Kentucky Horse Racing Commission issues statement on contact between jockeys of Sierra Leone, Forever Young

The 150th running of the Kentucky Derby came down to the wire as Mystik Dan edged out Sierra Leone and Forever Young in a photo finish to win the record-breaking race over the weekend. But it is not without controversy.

Citing contact between Tyler Gaffalione and Ryusei Sakai, the jockeys of Sierra Leone and Forever Young, down the stretch during the race, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has now issued a statement on the incident.

“The Stewards review every race in Kentucky live and by video replay before posting it official and they followed the same procedure for the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby,” the statement said, via Pat Forde. “After conducting their standard review of the race, determining no further review or investigation was necessary to conclude there were no incidents that altered the finish of the race, and seeing there were no objections filed, the Stewards posted the Kentucky Derby official.

“Following the race, the Stewards ordered Tyler Gaffalione, jockey aboard Sierra Leone, to film review on May 9, 2024. The Stewards conduct film reviews routinely to review the conduct of jockeys during a race. The Stewards, in their discretion, can take disciplinary action against a jockey following the review. If the Stewards issue a penalty, it will be posted on the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission website.”

According to Chad Brown, the trainer of Sierra Leone, Gaffalione attempted to make room for his left stick in an attempt to veer his horse straight (Sierra Leone was leaning left, a sign of fatigue) to find an open pathway down the stretch.

However, some photos circulating online appear to show Gaffalione making contact with Forever Young with his left hand. Despite this, the two horses had made contact several times during the race, and the excessive bumping would disarm Gaffalione of the stick, which Brown believes “really hurt his momentum,” as all Gaffalione had to pull on was a reign.

“He wanted to lean in today and made it a little difficult,” Gaffalione said after the race, via the Louisville Courier-Journal. “I had a hard time keeping him straight, and that definitely cost us. He gives you everything, very responsive, but he loses concentration.”

Sierra Leone got off to a slower start, trailing big for the first several furlongs before overtaking the field on the stretch and finishing a nose behind Mystik Dan for the second-place finish. Forever Young was right there with them, ultimately finishing in third.