Fine, more days for Trond

The New Jersey Racing Commission has voted to increase Trond Smedshammer’s suspension from 30 to 45 days and impose an $18,000 fine for his drive with Here Comes Herbie in this year’s Hambletonian. The action took place during the commission's monthly meeting held Tuesday, Sept. 26.

Originally Smedshammer had received only a 30-day suspension as a result of his drive behind Here Comes Herbie in the Hambletonian at the Meadowlands, in which he moved off the pylons while leading in the stretch and allowed his stablemate Blue Mac Lad clearance to advance to a third-place finish.

The commission is expected to issue the official ruling within a couple of days, and until then Smedshammer's stay remains in effect. When the ruling is issued Smedshammer will then have the right to ask for another stay, and then the matter will be sent to an administrative law judge for another opinion, in which the commission could either accept or modify yet again.

The original ruling by the judges which resulted in the 30-day penalty read that during his suspension Smedshammer would be ruled off all grounds, “with the reason being that while driving the number four horse Here Comes Herbie in the eighth race on Aug. 5, he bore out allowing the number two horse Blue Mac Lad to needlessly pass on the inside which constitutes what is properly known as helping. Also, he failed to maintain reasonable control of his horse at the top of the stretch, driving in a careless manner which affected the outcome of the finish."

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