Posted on Wed, Jun. 25, 2008
A few days removed from the initial reaction over an incident Monday when Jeremy Rose hit his mount, Appeal to the City, in the face with his whip at Delaware Park, Rose, who has been suspended for 6 months by the Delaware stewards, put out a statement today through his attorney Alan Foreman that explained his actions then and what he plans to do now.
"I intended to hit her in the shoulder with my whip to keep her from continuing to lug in and hold my position in second," Rose said in the statement. "Instead I accidentally struck her in the face. I knew something happened when I struck her and, as the horses crossed the finish line, I looked to see if she was injured."
Rose immediately apologized to trainer Howard Wolfendale's wife Tammy and then to Wolfendale himself.
"There are no words to describe how badly I feel about this," Rose said. "At the end of the day, the most important thing to me is my honesty, integrity and sportsmanship. I will not seek to ride at least until I have the opportunity to appear before the Delaware Racing Commission on July 22 to explain what happened, restore my good name and reputation."
The good news is that Appeal to the City, who was taken to New Bolton Center for observation, appears to be fine.
"The damage was superficial," Wolfendale said in a statement that came though Foreman's office. "Her eye was not seriously injured to the point where her vision is impaired. She is returning to my barn at Laurel Park today."
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