Another case of pilot error [Archive] - Horse racing discussion at Asian Racing Forums

Handy Harry

17-08-2004, 09:02

Posted: 8/14/2004 6:36:00 PM ET

Controversy reigns again as Kicken Kris awarded Arlington Million win

For the second straight season, the Arlington Million Stakes (G1) saw its runner-up horse at the wire ultimately end up making the journey to the winner’s circle as Kicken Kris was awarded the victory when Powerscourt (GB) was disqualified on Saturday in yet another controversial running of Arlington Park’s signature contest.

While this year’s running of the 1¼-mile turf race did not have the frightening finish of a year ago--jockey Gary Stevens was kicked in the head and chest after becoming unseated when his mount, Storming Home (GB), spooked near the wire and was disqualified in favor of Sulamani (Ire)--it had its own deep-stretch incident that prompted a lengthy discussion by the stewards to determine the outcome.

Powerscourt, with jockey Jamie Spencer aboard, appeared to have notched a handy victory when he launched a huge three-wide rally, passing nine horses in the stretch, to finish 1 ½ lengths in front of Kicken Kris and Magistretti. As he was passing rivals, Powerscourt, under Spencer’s right-handed urging, drifted toward the rail and apparently cut in on Epalo (Ger), causing the latter to veer sharply into Kicken Kris, who bounced hard off the rail.

Immediately after crossing the wire, newly minted Racing Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux aboard Kicken Kris emphatically pointed his whip toward Powerscourt and Spencer. He then lodged a jockey’s objection. Several phone calls and agonizing minutes later, the stewards sided with Desormeaux and disqualified Powerscourt to fourth.

“I thought that [Powerscourt] made a beeline to the fence and he caused the other horse to knock into me,” Desormeaux said. “I feel in my heart my horse was much the best and would have won easily had it not happened. My horse was scared to death. It was quite obvious it was really bad.”

Before the ruling came down, Spencer defended his horse and said he would be upset if he and Powerscourt, winner of the Tattersalls Gold Cup (Ire-G1) on May 23, were to be stripped of the victory.

“I’ll cry if they do,” Spencer told ABC’s Jeannine Edwards when asked if he thought he would be disqualified.

Magistretti, third under the wire, a half-length in front of Epalo, was moved up to second while Epalo, whose rider Andrasch Starke also claimed foul against Powerscourt, was awarded third.

Although he earned his latest triumph in unusual fashion, Kicken Kris is now two-for-two lifetime over the Arlington Park course, having captured the Secretariat Stakes (G1) last year.

The four-year-old son of Kris S. entered off a 1 ½-length triumph in the Bowling Green Handicap (G2) at Belmont Park on July 17, which snapped a four-race losing streak, all in Grade 1 races.

"He's acted for the last four weeks like he came out of the Bowling Green very good,” winning trainer Michael Matz said. “He acted like he was a good horse and he showed it today. I wish I had an answer for his race at Churchill [sixth in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic Stakes (G1) on May 1], but we were happy the way he turned himself around."

Bred in Kentucky by Valerie Naify and owned by Brushwood Stable, Kicken Kris improved his record to six wins from 18 career starts and his earnings to $1,319,100. He is out of the winning Jade Hunter mare Kicken Grass, who is a half sister to Grade 1 winner Live the Dream and Grade 3 winner Warcraft.