Did PA Commission Err in Failing to Couple ‘Monomoy’ and ‘Bisou’ in Cotillion?

[Wandering Eyes]

Many a horseplayer was left licking his wounds when 1-2 shot Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) was disqualified and placed second for interfering with Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) during the stretch run of the $1-million GI Cotillion S. at Parx Racing Saturday.

But did the Pennsylvania Racing Commission and the Parx stewards follow the state’s own “General Rules of Racing,” and should the two horses have been coupled, meaning the disqualification would not have mattered–at least to the bettors?

Many racing states have done away with entries entirely in an effort to increase field size, and the ones that haven’t normally do not couple horses in stakes races. Pennsylvania has been a holdout. Pennsylvania’s rules of racing, Chapter 163.95, states: “When starters in a race include two or more horses owned by the same person, they shall be coupled as an entry, with no exceptions.”

The rule was written in 1999 and the TDN was unable to find any updated versions.

In an era where many horses are owned by multiple individuals or partnerships, it has become increasingly difficult to piece together a complete list of who owns what horses and how much of the horse do they own. However, in the case of Monomoy Girl and Midnight Bisou, it is no secret that prominent owner Sol Kumin owns a portion of both horses. If indeed there are “no exceptions” when it comes to common ownership, then Midnight Bisou and Monomoy Girl should have run as an entry, which would have made the disqualification of no consequence to anyone who bet on either filly.

According to Jockey Club records, Monomoy Girl is owned by Michael Dubb, Monomoy Stables LLC, the Elkstone Group and Bethlehem Stables. Midnight Bisou is owned by Bloom Racing Stable, Madaket Stables LLC and Allen Racing LLC. Kumin, who races under several different stable names, is the principal owner of Monomoy Stables and Madaket Stables.

Kumin appeared in the winner’s circle afterward and had his picture taken with the rest of the owners of Midnight Bisou.

Near the sixteenth pole, Monomoy Girl drifted in under Florent Geroux and took away Midnight Bisou’s path. That caused Mike Smith, aboard Midnight Bisou to have to briefly take up and alter course. The stewards did not hold an inquiry, but Smith claimed foul.

If there is a reason that the horses were legally permitted to race as uncoupled interests, the TDN was not able to get any answers out of racing officials in Pennsylvania. When reached yesterday at Parx, steward John Gerweck told the TDN he was under orders from the state’s Bureau of Thoroughbred Horse Racing to not speak to the media, not just about the Cotillion, but about anything. The Bureau’s director, Tom Chuckas, did not return a phone call or respond to an email message.

 

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