New York Gaming Commission suspends clocker for altering work distance
The New York Gaming Commission suspended New York Racing Association clocker Richie Gazer for 30 calendar days and fined him $2,500 for altering a published work of a horse to make the horse eligible to race, according a ruling on the commission website.
Gazer has appealed the penalty and a stay has been granted, meaning Gazer may continue to work until a hearing is held.
The horse in question is Papi On Ice, who on May 1 was initially credited with a five-furlong work in 1:04.60 over the Belmont Park training track for trainer Randi Persaud. The work now reads a half-mile in 51.33 seconds.
Papi On Ice, who was pulled up soon after the start of his debut for maiden $20,000 claiming, was being entered for a race in the early part of May. The horse needed a workout in order to get off NYRA’s poor-performance list.
A horse is placed on the poor performance list if it is beaten by 25 or more lengths, something that is done at the stewards’ discretion according to the rule published in the condition book. Papi On Ice was beaten 26 3/4 lengths in a maiden special weight race at Aqueduct on April 16. Papi On Ice hit the side of the gate and was pulled up by jockey Mike Luzzi soon after the start of his debut on March 19.
In order to get off the poor performance list, a horse must work a half-mile in 53 seconds or faster. The rule, oddly, does not allow for a workout farther than a half-mile whereas rules governing horses returning from extended layoffs indicate a horse must have three workouts within 90 days of their start date and one of those works must be “at least” a half-mile.
Because Papi On Ice’s workout was initially published as a five-furlong move, the racing office would not accept the entry of Papi On Ice for a race.
Gazer, who is based on the main track and not the training track, said the time of the work was not changed but the distance was to comply with NYRA’s entry rules. Gazer said he was told by the clocker who timed Papi On Ice that the horse did work a half-mile in 51.33 as part of the five-furlong move in 1:04.60.
Gazer, who has clocked at NYRA for approximately 40 years, is appealing the harsh penalty because he does not believe he broke any rules.
“I believe I was well within the guidelines of what the protocols are,” Gazer said.
Asked about the severity of the ruling, gaming commission spokesman Brad Maione wrote in an email: "The ruling speaks for itself. Since the matter is under appeal we cannot provide any more details at this time."