Prince of Wales DQ appealed

Stronach Stable has appealed the stewards' decision to disqualify Malakoff from first place in Sunday's $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie.

Brian Lynch, who trains Malakoff, and jockey Todd Kabel submitted separate appeals of the decision to the Ontario Racing Commission stewards at Woodbine on Wednesday morning.

Lynch, acting for the Stronach organization, was appealing the disqualification itself, while Kabel was appealing a three-day suspension given him by the Fort Erie stewards, which would have begun this Saturday.

Malakoff finished first by 1 1/2 lengths in the Prince of Wales, but Fort Erie stewards Richard Grubb, Gunnar Lindberg, and Ivan McHutchion ruled that Kabel had come in with his mount, causing interference in the final furlong, and demoted them to fifth.

Shillelagh Slew was moved into the top spot, with Pipers Thunder advanced to second, Royal Challenger to third, and Edenwold to fourth.

Shillelagh Slew and Pipers Thunder, who were racing inside Malakoff, both steadied in the late going, while Edenwold was squeezed back on the rail in a chain-reaction incident.

Both Kabel and Mike Rogers, business manager for Stronach Stable, stated immediately after the race that they felt that Malakoff had been unjustly penalized.

The appeal will be processed at the racing commission office and a formal hearing then will be scheduled. The purse will not be distributed until the appeal has been decided.