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Suspension of Shoemaker Called Unfair by Holmes California Board Member Says Coast Body Not in Agreement LOS ANGELES. Calif.. May 8.— California Horse Racing Board member George I. Holmes today declared the 15-day suspension given jockey Willie Shoemaker by the stewards at Churchill Downs for misjudging the finish in the Kentucky Derby was unjustified. "Its the most unfair ruling Ive ever heard of in racing," Holmes commented. "The California Board reluctantly will accept the ruling the Kentucky stewards, but we certainly dont agree with them." Shoemaker was set down Monday after he admitted that he erred in misjudging the finish line with Gallant Man, who was beaten only a nose by Iron Liege despite the fact that the jockey momentarily stood up in the irons at the 16th pole. "It is not the province of racing officials to penalize jockeys for honest mistakes," Holmes said. "We have far more important problems facing us." Shoemaker had been scheduled to ride at Hollywood Park, which opens its "meeting Thursday, but under the Churchill Downs ban will not be able to ride until May 23. Mervyn LeRoy. noted movie director and president of Hollywood Park, called the suspension "the worst decision I can recall." Wendell Cassidy. presiding steward at Hollywood Park, declined comment on the Churchill Downs actidn, but admitted that he had fined famed jockey Johnny Long-den 00 two years ago for standing up in the irons passing the finish line at Del Mar. "The fine in Longdens case was for fail- Conf inued on Pag* Sat Suspension of Shoemaker Called Unfair by Holmes California Board Member Says Coast Body Not in Agreement Continued from Page One ure to obey the orders of the stewards," Cassidy said. "Longden was told not to stand up until his mounts had gone two or three strides beyond the finish because the photo-finish camera caught also rans a stride or so beyond the finish and the picture made it appear that the jockey was standing up at the finish." Last year at Hollywood Park, Shoemaker was caught napping in the 00,000 Cali-fornian aboard Swaps, whom he eased up in the stretch, thinking he had the race won only to have Porterhouse flash by for a nose win. In that case, like he did at Churchill Downs, Shoemaker admitted he had been in error. He was not punished by the stewards for the incident.
