Different From the Week Before
The prior week, young Joe Chidano drove Kevins Apples, an older horse, to victory in the Goshen Matinee. This past Sunday, he was to drive a 2yo pacer, make that a green 2yo pacer in a race. How many lifetime starts did the 12yo make up to this point?
To allow any inexperienced driver drive a 2yo in a race is irresponsible. What do you tell a spouse of another driver that your spouse was injured as a result of a matinee driver driving one of his first starts in a race being unable to control a 2yo that gets spooked in a race?
Perhaps Joe Chidano is more experienced than a typical 12yo but how is Judge Fielding to know when his experience has been virtually limited to a farm track? How many parents will over-estimate their child's ability because he loves his child? Judge Fielding made the right call. If Joe and his father can't see that and decide they don't want to play anymore, so be it. Yes, racing will lose out on a potential future star, but Joe Chidano is walking away from a sport he loves. Hopefuly with time he changes his mind and returns to the game.
Jerry Fielding thinks he's God
As the former Director of Publicity at Historic Track for eleven years, I got to know Jerry Fielding pretty well. As long as I have known him he has made arbitrary decisions and acted as if he never had to explain his decisions to anyone. Many times in the past, he gave ME orders that had nothing to do with his authority. He was not MY boss! His relunctance to explain his decision regarding Joey Chindano is characteristic of the man. He THINKS he is God! So too, is it characteristic of him to never think of the ramifications of his decision making.