C'est ça la différence.
The French expression, loosely translated, captures the precise difference when comparing objects or elements.
Or opinions, for that matter.
Horseplayers nationwide held varying opinions about the unanimous and unprecedented decision by three stewards at Churchill Downs to disqualify first-place finisher Maximum Security, Luis Saez up, after the pacesetter swerved three paths wide entering the stretch in last Saturday's 145th running of the Kentucky Derby.
The popular French phrase came to mind nearly 30 minutes after the historic race when French-born jockey Flavien Prat was spotted flashing a big smile atop lucky winner Country House at odds of 65-1, the second-biggest price (Donerail at 91/1 in 1913) in Derby history.
Veteran trainer Bill Mott joined horse and rider to celebrate their good fortune in an exclusive winner's circle, a reserved enclosure employed only once a year at the legendary racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky.
The 65-year-old Mott spoke eloquently with NBC's Kenny Rice before the disqualification was announced to the crowd of 150,000-plus and the millions watching at home.
(Editor's note: The crowd at Churchill Downs included EOG contributors ChiTownJoe and Trytrytry.)
Mott spoke as the stewards deliberated, "It's their duty to do the right thing. And I hope they do."
Maximum Security impeded the progress of challenger War of Will in a high-speed collision that created a chain reaction which ultimately led to troubled trips for longshots Long Range Toddy and Bodexpress.
Panamanian-born jockey Luis Saez quickly restrained his mount after the speed horse drifted wide entering the stretch but the damage had already been done.
Slow-motion replays revealed one of War of Will's front legs lodged between the hind legs of Maximum Security for at least a stride and maybe two.
Rules of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) state "a horse cannot take the path of a rival without sufficient clearance."
It appeared to this observer that Maximum Security violated the above rule.
Valued EOG contributor BENOITPAIRE2, sticking with our French theme, also felt the disqualification was justified.
However, Gary West, owner of Maximum Security, the only horse to ever be disqualified from first place on the day of the Kentucky Derby, called the decision "the most egregious disqualification in the history of horse racing."
EOG contributors VALUIST, WILD BILL and MR MERLIN also disagreed with the stewards jurisprudence, fiercely supporting the camp of the first-place finisher.
Maximum Security ran a race worthy of a Derby winner and he still has never crossed the finish line behind another horse in five career starts; however, in swerving dramatically at the head of the stretch, he denied three other horses their best possible finish.
Horse racing dodged a bullet when all horses and riders in the sport's most high-profile event escaped serious injury.
Imagine the carnage -- if the worst case scenario emerged -- with a lead horse falling on a rain-soaked racetrack at the top of the stretch and 18 horses having to sidestep a fallen horse and jockey.
Furthermore, public relations never has been a strong suit for the Sport of Kings and negative publicity these days far outweighs the goodwill spread by the industry-at-large.
Santa Anita is currently under attack from animal rights activists who would love to banish the sport from the state of California after a rash of horse fatalities (23) over a three-month period earlier this year.
Horse racing is a fickle game in so many ways.
The ultimate Derby winning jock (Flavien Prat) was the beneficiary of racing luck at the expense of the jock (Luis Saez) who steered erratically and celebrated prematurely while a third jock (Tyler Gaffalione) is simply lucky to be alive.
The race was clocked in approximately two minutes (2:03.93), the deliberations took more than 22 minutes and the disqualification controversy will last forever.
NBC DROPPED THE BALL.....Network announcer Larry Collmus failed to cite the trouble at the head of the stretch during the live call of the Kentucky Derby.
Things got worse from there.
Host Mike Tirico, more of a football guy than a horse racing enthusiast, also failed to mention the trouble at the head of the stretch before he searched for interviews with the winning rider and trainer.
The entire NBC crew prematurely celebrated Maximum Security as the winner of Derby 145.
Tirico should have emphasized Maximum Security as the "unofficial" winner of the race immediately after the horses crossed the wire.
Instead, horseback reporter Donna Barton Brothers did not ask Saez for an explanation of the incident, but rather she waited for Saez to address the situation.
Same for NBC field reporter Nick Luck who also buried the lead story in his initial interview with trainer Jason Servis.
NBC racing analysts Randy Moss and Jerry Bailey were slow to recognize the severity of the interference.
Moss boldly declared, "Never in the previous 144 runnings of the Kentucky Derby have we had a disqualification involving the first-place finisher."
There's always a first time, Randy, and here it was.
Bailey seemed to get fooled by Moss's power of suggestion.
Both men told viewers they would allow the original result to stand after watching several replays of the much-discussed incident.
Thankfully, one of the 16 announcers employed by NBC Sports saw the race clearly.
It was former NHL player and current horse racing analyst Ed Olczyk, who detailed the dramatic lane change by Maximum Security.
You could say Olczyk tallied the game-winning point late in regulation.
Leave it to a tough hockey player to understand interference, obstruction and the all-too-familiar hip check.
AN IDEA FOR NBC.....The network desperately needs to add a rules analyst to their 2020 coverage of the Kentucky Derby.
After all, other major television networks feature rules analysts like Mike Pereira and Gene Steratore (NFL), Steve Javie (NBA) and David Fay (USGA) for replay review and rules interpretation.
Current Oaklawn Park track announcer Vic Stauffer would be a natural selection for NBC because he not only has the talent and broadcasting experience but also served a five-year stint as a steward in California.
The French expression, loosely translated, captures the precise difference when comparing objects or elements.
Or opinions, for that matter.
Horseplayers nationwide held varying opinions about the unanimous and unprecedented decision by three stewards at Churchill Downs to disqualify first-place finisher Maximum Security, Luis Saez up, after the pacesetter swerved three paths wide entering the stretch in last Saturday's 145th running of the Kentucky Derby.
The popular French phrase came to mind nearly 30 minutes after the historic race when French-born jockey Flavien Prat was spotted flashing a big smile atop lucky winner Country House at odds of 65-1, the second-biggest price (Donerail at 91/1 in 1913) in Derby history.
Veteran trainer Bill Mott joined horse and rider to celebrate their good fortune in an exclusive winner's circle, a reserved enclosure employed only once a year at the legendary racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky.
The 65-year-old Mott spoke eloquently with NBC's Kenny Rice before the disqualification was announced to the crowd of 150,000-plus and the millions watching at home.
(Editor's note: The crowd at Churchill Downs included EOG contributors ChiTownJoe and Trytrytry.)
Mott spoke as the stewards deliberated, "It's their duty to do the right thing. And I hope they do."
Maximum Security impeded the progress of challenger War of Will in a high-speed collision that created a chain reaction which ultimately led to troubled trips for longshots Long Range Toddy and Bodexpress.
Panamanian-born jockey Luis Saez quickly restrained his mount after the speed horse drifted wide entering the stretch but the damage had already been done.
Slow-motion replays revealed one of War of Will's front legs lodged between the hind legs of Maximum Security for at least a stride and maybe two.
Rules of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) state "a horse cannot take the path of a rival without sufficient clearance."
It appeared to this observer that Maximum Security violated the above rule.
Valued EOG contributor BENOITPAIRE2, sticking with our French theme, also felt the disqualification was justified.
However, Gary West, owner of Maximum Security, the only horse to ever be disqualified from first place on the day of the Kentucky Derby, called the decision "the most egregious disqualification in the history of horse racing."
EOG contributors VALUIST, WILD BILL and MR MERLIN also disagreed with the stewards jurisprudence, fiercely supporting the camp of the first-place finisher.
Maximum Security ran a race worthy of a Derby winner and he still has never crossed the finish line behind another horse in five career starts; however, in swerving dramatically at the head of the stretch, he denied three other horses their best possible finish.
Horse racing dodged a bullet when all horses and riders in the sport's most high-profile event escaped serious injury.
Imagine the carnage -- if the worst case scenario emerged -- with a lead horse falling on a rain-soaked racetrack at the top of the stretch and 18 horses having to sidestep a fallen horse and jockey.
Furthermore, public relations never has been a strong suit for the Sport of Kings and negative publicity these days far outweighs the goodwill spread by the industry-at-large.
Santa Anita is currently under attack from animal rights activists who would love to banish the sport from the state of California after a rash of horse fatalities (23) over a three-month period earlier this year.
Horse racing is a fickle game in so many ways.
The ultimate Derby winning jock (Flavien Prat) was the beneficiary of racing luck at the expense of the jock (Luis Saez) who steered erratically and celebrated prematurely while a third jock (Tyler Gaffalione) is simply lucky to be alive.
The race was clocked in approximately two minutes (2:03.93), the deliberations took more than 22 minutes and the disqualification controversy will last forever.
NBC DROPPED THE BALL.....Network announcer Larry Collmus failed to cite the trouble at the head of the stretch during the live call of the Kentucky Derby.
Things got worse from there.
Host Mike Tirico, more of a football guy than a horse racing enthusiast, also failed to mention the trouble at the head of the stretch before he searched for interviews with the winning rider and trainer.
The entire NBC crew prematurely celebrated Maximum Security as the winner of Derby 145.
Tirico should have emphasized Maximum Security as the "unofficial" winner of the race immediately after the horses crossed the wire.
Instead, horseback reporter Donna Barton Brothers did not ask Saez for an explanation of the incident, but rather she waited for Saez to address the situation.
Same for NBC field reporter Nick Luck who also buried the lead story in his initial interview with trainer Jason Servis.
NBC racing analysts Randy Moss and Jerry Bailey were slow to recognize the severity of the interference.
Moss boldly declared, "Never in the previous 144 runnings of the Kentucky Derby have we had a disqualification involving the first-place finisher."
There's always a first time, Randy, and here it was.
Bailey seemed to get fooled by Moss's power of suggestion.
Both men told viewers they would allow the original result to stand after watching several replays of the much-discussed incident.
Thankfully, one of the 16 announcers employed by NBC Sports saw the race clearly.
It was former NHL player and current horse racing analyst Ed Olczyk, who detailed the dramatic lane change by Maximum Security.
You could say Olczyk tallied the game-winning point late in regulation.
Leave it to a tough hockey player to understand interference, obstruction and the all-too-familiar hip check.
AN IDEA FOR NBC.....The network desperately needs to add a rules analyst to their 2020 coverage of the Kentucky Derby.
After all, other major television networks feature rules analysts like Mike Pereira and Gene Steratore (NFL), Steve Javie (NBA) and David Fay (USGA) for replay review and rules interpretation.
Current Oaklawn Park track announcer Vic Stauffer would be a natural selection for NBC because he not only has the talent and broadcasting experience but also served a five-year stint as a steward in California.
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