Delta reverses official finish

The official order of the first two finishers in the eighth race at Delta Downs in Vinton, La., on Dec. 22 has been reversed after it was determined that the track's placing judges posted the wrong horse as the winner. A stewards' ruling correcting the order of finish was issued Dec. 29.

Dancing Bag, 7-1, was declared the original winner of the five-furlong race, but after it was made official, that result was reviewed at the request Chad Hassenpflug and Jeff Faul, the trainer and jockey of runner-up Double Dare Ya. It was later determined that Double Dare Ya, 28-1, was the actual winner. A head separated the two horses, who were part of a blanket finish in which five horses hit the wire together. None of the track's three placing judges will lose his job.

"It was truly human error," said Jack Bernsmeier, who manages Delta.

Delta will honor tickets on Double Dare Ya, although there are not expected to be many still held. The race's purse will be redistributed, with the winner's share going to Double Dare Ya.

The track plans to put head numbers on its horses.