Owner whose horse came second drafts in lawyer to overturn result, disqualify winner and pocket £100,000 for himself

In: Sport

AN OWNER whose horse finished second has drafted in a lawyer to try to get the result overturned and pocket the £100,000 winner’s prize for himself.

Jeff Drown also wants the official winner of the race to be disqualified because he believes it stopped his horse from coming first due to alleged interference.

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Footage appeared to show Ortiz Jr’s elbow coming across into the path of rival jockey Velazquez

Drown saw Zandon, his two-year-old colt, finish second by a nose to Mo Donegal in a Grade 2 1m1f race at Aqueduct racecourse on December 4.

But the owner maintains his horse – ridden by John Velazquez – would have won had Mo Donegal not got in the way.

Drown has now filed a protest with the New York State Gaming Commission against the stewards’ decision not to disqualify Mo Donegal.

He believes a bumping incident and the ‘exaggerated’ motion of controversial winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr cost him victory.

Ortiz Jr, a legend of US racing, was banned for 30 days earlier this month after what viewers branded the ‘most dangerous mid-race move ever’.

In this latest instance, Ortiz Jr is alleged to have allowed his left elbow to apparently graze the head of Zandon report Daily Racing Form.