Drivers refuse to race

A group of catch-drivers contacted the Hawthorne Race Course stewards Sunday night and demanded that trainer-driver Tom Harmer not be allowed to use his bike on his own horse (Armbro Dollar), in the third race, since no other drivers had the newly-approved AdvantEdge 6.3 sulky.



Harmer refused to take his approved sulky off his horse, and as a result, the stewards scratched Harmer's horse. The races were delayed nearly half an hour over the controversy.



All of the drivers were initially called to the Hawthorne driver's room kitchen to discuss the matter wiith the stewards. The drivers then refused to drive in the third race unless Harmer switched race bikes, citing an unfair advantage.



Illinois Harness Horsemen's Association president Tony Morgan commented on the situation. "As a favor to my fellow catch-drivers, I left my bike at home tonight," said Morgan, who has the only other newly-approved AdvantEdge sulky currently in Chicago, besides Harmer."The whole object was to put all of the catch-drivers on a level playing field and I did this voluntarily to comply with them, until the new shipment of bikes arrives here in Chicago. I think I and anyone else should be able to use the bike, if it's approved. But until recently, none of the other drivers said anything about this being unfair."



In a Haughton elim at the Madowlands one week earlier, Roger Mayotte attempted to race Escape The Wind in an AdvantEdge sulky, but switched bikes when drivers refused to race as along as he was using that sulky.

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