Either Ban the Whip or Don't and lose the entire sport. Make one rule. Make one CRYSTAL CLEAR RULE. There is a fence pick a side. Either attract needle trainers or non needle trainers, the middle ground these Stewards and Race Track owners and racing commissioners are trying to straddle is the death of racing. Without clear direction what the hell are the jockeys to do? NOT having clear direction will cause even more injuries of horses and jockeys. XOXO
The current situation at Golden Gate is whip trained horses, and if the whip is lost it could create a dangerous situation, so the jockey not wanting yet ANOTHER death on the track or scandal chose the greater good of the sport to avert a tragedy when he handed the other jockey the whip and still was fined for it. Handing the other jockey the whip-despite the fact I despise them, in this scenario-was a selfless act for the safety of all involved in this race and should have been honored and commended not suspended as the current rules which allow for the use of the whip state. The other jockey requested help so he would not lose control of his horse, the jockey with the whip chose the lives of his competition over this one race. These actions should be the standard of operation not a fineable, punishable offense-that is bullshit!
The race should have been rescheduled with the rider who lost his "riding crop" disqualified.
Banning the whip is the right thing to do and will require changing the game, the way the horses are trained and ridden, the way the jockeys are trained and riding, this takes time and talent to transition, something poor planning by the California State Horse Racing Board has not allowed for.
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