Stewards Explain Decision in BC Classic Inquiry
Santa Anita stewards met with press Sunday morning to discuss their ruling towards the official order of the Breeders' Cup Classic, a decision which left Bayern on top after a lengthy inquiry into interference at the start of the race.
The eventual winner broke inwards, bumping into race favorite Shared Belief, who then interfered with pace runner Moreno. Bayern inherited the lone lead and kept it throughout the race, fighting off late rallies from Toast of New York and California Chrome to win. Shared Belief was several lengths behind in fourth. Stewards then posted an inquiry into the bumping at the start of the race, but, after a few minutes of deliberation, the result was made official with no change to the order of finish.
The Santa Anita press box posted quotes and information from the press conference on their Twitter account.
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"We all agree there was interference," said steward Scott Chaney. "It (the decision) was about whether the horse cost another horse better placing in the race."
Chaney said that stewards met with winning jockey Martin Garcia and Shared Belief's jockey Mike Smith about the incident, but not Javier Castellano, the jockey aboard Moreno. There were no claims of foul from any of the riders involved.
"We conferred," Chaney said. "We all voted unanimously."
Garcia and Jamie Spencer, the rider aboard Toast of New York, who was also involved in race interference the first time down the stretch, were scheduled for hearings later Sunday afternoon. According to the Daily Racing Form's Steve Andersen on Twitter, stewards ruled that Garcia will not be penalized for his ride aboard Bayern.
View a video of the press conference on HRTV.
