No Never No More loses first winner via controversial disqualification

Freshman sire No Never No More lost his chance for his first winner last week when Maryland-bred Tiz No Clown finished first in a $40,000-$32,000 maiden claiming race at Pimlico Race Course and was disqualified and placed third amidst a highly controversial decision by the track stewards. Ironically, the horse who finished second and was moved up to first was Coffeewithchris, a Maryland-bred gelding by Ride On Curlin.

The two had made their debuts in the same maiden special on May 1 and neither had shown much. Tiz No Clown finished sixth by 9 3/4 lengths at odds of 31-1 and earned a check for $1,012. Coffeewithchris went off as the 9/5 favorite and wound up eighth, 14 lengths back.

In their second try against each other, Tiz No Clown broke from the outside No. 7 post and broke quickly under Andre Ramgeet, but he was lugging in and had a mild confrontation with two other colts inside him that didn’t last more than two seconds. He continued on in front for the rest of the 4 1/2 furlongs and was 1 1/2 lengths clear of Coffeewithchris at the wire, clocked in :52.98. The inquiry sign went up and after the customary deliberations, Tiz No Clown was taken down. It cost owner/trainer William Atkins $22,425, the difference between the $26,910 Coffeewithchris was awarded and the $4,485 Tiz No Clown had to settle for.

‘Incidents’ leaving the gate occur in almost every race and mostly are dismissed as just that. It’s a good bet that at many other tracks, No Never No More would have had his first winner.