By Bill Finley
Over a teleconference, the Monmouth Park stewards held a hearing with jockey Flavien Prat Thursday morning concerning his ride aboard Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) in the GI Haskell S. run July 17. The stewards called for a hearing after disqualifying Hot Rod Charlie from first place. In a tight finish, Hot Rod Charlie may have come over on Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow), who was in third at the time. Midnight Bourbon fell, tossing his jockey, Paco Lopez. Neither Lopez nor Midnight Bourbon was seriously injured.
According to a Monmouth Park spokesman, the stewards will wrap up the case Sunday and issue a ruling at that time.
“The hearing went fine,” Prat said via text. “I just have to wait now for their decision.”
The New Jersey Racing Commission does not permit its stewards to speak to the media and the section on the commission's website listing rulings has not been working properly for some time.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
