Never heard of this one before

[Kirbys Ace]

NEILL, DREW D DELAWARE, OH YOB 1999
Nfld on 12/28/2023 FINED: $500
DRIVING - 5 DAYS, 1/22/2024 THRU 1/26/2024
While driving #3 Bombay Bobby in race 3 on 12/28/23 he engaged in a speed duel in the
first half and failed to take advantage of racing opportunities that may have helped his horse
obtain a winning performance. His action was against the best interest of racing. Mr. Neill had
a hearing with the judges on 1/1/24. He is hereby fined $1000 and suspended from driving for
10 days. The penalty will be reduced to a fine of $500 and 5 days driving suspension if not
appealed. O.S.R.C.-3769-12-26(A)(10) 17-11 The fine must be paid by 1/21/24

So did the other driver get a fine as well or was this a fine for rolling one down the road.

1st time in 40 years, I have seen this fine!

[Dingus]

NEILL, DREW D DELAWARE, OH YOB 1999
Nfld on 12/28/2023 FINED: $500
DRIVING - 5 DAYS, 1/22/2024 THRU 1/26/2024
While driving #3 Bombay Bobby in race 3 on 12/28/23 he engaged in a speed duel in the
first half and failed to take advantage of racing opportunities that may have helped his horse
obtain a winning performance. His action was against the best interest of racing. Mr. Neill had
a hearing with the judges on 1/1/24. He is hereby fined $1000 and suspended from driving for
10 days. The penalty will be reduced to a fine of $500 and 5 days driving suspension if not
appealed. O.S.R.C.-3769-12-26(A)(10) 17-11 The fine must be paid by 1/21/24

So did the other driver get a fine as well or was this a fine for rolling one down the road.

1st time in 40 years, I have seen this fine!

That’s such BS.  Yeah, he had a hole to drop in behind #1, the leader, but #1 was 40-1! 
#1 should have let him go by and sit the pocket at 40-1.

[yourmamasofat]

This is bullshit. How does the driver of the 1 not get days?

[JL52]

The rail horse has no obligation to let the favorite by, though relinquishing to sit the pocket may have been the right thing to do. The penalty to Neil should  reflect excessive use of the whip. He was punishing the horse for his poor decisions.

[rainman2]

Can someone please post a chart of this race so we can read it and judge for ourselves! 

[HarnessFan1981]

RD RACE
Condition: 2023 CONDITIONED MINI SERIES HORSES & GELDINGS NON WINNERS $750 PER START IN 2023 (THROUGH 12/15). 1ST LEG - 2ND DIVISION
Gait: Pace Purse: $6,500 Class: 750PSLC Dis: 1 Mile Track Cond: SY Temp-Allow: 43-2 Off Time: 6:52 PM
HN HORSE                 MEDS PP  1/4      1/2      3/4      STR      FIN      TIME    LAST Q  ODDS   DRIVER
7  DOUG'S JAXX                7   4-7      4o-3Q    3oo-2T   2-1T     1-1Q     1:58.3  30.4    2.80   Da Lake
5  U R DRIVINGME NUTZ    L    5   7-14H    7-7      4o-3T    3-2H     2-1Q     1:58.4  30.4    8.00   Ju Irvine
9  VICTORY MOVE          L    [9  3-5      3o-1H    1oo-2H   1-1T     3-1Q     1:58.4  31.3    6.40   Jo Ciocca Jr.      Jo Ciocca Jr.
6  TSM BATMAN                 6   8-17     8-12     7o-6     6-9      4-5T     1:59.4  31.2   59.30   Th Tharps Jr.      Ro Krenitsky Jr
2  ASCARYONE HANOVER     L    2   5-9      5-5H     8-6Q     5-8T     5-6H     1:59.4  31.2   28.80   Lu Ebersole        De Alexander
4  AUTHENTIC HANOVER     L    4   6-12     6o-6     6oo-5    7-10     6-8H     2:00.1  32.0    3.00   Ku Sugg
3  BOMBAY BOBBY          L    3   2o-NS    1o-T     2o-2H    4-7H     7-10Q    2:00.3  33.0   *1.50   Dr Neill
1  SAMMY SAID            L    1   1-NS     2-T      5-4      8-12H    8-16H    2:01.4  33.4   40.90   Ti Deaton
Time-27.0; 56.2; 1:27.1; 1:58.3

[Harness Stats]

Absolutely absurd.  In what rule book does it say you can't have a "speed duel"   Never heard of such a thing and have seen hundreds if not thousands of those.

[talkstohisself]

Some one got their money run over

[Mailbox Money]

Not just someone lost their money but someone who is in the booth lost money!

[Harness racer]

That has happened a million times in harness racing.  What a bunch of bullshit.  Merriman has done the same thing hundreds of times and lost on the favorite.  He thinks the others owe him the front and he's never been fined for it.  So why now judges?

[Mailbox Money]

Reminds me of the front end scorching that Grismore used to into at Nfld years ago!

[Mohawk mac]

I've watched over 75,000 races (conservative estimate) and saw this hundreds of times.  No fines I'm aware of.  Once the gate opens, anything can happen.  Neill had every right to expect the 40-1 to yield and take the pocket behind the chalk.  He didn't.  Shit happens.  Crazy ass ruling which not only defies all logic, it seriously calls into question the integrity of the judges.

[Ramone]

The only crazy is that any track anywhere would let Mr. Cattleprod through the gate.

[Yonkers1A]

This is a first for me

[Harness racer]

The guy on the 40-1 from the rail should get something.  Him yielding to a pocket trip wouldn't have been in his horse's best interest?  No one should've been fined.  Someone with some pull lost a little coin is all it amounts to.