Once upon when the stewards issued a ruling, the alleged offender paid the fine or served the time. Then, the alleged offenders hired lawyers to fight the penalty; it kind of defeated the purpose, but it is their constitutional right.
Now, we 'flip off' the judges. Today there was an article in The Guardian from Prince Edward Island regarding the Gold Cup & Saucer controversy where the owners of the winner were fined the entire amount of the winnings they earned for taking a claimer out of the province of Ontario to race within a 60 day period of the claim; a rule implemented to ensure the horse population in Ontario. The trainer, claims that even though the owners and trainers knew off the rule, they wanted to race in it because they thought the penalty would be small enough to be worth it; not being aware the penalty had been changed. Now, the trainer claims his owners are the victims. So let me see, they knew the rule, were aware of the rule when they claimed the horse (or should have known) and they decided to take the horse to PEI to race. The judges after telling the trainer before the elimination of the race there is a problem and made them aware of the fine, the owners decide to race the horse any way and before the final when the judges attempt to reach the trainer to have him call them back, he doesn't answer even when they ask other people to tell the trainer. Judges, flip off!
A driver/trainer in Michigan is given a full suspension where he is not allowed even on the grounds of a racetrack during the period of the suspension. He is found to have been in the grandstand, six times during his suspension. Judges, flip Off!
Apparently the lack of civility in popular culture is now occurring in racing. Maybe it is time for the judges to send a message that if you flip off the judges by flagrantly disregarding the rules, you will pay for it.
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