didn't suspend him 30 days or longer and cause him to miss the BC.   

https://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/leon-suspended-for-ride-on-rich-strike/

Sonny claimed his saddle slipped.  My BS meter is vibrating.  

Then, there's this.  Soumillon gets hit hard in the pocketbook by the Aga Khan, losing his lucrative contract to ride in France for that outfit.  It looks like they will use him further afield in races, though.  Sacked in France.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/oct/04/christophe-soumillon-loses-aga-khan-contract-after-elbow-incident-horse-racing

Yeah then the sonny story gets a follow up with this possible "toe grabs" stuff on Hot Rod Charlie.  

I have no opinions anymore. We have milkshake O'Neil with 47 Rulings on his record, last was 4 in 2020 (did not go thru to find out how many were medication related) but still 47 is a lot. (considering Graham Motion has 0). Going up against Reed who has 9 total rulings, last in 2007. 

But it's so sad when racing comes down to who can not only the bettors trust, but it seems it just splays out like an octupus into every corner of racing.

Basically, unless it's Motion or Clement, or maybe Roger Attfield (and a dozen others I do trust) l I can't even take sides anymore.

BS Meter?    In US racing its like trying to use a Geiger Counter at a nuclear disaster site.  :) 

I was watching this race and thought that the rider was going to break his neck.

Soumillon deserves to be banned for at least a year

Hi Kona,  that was my first though, as well.  One year, minimum.

KonaNative said...

Soumillon deserves to be banned for at least a year

Did you guys see the update on this?   I do suspect this will put a dent into soumillon's ridership in France at least?   

"A statement issued on social media by the Aga Khan Studs read: “Following last Friday’s incident at Saint-Cloud, which resulted in the fall of Rossa Ryan, the Aga Khan Studs have taken the decision to cease their retainer with Christophe Soumillon with immediate effect.

“From this week onwards, Soumillon may still ride in the Aga Khan silks on occasion at the discretion of the French trainers and the Aga Khan Studs team.

“At this stage, there is no intention to retain a jockey in France for the foreseeable future."



 

Pursuant to this soumillion incident, we see that in some cases, there ARE teeth to the dirty riding incidents.  This one where the rider has now lost a major stable opportunity in France and I have to wonder if other trainers will follow suit and this will affect Somillion's earning ability?  


Now we get to dirty riding in general.  I saw that HISA seems to imply stiff penalties for over-whipping.   I think that is good.  Because I think we all know that some owners will tell a jockey  "just do whatever you have to in order to win the race......we will gladly pay the (paltry) fines associated with your behavior."

This is the outcome of fines not being high enough to truly sting, and/or suspensions that have no serious deleterious outcome on riders or owners. 

As those who fund the game, I would think bettors would be more outspoken about all these things....but I'm perplexed because .... they aren't.   All I keep getting is apologists, for Baffert, for whoever, for riders and stuff that really curls my toes, stuff that indicates too many do not really even seem to care about horses.    

In which case, I will definitely vamoose from horse racing if it keeps up.  I'm not going to take bashing from any human who doesn't put the horse first.     I revile them, more and more, actually. 

Yes. I saw that he was fired and I'm glad he was