No Fault Found in Gaffalione's Kentucky Derby Ride

Kentucky Horse Racing Commission stewards took no action against Tyler Gaffalione for his ride on Sierra Leone  during the 150th Kentucky Derby (G1) run May 4 at Churchill Downs, according to multiple sources.

Gaffalione and his mount Sierra Leone were locked in a gritty, stirrup-banging battle with Japanese contender Forever Young  and rider Ryusei Sakai from the eighth pole to the wire, where a nose separated them behind victorious Mystik Dan .

Sierra Leone started lugging in at the eighth pole, where he was about six paths off the rail. By the time he and Forever Young reached the wire, the pair had pushed in to be in the second and third paths. Also during the bumping, photographs show Gaffalione at one point extending his left arm out toward Forever Young and appears to be touching the horse right in front of the saddle pad, though not grabbing anything because he was holding his crop in his left hand. Sierra Leone would finish a nose in front of Forever Young.

The stewards did not initiate an inquiry after the race but later reviewed the stretch battle between Sierra Leone and Forever Young the afternoon of May 9. A source familiar with the review said part of Gaffalione's defense was that his left foot got lodged behind Sakai's right foot and he'd lost his balance. He extended his arm only to prevent from falling.

Both Gaffalione and his agent Matt Muzikar declined to comment on the KHRC decision.