INSIGHT on a steward's decision

The recent accident @ Hoosier Park http://www.harnesslink.com/News/For-...acing---Casino

Allows me to show you "insight" on how a race steward (John DuCHARME) based his decision given a similar situation.

I can't remember the date, or the horses ? But it must have been @ Brandywine because the accident happened just past the paddock turn ( the 1/2 pole on a 5/8ths track)

The 1 &2 horses were clear and away from the field and NOT involved and continued to FINISH, the rest of the field went down, and/or un-seated their drivers.

The rest of the horses made a U-turn and were "walked" or led pack to the paddock. However ONE horse that did UN-seat it's driver, but who NEVER "dropped the lines" gathered his horse almost immediately, re-seated himself UN-assisted, and jogged the RIGHT way back to the paddock, crossing the finish line BEFORE the race was declared OFFICIAL

DILEMMA "What to do ? "

My father decided to base his decision on English Steeple Chasing Rules

ie: a horse that throws his rider in the course of a race, may be re-mounted, if UN-assisted, and continue to an official finish.

Soo ? Dad declared the 3 horse as the "show" horse and made the race OFFICIAL.

Why ? The 1 & 2 horses obviously were the winner and place horses. but what about the show betters who picked the 3 horse ? IF my father had declared ONLY the 1 & @ horses OFFICIAL ?

The fans who bet the 3 horse to "show" would have been the REAL losers ?

So, he declared the race OFFICIAL as a 3 horse finish ( Win, Place, and Show )

The 3 horse DID finish the required distance ( 1 mile) with driver although "distanced" BEFORE
the race had been declared OFFICIAL (under INQUIRY )

So the only "losers" would be those betters, and to a lesser extent the owner, trainer, driver.
But his decision was based to support the public better.

There was NO 4th place finisher ? so the only persons//horse that would be penalized for NO fault, would have been the 3 horse

I don't know if any other judges have used such logic (precedence) to base their decisions in similar situations ? But this how my Dad handled it.

I know that track management didn't always agree with my father's decisions ? But my Dad was the "judge", and it was HIS call


FYI
Richard DuCHARME

PS: Valley of Sin is back on the track (Poconos). Finished a solid 4th, off almost a 30 day rest.
Trotted in 1:52.4 closing, so he should be back to form in a couple more starts.

A big sigh of relief from ME

There is NO point "gutting" him @ The Meadowlands just to prove a obvious point ?, and for approx same $$$, so he will ship back to The Meadows. Logistically it works better for us, and our trainer (really a extension of my father's advice)
seems to "get along with him".