Track stewards talk about Classic controversy

ARCADIA, Calif. – Saying "you guys don't really want us handicapping a horse," the Santa Anita stewards met with the news media Sunday to explain their decision to make no changes to the order of finish in Saturday's $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic.

Bayern, after breaking in sharply at the start to start a chain that impacted favored Shared Belief and the speedy Moreno, won by a nose over Toast of New York, who also came over shortly after the start and bumped Moreno. An unimpeded Kentucky Derby winner California Chrome was another neck back in third.

Scott Chaney, flanked by fellow stewards Tom Ward and Kim Sawyer, reiterated that it was a unanimous decision and actually was "not particularly difficult," given that they were applying a specific rule in California's racing regulations.

"We all agree that Bayern broke in," Chaney said at the press conference. "… In our determination, it didn't happen in a point of the race where it was reasonable to speculate that they didn't finish in a position where they were reasonably expected to finish."

Later Sunday, the stewards issued a statement saying that Martin Garcia, Bayern's jockey, will not be penalized for the start, saying the films show he corrected his horse on the second stride.

"I'm sure any interference probably changes the outcome to some extent," Chaney said. "For us, especially at the start of a mile and a quarter, we're really loathe to get involved, No. 1. No. 2, to speculate as to whether a horse was a front-runner or a come from behind horse, how it kind of affected them … the wagering public, the media, you guys really don't want us handicapping a horse.

"Our analysis wouldn't have changed had it been a come-from-behind horse that got shuffled back, as opposed to a horse on the lead. So the fact that Moreno might have pressed Bayern on the lead is not the analysis or type of speculation we want to engage in, you want us to engage in. Or more importantly, what the rule requires."

While jockey Mike Smith told reporters that he thought the start cost Shared Belief the race, Chaney said Smith did not tell them that.

"He said he took a bump initially and Bayern cleared him pretty quickly," Chaney said. "That he took a second bump about 100 meters, 150 meters into the race when Toast of New York came down rather sharply. When asked if it cost him a spot … he relayed to us that it would be hard for him to say."

Chaney did say that had Smith been unseated "it changes the analysis quite dramatically. Because then he has no chance or opportunity for a better placing."

If there had been a disqualification, the stewards would have had to determine whether to place Bayern behind fourth-place Shared Belief, or last behind Moreno. Chaney said they never got that far because they determined there was no disqualification.

The same was true with Toast of New York, he said. "He actually caused some interference," Chaney said. "Our view was that it was a lot less interference than the start."

Eric Guillot, trainer of Moreno, holds Toast of New York blameless, "If Bayern didn't do what he did, the other horses would have been gone and the 9 would never have hit anyone."

Said Guillot: "When you break, first couple of jumps, horses go right and left, that's normal. Then you're supposed to correct your horse. … Not once did they try to … grab a hold of the right rein and correct their horse. To me that was the game plan. Looked like it worked."

Meanwhile, Baffert, jockey Martin Garcia and owner Kaleem Shah were all out early the morning after Bayern's victory. Baffert said the controversy did take away some of the joy of his first Classic.

"I've just never seen so much animosity over a horse race," he said. "… That whole thing took away from his brilliance. It was a brilliant race. He's so fast. He was turning it up. He can go six (furlongs), seven, mile and a quarter. He can do it all. He was not letting that horse by. He's a fighter."

"I want all horses to have a fair chance to win," Shah said. "I don't like controversy. Besides Shared Belief, I believe every horse had a fair shot to win, the prime contenders. But I think Shared Belief had about six furlongs to catch us, if not more."

There could be plenty more chances to see which horse is best. Shah said he plans to keep racing Bayern "as a 4-year-old, 5-year-old, 6-year-old. As long as he can run and stay healthy, he will be there."

Contact Jennie Rees at 502-582-4042. Follow her on Twitter @CJ_Jennie and Facebook.com/CJJennie.