Jeff Gural has announced that his ban on the off spring of 4yo stallions has been delayed one year. Is this capitulation to the 3yos that already left for the stallion barn? Far from it as this year's 3yo crop could be considered mediocre at best.
After reviewing the program it was decided it would not be fair to stallion owners and potential yearling buyers to know what the restrictions would be unless it was in writing. There were rumors that a 4yo stallion would have all future off-spring banned from stakes races; that is not the case. It is only the crop of the 4yo stallion. In addition, the medical exemptions need to be fine tuned and clear to all so there is not an exemption for owners to drive through.
Lastly, the delay will put WEGs' ban in place at the same time as the ban at Tioga Downs, Vernon Downs, and the Meadowlands; meaning there is no escape to Canada to get around the restrictions. With the Hambletonian Society implementing the ban a year later in 2015, it will mean any quality off-spring of a 4yo stallion will need to be content to race in sires stakes programs while 4yos will be able to race the early part of the season in stakes races being set up in some of the major racing circuits.
This was no capitulation but merely a more orderly implementation.
