Report: Judge dismisses lawsuit over Luan Machado ride

A lawsuit filed over a controversial ride by Luan Machado has been dismissed by a court in Jefferson County, Ky., according to Paulick Report.

The suit stemmed an incident in November, when Machado eased up early on Hold My Bourbon in a race at Churchill Downs.

The suit was filed in February by Gray V Train Racing, owner of Hold My Bourbon, and Westbrook Stables, breeder of the now 4-year-old ridgling.

The plaintiffs claimed in the suit that Machado’s “negligence” resulted in Grav Y Train losing $47,460 in purse money that it would have received if Hold My Bourbon won the race and that Westbrook lost $3,000 in state incentives for breeders.

They sought monetary judgment for breach of contract, compensatory damages for professional negligence, plus costs and fees.

Judge Jennifer Bryant Wilcox wrote in her ruling "courts are not the appropriate forum to debate or try to determine the outcome of sporting events," according to the report. She added there was no way to prove that Hold My Bourbon would have won the race.

Machado was fined $1,000 and suspended four days by the Kentucky Horse Racing & Gaming Corporation. It was his second violation in three months. Last October, Machado was suspended three days and fined $2,500 for easing up ahead of the finish line in a race at Keeneland.