Bizarre incident in Juvenile Turf at Breeders’ Cup

Controversy enveloped the final Breeders’ Cup race at Del Mar on Friday when a horse that had been removed from the wagering was allowed to run and crossed the finish line first in the $1 million Juvenile Turf.

The bizarre incident on one of horse racing’s biggest days occurred after Modern Games, the inside horse in the field of 13, reared back in the starting gate and slammed the back of the stall. That startled No. 2 Albahr and caused him to flip and become “lodged underneath the starting gate,” California Horse Racing Board representatives announced in a statement distributed in the Del Mar press box more than an hour later.

As assistant starters worked to free Albahr and prevent a further chain reaction, one member of the gate crew released Modern Games from his stall with jockey Franco Dettori still in the saddle. After a delay of perhaps a minute, the horse was led back behind the gate.

In the interim, track veterinarian Chuck Jenkins had informed the stewards that Albahr was uninjured but should be scratched.

“The veterinary staff then relayed a second scratch of No. 1 Modern Games based on initial observation,” the CHRB statement said. This was also relayed to the stewards, who removed the horse from the wagering pools. After further discussion and observing Modern Games … (the horse) was declared fit and racing sound.”

Scott Chaney, executive director of the CHRB, later explained that Modern Games was scratched because veterinary staff had the “mistaken impression” that the horse had broken through the gate.

When the gates opened, Modern Games advanced from midpack under jockey William Buick, swung out in the upper stretch and powered to a 1½-length victory over Tiz the Bomb, who was declared the winner of the parimutuel race and rewarded his backers with a $17.60 payoff. Mackinnon finished a neck back in third, but was awarded the place spot in the wagering, while Grafton Street was moved up to show.

The CHRB statement said the board and the Breeders’ Cup were “reviewing current veterinary and scratching procedures to ensure that this does not occur going forward.”