You Be The Judge: Did Delta Stewards Make The Right Call?

If a horse clips heels and a jockey falls during the running of a race, even when both horse and rider walk away with no more than bumps and bruises, stewards are often called upon to adjudicate the outcome. (Note: both horse and rider walked away from this incident without serious injuries.)

During Monday's fourth race at Delta Downs in Vinton, La., stewards made the call to disqualify the winner, Miss Nitap (7), for interference in mid-stretch after a claim of foul from the rider of the second-place finisher, K R Lucky Day (6). Miss Nitap was placed second, while K R Lucky Day was moved up to first.

A head-on replay of the stretch run shows Mrs. Judy (5), inside K R Lucky Day at the eighth pole, darted across several paths to bump K R Lucky Day from the inside and impede the path of oncoming rival Birdie Call (8). Birdie Call subsequently clipped heels and stumbled, losing rider Daniel Flores in the process.

Did the Delta Downs stewards make the right call here? You be the judge!