Hollywood starter too fast on button

[Riot]

Geesh - did anyone else see the first at Hollywood? The 1 horse was the last into the gate, but the starter opened the gates before the asst. starter was even up on the rail, and the back gate closed. Horse reared to the right trying to leave the stall without running over the asst starter (still in the way in front of it climbing up), and Bejarano had to bail out right away as the horse broke in the air and threw him off to the right trying to avoid the asst. starter. Could have smashed the asst. starter. They did correctly declare the 1 a non-starter.

I'm surprised, I thought Hollywood had a good starting gate crew! This was really weird, as it was the inside horse, not a horse blocked from view out in gate 10 or something.

It had happened before on April 23rd's last race when the #13 was declared a non-starter. The gate opened before that horse was loaded into the gate.

That same horse ran back yesterday and won, if its any consolation to the owner, trainer, jockey. Congrats to Gary Mandella on his first win of the year.

[richard burch]

yes i did see that, raffi got dumped. i also think it was the starters error.

[bigjag0716]

Funny, because both runners this has happened to, I had in my pick 4 or pick 5. That runner back on the 23rd and Bejarano's runner the other day, I don't know what is going on, maybe the head starter is getting too old. Maybe he is like all of us in today's day and age and is distracted checking facebook or texting on his phone instead of watching the gate. Eitherway, its a dangerous thing and someone could get seriously injured or worse if this happens again.