NEWS
Stewards take no action on Life At Ten
updated with statement from Breeders' Cup
Posted: Wednesday, November 10, 2010 3:49 PM
by Frank Angst
Kentucky Horse Racing Commission stewards plan no action against trainer Todd Pletcher or jockey John Velazquez after Life At Ten failed to be competitive in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (G1) on November 5 at Churchill Downs.
Chief Steward John Veitch interviewed Pletcher about the race in which Life At Ten was not asked for her best after a sluggish start. Sent off as the 3.80-to-1 second choice in the Ladies’ Classic, which handled $12,194,157, the two-time Grade 1 winner slowly galloped around Churchill before being eased by Velazquez, who sensed something amiss.
Life At Ten developed a fever the day after the race, signaling an illness or infection. The fever was not indicated when her temperature was taken on race day.
“Apparently it was incubating and it showed itself at race time,” Veitch said. “Todd had told [Velazquez] that she seemed dull in the paddock. He said to warm her up and see how she feels.”
Veitch said the connections thought Life At Ten possibly was distracted by the new surroundings, big crowd, or lights. They thought if distraction was causing her dullness, breaking from the gate might return her focus.
“When that didn’t happen, Johnny made the right decision in protecting her,” Veitch said. “At that point he was sure something was wrong and he took care of her. We do our best to protect the public, but this is an athletic competition and her connections wanted to give her every chance.”
Life At Ten’s prerace problems were covered by ESPN after Velazquez acknowledged in an on-track interview that the five-year-old mare was not warming up well. State veterinarians were not informed about Life At Ten’s problems by Pletcher or Velazquez, but they were stationed around the track and watched the horses warm up. Veitch added that Life At Ten’s problems did not involve soundness issues.
The process for a trainer to scratch a horse in the paddock is to inform a state veterinarian that something is wrong. The veterinarian then calls the stewards.
The Breeders' Cup released the following statement:
"The Breeders' Cup adheres to the highest standards in safety, security and testing procedures to protect both our athletes and the integrity of our competition. The Breeders' Cup World Championships are conducted under the jurisdiction of our host site and the state of Kentucky has authority in this issue. The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has advised the Breeders' Cup that it is conducting an investigation of the pre-and post-race events in this year’s Ladies’ Classic. The Breeders' Cup is working with the KHRC in its investigation and awaiting the final report of the KHRC before deciding what steps we will take moving forward in the management and protocols of our Championships."
Frank Angst is a Thoroughbred Times senior staff writer
READER COMMENTS
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Posted by: Bellwether4u.com, Chesapeake, VA on November 18, 2010 at 09:37 PM
SOME PEOPLE NEED TO GO TO JAIL...PERIOD...SAME OLD DUE DUE N KENTUCKY BABY & DUE DUE NEVER RUN$ UP HILL...RITE???...CHANGE IS COME N WETHER THEY LIKE IT R KNOT...NOE WORD FROM ALEX & NTRA???...PLEASE...ty...
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Posted by: Bellwether, Chesapeake, VA on November 17, 2010 at 12:27 AM
MORE $MUT ON KENTUCKY$ HOR$E RACEING$ MUG...THI$ PEOPLE I$ A NATIONAL DI$GRACE...A FELONY I$ WHAT IT I$...PERIOD...TRA $HOULD BEE THE ONE$ LOOK N @ THI$ GRABBAGE...LONG LIVE THE KING ANYWAY...ty...
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Posted by: Vic, Charlottesville, VA on November 12, 2010 at 02:28 PM
Mr/Ms Stewards.....did you looked at,
to see if there were any large/substantial bets/pools offered
against Life at Ten in the "Exchanges" ?
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Posted by: Vic, Charlottesville, VA on November 12, 2010 at 02:23 PM
I made a win bet just moments before the "incident" came up on ESPN.
Later, I was furious, when I heard more that T. Pletcher, and others were aware of the "dullness" since in the paddockm, and not scratching.
We were all ROBBED.
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Posted by: Pam , Las Vegas, NV on November 11, 2010 at 03:35 PM
Todd Pletcher reprimanded? I fully expect him to be voted Trainer of the Year. That's the way it goes, doncha know?
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