Saturday's fifth race at Belmont Park got off to an odd start when a horse named Phone Jazz threw off her jockey, Jean-Luc Samyn, while coming out of the gate. But that didn't matter to her.
No, Phone Jazz made a statement that the jockeys aren't really necessary in horse racing, and she just kept on going, crossing the finish line first, seven lengths ahead of the pack.
That didn't make her the winner, though, because the rules of horse racing say the horse and the jockey have to cross the finish line together. So Hold the Cruiser, who finished second, got the win, followed up by Favorite Colors and Properlyintroduced. Phone Jazz is technically considered not to have finished the race.
Samyn got up after falling off Phone Jazz and was not hurt.
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Horse Racing Photos
In this photo provided by Benoit Photo, Grazen with jockey Rafael Bejarano take victory in the Grade III, $100,000 Affirmed Handicap horse race on Saturday, June 20, 2009, at Hollywood Park, Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Benoit Photo) ** NO SALES **
AP
In this photo provided by the New York Racing Association, Icon Project, ridden by Jose Valdivia, Jr. captures The New York stakes at Belmont Park, on Saturday, June 20, 2009, in New York (AP Photo/New York Racing Association) ** NO SALES **
AP
In this photo provided by Churchill Downs, an aerial view of Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., Friday, June 19, 2009. The day marked the first time racing had taken place at night in the 135-year history of the track. (AP Photo/Churchill Downs, Reed Palmer Photography) ** NO SALES **
AP
In this photo provided by Churchill Downs, The field of horses race down the stretch under the lights in the eighth race in front of the famed twin spires of Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., Friday, June 19, 2009. The day marked the first time racing had taken place at night in the 135-year history of the track. (AP Photo/Churchill Downs, Reed Palmer Photography) ** NO SALES **
AP
The field of horses charge down the stretch in the seventh race at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., Friday, June 19, 2009. The day marked the first night racing at the storied track in its 135-year history. (AP Photo/Ed Reinke)
AP
The field of horses race down the stretch under the lights in the eighth race in front of the famed twin spires of Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., Friday, June 19, 2009. The day marked the first time racing had taken place at night in the 135-year history of the track. (AP Photo/Ed Reinke)
AP
Lights flank the famed twin spires of Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., Friday, June 19, 2009. The day marked the first time night racing has taken place at the track in its 135-year history. (AP Photo/Ed Reinke)
AP
The field of horses charge down the stretch in the seventh race at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., Friday, June 19, 2009. The day marked the first night racing at the storied track in its 135-year history. (AP Photo/Ed Reinke)
AP
The field of horses pass under the twin spires on the turf course in the sixth race at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., Friday, June 19, 2009. The day marked the first time racing has been conducted under the lights in the 135-year history of the storied track. (AP Photo/Ed Reinke)
AP
A racegoer reads a newspaper before the fourth day of the Royal Ascot horse race meeting at Ascot near Windsor, England, on June 19.
Eddie Keogh, Reuters
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-21-2009 @ 11:16AM
mike said...
Horse racing would be a more interesting and more humane sport if they just got rid of the jockeys all together and let the horses run on their own, like grayhounds do.
Reply