Owner files protest over Thursday race

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The connections of La Bella Valeria, who finished second in Thursday’s third race at Saratoga, have filed a protest with the stewards on the outcome of the race, believing Uncle Southern, the winner, should have been scratched for arriving late to the paddock.

Originally scheduled for the turf, the $78,000 New York-bred optional-claiming race was moved to the dirt after heavy rains pelted the area after the first race. The change of surface led to several late scratches.

When it was time to leave the assembly barn, the person in charge of the barn, Steve Jordan, told the person with Uncle Southern that his horse had been scratched, according to the stewards and Linda Rice, the trainer of Uncle Southern. Rice was not at Saratoga Thursday and said she had been told about the incident by her assistants. The other horses were sent on their way to the paddock while Uncle Southern was being walked back to his barn. After a few minutes, it was realized that the horse was not scratched and the groom was told to bring the horse back.

The other horses in the paddock had been saddled already, while Uncle Southern was still being walked to the paddock. Once in the paddock, Uncle Southern was quickly saddled and the field was sent out to the track, where they went directly to the gate.

Uncle Southern, under Luis Saez, rallied by La Bella Valeria to win the race by 3 1/2 lengths.

La Bella Valeria as well as fifth-place finisher Your Time Is Up are owned by Hibiscus Stables. Michael Oliveto, the managing partner of Hibiscus, believes that protocols were not followed and want the stewards to investigate.

“Procedures, if not rules, were broken,” Oliveto said. “The question would be why would we allow procedures and rules to be broken and not enforced? Why are we throwing the rule book out on this race especially, since the horse ended up winning the race?”

The stewards said the rules that require all the horses to be saddled in the paddock and that all horses carry their assigned weight from paddock to post were followed.

Until the protest is heard, the stewards said in a release, both horses are declared the winners of that race.

Also on Thursday, there was a Lasix snafu that led to the late scratch of Brendan G, who was a main-track-only entrant in the last race. Trainer Gary Gullo wanted to run Brendan G, but the New York Racing Association veterinarian in charge of administering Lasix did not do so.

Brendan G was allowed by the stewards to scratch out a race on Friday and run back in a race next Wednesday.