Godolphin runner DQ'd from Thursday win

ELMONT, N.Y. - Fateh Field, who won a first-level allowance race on turf at Belmont Park on Thursday, was disqualified from first and ordered unplaced in the order of finish by the New York stewards because he had been put on the veterinarian's list by the track vet at Presque Isle Downs where the horse had raced on Sept. 12.

Horses that are placed on a vet's list must be taken off by a veterinarian before being permitted to run again. In some cases - though it was unclear if it was required in this case - a horse on a vet's list must have a workout in front of a licensed veterinarian to be removed from the list. Following his race here, Fateh Field was removed from the vet's list by a New York state veterinarian and the horse has been entered back and will be permitted to run at Belmont this coming Wednesday.

According to Carmine Donofrio, the New York State Racing and Wagering Board steward, neither Godolphin's representatives nor the Belmont racing office was aware of the horse being put on the vet's list at the time the horse was entered and ran. Entries for last Thursday's race were taken on Sunday, one day after Fateh Field finished second, beaten a head, in a six-furlong synthetic race at Presque Isle.

Reached by phone Saturday morning, Helena Carroll, Presque's Isle track vet, would not confirm that she put Fateh Field on the vet's list, citing privacy laws. Carroll did say that horses put on a vet list by her may not race for a minimum of seven days. Bill Keen, one of the three Presque Isle stewards, did confirm that Fateh Field was placed on the vet's list.

Rick Mettee, who oversees Godolphin's New York string, was en route to Louisiana Downs Saturday morning and was unavailable for comment. Henry Spiller, another Godolphin assistant, said he was unaware that the horse had been on the vet's list.

With the disqualification of Fateh Field from first, Evolutionist, owned by George Steinbrenner's Kinsman Stable and trained by Bill Mott is declared the winner.