The most costly disqualifications in horse racing history
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What other disqualifications were costly in horse racing?
The 2019 Kentucky Derby disqualification of Maximum Security from first to 17th will go down as one of the most significant disqualifications in the history of the American Turf, not only because it happened in the world's most famous horse race, but because of the money that changed hands.
There have been 10 disqualifications from first in $1 million races in North America.
This is the first worth at least $3 million and first at Churchill Downs.
| Horse | Purse | Track | Surface | Year | Stakes | Adjusted Finish | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum Security | $3M | CD | D | 2019 | Kentucky Derby | 17 | 9-2 |
| Monomoy Girl | $1M | PRX | D | 2018 | Cotillion S. | 2 | 1-2 |
| She's a Tiger | $2M | SA | D | 2013 | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies | 2 | 5.2-1 |
| The Apache (SAF) | $1M | AP | T | 2013 | Arlington Million S. | 2 | 6.6-1 |
| Powerscourt (GB) | $1M | AP | T | 2004 | Arlington Million S. | 4 | 4.6-1 |
| Storming Home (GB) | $1M | AP | T | 2003 | Arlington Million S. | 4 | 2.4-1 |
| Hawksley Hill (IRE) | $1.05M | WO | T | 1999 | Atto Mile S. | 4 | 5.2-1 |
| The Wicked North | $1M | SA | D | 1994 | Santa Anita H. | 4 | 9-5 |
| Wiorno (GB) | $1.06M | WO | T | 1992 | Rothmans Ltd. International S. | 3 | 11.8-1 |
| Fran's Valentine | $1M | HOL | D | 1984 | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies | 10 | 74.8-1 |
generated 2019-05-07 10:09:09 by HeidiSQL 10.1.0.5464
Grade 1 disqualifications are a little more common.
They've happened 19 times this century—most recently before the Kentucky Derby in the 2018 Cotillion Stakes at Parx, where Monomoy Girl was placed second behind Midnight Bisou. That tally also includes the 2002 Carolina First Carolina Cup Hurdle Stakes steeplechase. Country House is the biggest price put up via DQ in a Grade 1 race. His 65.2-to-1 Kentucky Derby odds easily surpasses Quiet Resolve getting put up at 44.55-to-1 when Hawksley Hill was placed fourth in the 1999 Atto (Woodbine) Mile Stakes.
144.55-191.10117.5-137.00115.7-133.40111.1-124.2019.7-121.40
| Horse | Purse | Track | Surface | Year | Stakes | Adjusted Finish | Odds | Win payoff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country House | $3M | CD | D | 2019 | Kentucky Derby | 1 | 65.2-1 | 132.40 |
| Quiet Resolve | $1.05M | WO | T | 1999 | Atto Mile S. | |||
| Ria Antonia | $2M | SA | D | 2013 | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies | 1 | 32.3-1 | 66.60 |
| Burning Roma | $200,000 | BEL | D | 2000 | Futurity S. | |||
| Stuka | $1M | SA | D | 1994 | Santa Anita H. | |||
| Cape Town | $750,000 | GP | D | 1998 | Florida Derby | 1 | 12.9-1 | 27.80 |
| Giant Oak | $500,000 | CD | D | 2010 | Clark H. | |||
| Kicken Kris | $1M | AP | T | 2004 | Arlington Million S. |
generated 2019-05-07 10:19:48 by HeidiSQL 10.1.0.5464
What about jockey DQs?
On the jockey side of things, Jorge Velasquez leads all riders with four disqualifications from Grade 1-winning rides while this was Luis Saez's first. On the flip side, Hall of Fame pilots Pat Day, Kent Desormeaux and Chris McCarron are tied with three put ups each, while this is Prat's first.
So far this century, T.D. Houghton has been placed first more times than any other rider with 38.
The most disqualified rider (from first) in that same time is J.D. Acosta with 33.
HANSON: Five historical disqualifications that remain controversial
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