Mahoning Valley stewards may have set a record for elevating Weber to 3rd victory

It only took 10 seconds for the stewards to put up the inquiry sign following the fourth race at Mahoning Valley yesterday.

Watch Your Step, who had led every step of the way in the race at a mile and 70 yards, crossed the finish line 1 1/4 lengths in front of Weber, the greatly improved Handsome Mike gelding. But Watch Your Step interfered with Weber so many times in the stretch, the stewards may have set a record for taking the shortest time to announce a disqualification.

Watch Your Step, a 19-1 shot, shot out of the gate and took an easy lead while Weber was settling into fourth place on the rail with David Haldar. There were no challenges to the pacesetter down the backstretch, and it was left up to Weber to go after Watch Your Step on the turn. In the stretch, as Weber tried to get by, Watch Your Step bore out into the gelding several times, and taking him down was an easy decision.

Weber, a 4-year-old Indiana-bred who was blanked in his first 13 starts for owner/breeder/trainer Michelle Elliott, is now 3-1-1 in his last seven. He paid $12.40.