Saratoga: Appeal filed in non-disqualification

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - The connections of Wee Freudian, the runner-up in Saturday’s 11th race at Saratoga, have appealed the decision by the stewards not to disqualify Bound by Humor from first place.

Michael Sternklar, the owner of Wee Freudian, filed the appeal with the New York State Racing and Wagering Board Sunday morning after reviewing the films of the race with the three Saratoga stewards.

About five strides from the wire, Bound by Humor came out under Rajiv Maragh’s left-handed whip and bumped with Ground Force, who in turn bumped with Wee Freudian, who was three wide. Bound by Humor finished first by a half-length and Wee Freudian, ridden by Eddie Castro, was second by a neck over Ground Force, under Jaime Rodriguez.

The stewards put up the inquiry sign but ultimately let the result stand, saying in a written ruling released Sunday "the contact between these three horses did not alter the finish of the race."

Rick Schosberg, who trains Wee Freudian for Sternklar, disagreed.

"We’re within our right to appeal and we feel pretty strongly that it definitely did alter the outcome of the race," Schosberg said.

Until the appeal is adjudicated by the New York State Racing and Wagering Board, both Bound by Humor and Wee Freudian are declared winners of the race. That means that if Wee Freudian runs again before the case is adjudicated, he would have to run in a second-level New York-bred allowance race.

The stewards also reviewed films of the incident with the three riders involved and determined that Maragh made a "strong effort to straighten" Bound by Humor, and thus did not penalize him.