THE WRONG CALL
Kentucky Derby DQ is a bad look for a struggling sport
May 5, 2019, 11:25 am
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Saturday's Kentucky Derby will not be remembered for being a great race, or a horse that did something spectacular.
It will be remembered for a controversial disqualification that not only changed the outcome but also stained America's greatest horse race.
Maximum Security finished first but was disqualified and Country House was gifted the win. Maximum Security was placed 17th, while Code of Honor was placed second and Tacitus third.
Maximum Security was gritty, leading all the way and fighting off several challengers along the way. But the problem came near the top of the stretch, where he drifted out, impeding War of Will and Long Range Toddy slightly. The stewards judged it to be serious enough to warrant the first disqualification for interference in the history of the Derby.
Quite simply, it was a bad call.
Did he interfere? Yes. Did it change the outcome of the race? No. And that should always be the standard. You could argue Long Range Toddy came in as well to help sandwich War of Will. While War of Will did slow down, he had ample opportunity to win after that. He just was not good enough.
The chief steward issued a long and rambling statement that defended their actions. She did not answer questions. Transparency be damned.
The decision put a horse that was not impacted and in fact outrun by the winner in the stretch up to first. He was not close to being the best horse in the race.
Poor decision
The Kentucky Derby is roughly run every year. Much like you can call holding on every play in the NFL, you could DQ a horse each year in the Derby. A 20-horse field (19) this year is never going to get you a clean race.
So why this one?
The official stance from Chief State Steward Barbara Borden.: "We had a lengthy review of the race, we interviewed affected riders and we determined the 7 horse (Maximum Security) drifted out and impacted the progress of No. 1 (War of Will), in turn interfering with the 18 (Long Range Todd) and 21 (Bodexpress). Those horses were all affected, we thought, by the interference, and therefore we unanimously determined to disqualify No. 7 and place him behind No. 18."
The second, third and fourth place finishers were not impacted at all. That three stewards determined it changed the outcome is somewhat bizarre.
The big problem is what is a disqualification in Kentucky might not be one in California or New York. Each jurisdiction is different and consistency is right out the window. In 2014, a horse called Bayern took out half the field at the start of the Breeders' Cup Classic. It was much more egregious than this. Yet no DQ. As a fan, how are we supposed to know what is a foul and what is not? Things like this are driving people like me from the sport.
In 30-plus years covering the sport, I have seen countless DQs. Some helped me. Some hurt. This one actually benefitted me since I had a show bet on Tacitus. But I would rather they get it right. Racing has been taking hits for years, and this year's deaths at Santa Anita have contributed. To add on a controversial decision in the biggest race? It's a bad look. We should be talking about Maximum Security as a potential Triple Crown winner. Instead we are talking about a human decision.
And a bad one.
Looking ahead
The Preakness will be in two weeks, and one thing we can probably count on is the "winner" will not be the favorite in Baltimore. The field is far from set, so it will be interesting to see what happens. Of the horses we liked, Tacitus was a solid third, and with a little more room could have been right there. Game Winner was way too far back early, made a wide late run but did not have enough left. If he runs in Baltimore, expect a better effort.
Hopefully the Preakness will give us a fair race, decided on the track.
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Jeremy Pena will look to stay hot against fireballer Paul Skenes. Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images.
The Houston Astros (32-27) travel to Pittsburgh to open a three-game series against the Pirates (22-38) on Tuesday night at PNC Park. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. EDT, with Houston sending Lance McCullers Jr. to the mound opposite electric rookie Paul Skenes.
McCullers (0-1, 5.89 ERA) is still searching for rhythm in just his sixth start since returning to the rotation. The veteran right-hander will need sharper command against a Pirates lineup that’s shown signs of life over the past week. Pittsburgh counters with Skenes (4-5, 2.15 ERA), whose early MLB run has been dominant. With a 0.92 WHIP and 77 strikeouts in just nine starts, the top prospect has already made himself a must-watch arm.
Houston enters the series riding a 7-3 run over its last 10 games, powered by a .288 team batting average in that span. Despite being outscored by one run during that stretch, the Astros' offense has shown signs of clicking. Jose Altuve is on a tear, batting .385 with five home runs and eight RBIs over the last 10 games, while Jeremy Peña continues to lead the team with a .309 average and nine long balls on the season.
The Pirates have gone 5-5 in their last 10 and have been more competitive than their record suggests. They’ve outscored opponents by seven runs during that stretch while hitting .272 and posting a 3.89 ERA. Oneil Cruz remains the top power threat with 12 home runs, and Andrew McCutchen has turned in a strong week at the plate, going 13-for-37 with a pair of homers.
This is the first meeting between the two clubs this season. The Pirates are slight home favorites at -146 on the moneyline per BetMGM, with the over/under set at 7.5 runs. Houston, just 10-15 on the road, will be looking to set the tone early as they continue to chase down first-place Seattle in the AL West.
Injury update
The Astros informed The Athletic's Chandler Rome that Zach Dezenzo is dealing with a "capsule sprain" in his left hand, and they will undergo imaging on the hand again after two weeks of rest.
Zach Dezenzo has a "capsule sprain" in his left hand, according to the Astros, who added "he has been prescribed with rest and is scheduled to undergo re-imaging in two weeks."
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) June 3, 2025
Here's a sneak peek at the Astros' lineup versus Skenes. Jacob Melton gets another start, this time playing left field. Altuve is getting the nod at second base with Yainer Diaz in the DH spot.
The Astros against Paul Skenes: Peña 6, Paredes 5, Altuve 4, Walker 3, Diaz DH, Caratini 2, Meyers 8, Smith 9, Melton 7
McCullers Jr. RHP
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) June 3, 2025
*ChatGPT assisted.
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