$222.40 Mahoning Valley Maiden Winner:Was ‘She’ Really A He?
Nov 4, 2015 22:18:26 GMT -5
Post by Evelyn on Nov 4, 2015 22:18:26 GMT -5
Great - NOT! A scandal right on the heels of the BC!
$222.40 Mahoning Valley Maiden Winner: Was ‘She’ Really A ‘He’?
by Ray Paulick
Officials with the Ohio State Racing Commission and Mahoning Valley Race Course in Youngstown, Ohio, are investigating the results of Wednesday’s ninth race, a maiden claiming contest for fillies and mares that was won by a 110-1 longshot named Ruby Queen.
At least that’s what the official Equibase chart shows.
Multiple sources have told the Paulick Report the winner may not have been Ruby Queen, a 3-year-old filly by Suave owned and trained by Shane Spiess, but a gelding from the same barn. The alleged discovery was made in the post-race test barn, sources said. A horse identifier employed by the racetrack is responsible for confirming the correct identification of each horse before it is saddled by checking a lip tattoo and matching it with a number on the horse’s official papers.
Under jockey Angel Stanley, the ninth race winner broke from the rail post position, made the lead entering the turn, then drew out to win by 7 3/4 lengths in 1:15.43 for six furlongs on a fast track. “Are you kidding me?” said track announcer John McGary as the winner crossed the finish line. “99-1!” (Tote boards do not show odds higher than that amount.)
The past performances for Ruby Queen indicate she had raced 13 times, her best showing a second-place finish in in her second start on Aug. 3, 2014, at Arlington Park. In four starts this year she lost by a combined 70 lengths and has finished no better than fifth at the same $5,000 maiden claiming level, beaten 15 ½ lengths. Ruby Queen was coming off an eighth-place finish at ThistleDown Sept. 12, beaten 24 ½ lengths while finishing ahead of one horse.
Sources said shortly after the race was made official, an announcement was made on the public address system asking trainer Candace Diehl to bring her second-place finisher, Jane’s Storm, to the test barn.
Owner-trainer Spiess, who sources said was not at Mahoning Valley, could not be reached for comment, nor could Mark Loewe, director of Ohio racing operations for the Penn National Gaming-owned track, or Ohio State Racing Commission executive director William Crawford.
Chris McErlean, vice president-racing for Penn National Gaming, confirmed an investigation had begun.
“Our officials at Mahoning Valley Race Course were made aware of a situation post-race involving the winner of Race 9 today; the Ohio State Racing Commission is conducting an investigation and we are also conducting an internal investigation,” said McErlean. “At this juncture all parties are still trying to gather the relevant facts and we will update once further information is available.”
Ruby Queen paid $222.40 to win and triggered a $2 exacta payoff with the 20-1 Jane’s Storm of $1,832.40, a $.50 trifecta that paid $581.65 and a $.10 superfecta worth $6,467.01.
$222.40 Mahoning Valley Maiden Winner: Was ‘She’ Really A ‘He’?
by Ray Paulick
Officials with the Ohio State Racing Commission and Mahoning Valley Race Course in Youngstown, Ohio, are investigating the results of Wednesday’s ninth race, a maiden claiming contest for fillies and mares that was won by a 110-1 longshot named Ruby Queen.
At least that’s what the official Equibase chart shows.
Multiple sources have told the Paulick Report the winner may not have been Ruby Queen, a 3-year-old filly by Suave owned and trained by Shane Spiess, but a gelding from the same barn. The alleged discovery was made in the post-race test barn, sources said. A horse identifier employed by the racetrack is responsible for confirming the correct identification of each horse before it is saddled by checking a lip tattoo and matching it with a number on the horse’s official papers.
Under jockey Angel Stanley, the ninth race winner broke from the rail post position, made the lead entering the turn, then drew out to win by 7 3/4 lengths in 1:15.43 for six furlongs on a fast track. “Are you kidding me?” said track announcer John McGary as the winner crossed the finish line. “99-1!” (Tote boards do not show odds higher than that amount.)
The past performances for Ruby Queen indicate she had raced 13 times, her best showing a second-place finish in in her second start on Aug. 3, 2014, at Arlington Park. In four starts this year she lost by a combined 70 lengths and has finished no better than fifth at the same $5,000 maiden claiming level, beaten 15 ½ lengths. Ruby Queen was coming off an eighth-place finish at ThistleDown Sept. 12, beaten 24 ½ lengths while finishing ahead of one horse.
Sources said shortly after the race was made official, an announcement was made on the public address system asking trainer Candace Diehl to bring her second-place finisher, Jane’s Storm, to the test barn.
Owner-trainer Spiess, who sources said was not at Mahoning Valley, could not be reached for comment, nor could Mark Loewe, director of Ohio racing operations for the Penn National Gaming-owned track, or Ohio State Racing Commission executive director William Crawford.
Chris McErlean, vice president-racing for Penn National Gaming, confirmed an investigation had begun.
“Our officials at Mahoning Valley Race Course were made aware of a situation post-race involving the winner of Race 9 today; the Ohio State Racing Commission is conducting an investigation and we are also conducting an internal investigation,” said McErlean. “At this juncture all parties are still trying to gather the relevant facts and we will update once further information is available.”
Ruby Queen paid $222.40 to win and triggered a $2 exacta payoff with the 20-1 Jane’s Storm of $1,832.40, a $.50 trifecta that paid $581.65 and a $.10 superfecta worth $6,467.01.
