Regulators grant appeal on Hot Rod Charlie horseshoe ruling

Lexington, Ky.

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority has agreed to hear an appeal of a ruling that said Hot Rod Charlie did not wear illegal toe grabs in winning the Oct. 1 running of the Grade 2 Lukas Classic at Churchill Downs.

The appeal was sought by connections for Rich Strike, the runner-up in the race.

“The HISA board of directors has requested that the connections of Rich Strike and Hot Rod Charlie be allowed to present any relevant evidence and documentation concerning Hot Rod Charlie’s participation in the Lukas Classic on Oct. 1, 2022, at Churchill Downs for consideration to HISA’s enforcement team,” a HISA statement said Monday. “This follows HISA’s independent review of the documents and related evidence submitted by the stewards. HISA’s enforcement team will review the materials presented and determine whether to recommend any further action or review to the board.”

Eric Reed, trainer for runner-up Rich Strike, told Horse Racing Nation on Monday that he received word of the HISA decision in an email from attorney Barry Hunter of Lexington.

Hunter is working for Reed and Rich Strike’s owner Rick Dawson. They say photos taken by as many as six photographers at the end of the Lucas Classic showed Hot Rod Charlie was wearing toe grabs, which are illegal under Kentucky and HISA rules.

Kentucky Horse Racing Commission stewards conducted an investigation the week after the race. After inspecting Hot Rod Charlie, looking at theh photographs and interviewing the principles, they decided there was no violation of the rules. The stewards’ findings were handed over to HISA, which endorsed the KHRC decision.

Jackson and Reed responded by saying the KHRC investigation glossed over the photos. They also said farrier Dean Balut, working for Hot Rod Charlie’s trainer Doug O’Neill, admitted to stewards in a recorded interview that he ground down the illegal toe grabs to make the shoes comply with the rules.

O'Neill has withheld comment on the case other than his Oct. 4 social-media posts that said that he never has used illegal shoes on his horses.

The Lukas Classic has been mired in controversy almost from the moment it ended. Rich Strike’s jockey Sonny León was suspended 15 racing days after he leaned hard into Hot Rod Charlie and rival rider Tyler Gaffalione in the deep stretch. León blamed it on a saddle that slid out of place.

Hot Rod Charlie and Rich Strike will face each other again Saturday in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland.