“Oh, it’s a photo finish! Oh, it’s a photo! Was it Mystik Dan, or was it Sierra Leone?” the Kentucky Derby 2024 concluded with these lines. Eventually, it was Mystik Dan who overpowered Sierra Leone to claim the top position whereas Sierra Leone remained ahead of Forever Young, gaining the second rank. However, criticism chased the standings as allegedly Sierra’s jockey, Tyler Gaffalione grabbed Forever Young before the finish line. Since then, a lot has happened in the situation, questioning Sierra Leone’s eligibility to stay in the second rank. However, things now seem to take a further turn as the Stewards of the Kentucky Derby have something to add. 

On May 6, a fresh debate came to the place on X after the official notice was brought to the public by an X-handle, Steve Byk. The handle stated, “Following the race, the Stewards ordered Tyler Gaffalione, jockey aboard Sierra Leone, to film review on May 9, 2024.”  However, such an order was directed despite witnessing “no objections filed” and after conducting a standard review of the race. Furthermore, several horseracing raconteurs voiced for the jockey Tyler Gaffalione previously after decoding the reason for his behavior on the penultimate day. 

Among them was Jay Privman who called for an inquiry but after giving the benefit of the doubt to the jockey. He notified, “After watching replay multiple times it seems to me he was trying to whip left-handed owing to his horse lugging in — while also yanking on his right rein, also trying to prevent the lug in — and his whip briefly got tangled in reins on Forever Young. Regardless inquiry warranted.” Eventually, on the track on race day, Sierra Leone bumped Forever Young three times. In the end, it was a photo finish despite all the handling. But even after such incidents, Forever Young’s jockey Ryusei Sakai didn’t register his complaints, and neither did the Stewards. So such things infuriated horse racing fans to make their arguments on the status quo. 

One such came from Chip Gehrke, the thoroughbred racing historian. Describing his disappointment over the ongoing situation, he claimed, “Complete and utter clown show. And now they flat out lie. Comical.”

As the present situation indicates, the onus will be on the Stewards to call the chip. However, they were expected to do that task on the race day. Soon, this factor invited further debate among the fans. 

Kentucky Derby authorities find themselves at the receiving end 

Jay Privman appeared again to take a dig at the Kentucky Derby authorities, who had allegedly failed to act on the race day. So, siding with the Japanese rider, Ryusei Sakai, the raconteur, criticized the authority who had shown no help before posting the notice. 

Eventually, after the race, Gaffalione argued over Sierra Leone’s action on the track. “He wanted to lean in today and made it a little difficult,” he said, defending his action. But as per fans, the Stewards should have been more strict in such a situation. So taking note of that, the X-handle, Tinky termed the Stewards’ approach shameful. So, eventually, in the published notice, when the Kentucky Derby authority disclosed that everything had seemed to be normal to them after the race, things raised more eyebrows. 

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Taking a sharp jibe at that statement, Mike Marksbury penned, “Not a good look” on X. However, for several fans, things were hard to consume that such a physical battle didn’t affect the result of the race. 

The X-handle, Colonelklink couldn’t hold the amazement on the situation. 

So as of now, the Stewards and the authority to take the last call on the ongoing fiasco. However, Tyler Gaffalione has had full support from the trainer, Chad Brown. He cried over the lack of momentum of the jockey because of the controlling issue with Sierra Leone. Meanwhile, Sakai is yet to respond to the situation.