Timber Cat was beaten a nose by Muy Guapo in the seventh, but, after a long inquiry (and yes, there was a jockey's objection), Timber Cat was elevated to first-place and returned $23.80.
The stewards deemed that Victor Santiago allowed Muy Guapo to twice bump with Timber Cat while shooting through a hole approaching the quarter pole. Further, Muy Guapo carried Timber Cat out a path or two turning for home and Santiago did not take any reasonable measures to straighten his horse out.
Tough call. Ironic that Santiago was deemed aggressive while the usual aggressive David Cohen, aboard Timber Cat, was the aggressee.
Winds have really picked up here --- blowing in the horses face down the backside --- which will explain the slow early fractions 24.05 seconds and 48.88 for the half -- and a relatively swift final quarter of 24.95 seconds for the final quarter.
The next dirt race is the Dwyer and if the winds remain as they are expect ridiculously slow opening fractions for these 3-year-old wannabe stakes horses.
