The trainer of the horse most impacted by Maximum Security in the Kentucky Derby said Tuesday that not only did War of Will not cause the problem, the interference actually happened twice in the race.
After Maximum Security owner Gary West told Fox News that he blamed War of Will for causing the problem, trainer Mark Casse sat down to review the NBC video on YouTube, second by second.
What he saw surprised him: Maximum Security actually drifted out twice.
The first time happened going into the turn at the half-mile pole, he said. The second, as the horses turned for home, was worse and was the incident that caused stewards to disqualify Maximum Security's first-place finish and elevate Country House to the winner's circle.
"When Mr. West came out and suggested it was actually our horse that caused the issues, I went to YouTube, to the NBC feed, and when I watched it I thought, 'wait a second, he did the same thing to us prior,' " Casse said. "Then to have the audacity to say War of Will created all the problems."
Casse broke down the infractions this way:
_ At 1:57 into the race video, the horses on the lead are moving into the turn, with Maximum Security on the rail and War of Will directly behind.
_ At 1:58, Maximum Security begins to veer out, off the rail and across a puddle line in the slop of the track. War of Will moves out, too.
_ At 2 minutes, Maximum Security is on the outside of the puddle line, and jockey Luis Saez appears to look back over his right shoulder. "He takes everybody out," Casse said.
_ At 2:01, Maximum Security is back inside the puddle line. "We have a clear path for the first time and we begin to accelerate," Casse said.
_ At 2:05, War of Will is moving up on the outside of Maximum Security.
_ At 2:07, Casse said, is "the big event," where Maximum Security veers out and War of Will is checked again.
Casse won't go so far as to say that the move by Saez was intentional. "Luis could have been in better control of his horse," Casse said.
Immediately after the Derby, Saez said, "I thought I never put anybody in danger. My horse shied away from the noise of the crowd and may have ducked out a little."
On Tuesday, his agent, Richard Depass declined to comment on Saez's behalf, saying, "We're in litigation."
West indicated Monday evening that he planned to file a lawsuit challenging the disqualification and the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission's refusal to allow an appeal.
For Casse, the case is settled.
"In the last 24 hours, I've had time to watch a bunch of replays, in fact I broke down the race from the half-mile pole to the main event. Not only us but others were interfered with prior to that," Casse said. "Nobody ever said anything about what he did in the turn. He had a position, started moving out watching everybody behind him, and he comes out in front of our horse.
"Mr. West is distraught and I understand that. But in no way did War of Will have anything to do with the actions of Maximum Security," Casse said. "Not only did Maximum Security bother us in the big event, he herded everybody going into the half-mile pole and caused interference there as well."
