Reversing a stewards' decision at Sunland Park that disqualified Holy Hank from victory in the Jan. 16 Corralito Steak House Stakes, the New Mexico Racing Commission has reinstated Holy Hank as the winner of the $90,000 stakes race for state-bred Thoroughbreds.
The Commission found that after reviewing video replay of the race, No. 3 Holy Hank, under Tracy Hebert, "was clear when it changed lanes such that it did not interfere with, impede or intimidate the #5 horse, 'Gamblaway,'" who crossed the wire in third place, 3 1/2 lengths behind the winner and 2 1/2 lengths behind No. 7 Stand Up Guy. The latter, second across the wire, was promoted to first by the stewards but is now the official runner-up after the commission's decision.
Jockey Aldo Arboleda on Gamblaway steadied his mount for a stride as Holy Hank drifted outward and pulled clear.
"Given the lack of interference, impeding, or intimidation by the #3 horse, 'Holy Hank,' its actions did not alter the finish of the race with respect to the #5 horse, 'Gamblaway,'" the commission posted in a ruling. Gamblaway was decisively outfinished for both first and second.
Video: Corralito Steak House S.
First, second, and third place in the stakes race were worth $54,000, $18,000, and $9,000, respectively.
The Simon Buechler-trained Holy Hank, a 3-year-old gelding by Holy Lute out of the Gotham City mare City Veil, races for owners Robert and Del Rae Driggers and Ben Lee Ivey. His owners also bred him.
Stand Up Guy's owners, Scott Bryant and Derrol Hubbard are, "ordered to return to the Commission's office any and all prizes awarded from this race, such as a trophy or belt buckle," the Feb. 5 commission ruling stated.
Bettors were affected as a result of the Jan. 16 disqualification. Stand Up Guy returned $12.60 for a $2 win wager and also led other wagers due to the reordering of the race-day order of the finish. Holy Hank, the subject of most of the public's support at 2-5 odds, only returned for bets that had him to show or in exotic wagers that had him in third place.
These payouts are unchanged by the commission's reversal. Results posted on race day are the basis for betting payouts.
A reversal of a stewards' disqualification related to interference is infrequent in United States horse racing. Most states have rules that prohibit appeals of such decisions, including Kentucky, which notably denied an appeal related to the stewards' disqualification of Maximum Security for interference in the 2019 Kentucky Derby (G1).
The Model Rules of Racing established by the Association of Racing Commissions International states, "A decision by the stewards/judges regarding a disqualification during the running of the race is final and may not be appealed to the Commission." Though New Mexico has adopted ARCI's Uniform Classification of Foreign Substances and certain ARCI Model Rules, its rules regarding stewards' disqualifications do not mirror those of ARCI.
