Kentucky Derby punters claim 'foul' after jockey puts hand on rival horse

Punters have claimed 'foul' after close-ups emerged of the furious finish to the 150th Kentucky Derby.

In one of the tightest outcomes ever to the historic race, the first three crossed the line almost together at the end of the £4million contest at Churchill Downs.

After a photo-finish was called, the judge announced Mystik Dan as the winner by a nose from Sierra Leone with Japan's Forever Young another nose back in third.

But controversy has raged ever since because there was neither a stewards inquiry, nor an objection lodged by the rider of the third, as Sierra Leone and Forever Young bumped each other in the closing stages.

Immediately after the race, NBC's Randy Moss said: "It's what Sierra Leone did in the Remsen, it's what he did in the Blue Grass, he lugs in like that

"There could have been a foul claim there in my opinion from the Japanese jockey."

A head-on of the finish subsequently showed Sierra Leone's jockey Tyler Gaffalione put his left hand out onto Forever Young which some claimed was a "push".

There was widespread unanimity among seasoned commentators on social media that the stewards should have looked into the incident.

Tinky wrote on X: "I am arguing that given the obvious bumping between the second and third-place finishers, and Gaffalione's push, coupled with the close photo finish, it was inexcusable for the Stewards not to have minimally posted an Inquiry."

Andy Serling said: "It's hard to disagree with anyone that thinks there should have been an inquiry in the Derby.

"The Stewards should, at the very least, look at it. To me, it was a legitimate foul, and if I was a Steward ( a frightening thought ), I would have taken down Sierra Leone."

Sierra Leone's trainer Chad Brown said: "What Tyler was attempting to do is make room for his left stick - which the horse really respects - and keep him straight.

"And he was looking for sort of a pathway to use his left stick. But with the bumping, the tight duel between those two horses, it disarmed him with the stick. All he had was a rein to pull on and it really hurt his momentum."

Sky Sports Racing contributor Peter Fornatale responded: "I'm not sure the intent really matters tho. It was a foul and should have been ejudicated as such."

Hiroshi Ando, racing manager for Forever Young's trainer Yoshito Yahagi, said: "Claims of foul do not happen much in Japan. It is the stewards' call, not us."

Forever Young's jockey Ryusei Sakai said on X on Monday: "It's true that we were approached many times and made contact, and there were times when we actually lost our balance.However, I felt that Forever Young continued to grow until the end because of the outsiders who came to join us. "

He continued, "I heard that the second-placed jockey, Gaffalione, might have grabbed my reins in front of the finish line, but that is not the case. Both he and I did our best.''