THE opening day of the Breeders' Cup was plunged into controversy after top Irish trainer Jessie Harrington hit out at the racecourse vets.
Harrington was left seething after her runner Givemethebeatboys was scratched from the $1million (£750,000) Juvenile Turf Sprint at Santa Anita in California.
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The two-year-old was one of 16 blocked from racing on the day, including big Juvenile Turf favourite River Tiber.
Legendary Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien also had stablemate Bolshoi Ballet withdrawn from Saturday's Turf.
Speaking on TV, Harrington said she thought there was nothing wrong with her horse.
She said: "I know they've got to be careful but being careful and totally OTT are two different things.
"I don't agree with them. They pushed and poked my horse and said no.
"We have no appeal and they haven't told us where he is lame."
The decision to scratch both O'Brien horses has caused a stir, as they have, until now, passed any precautionary vet checks in the mornings after trackwork.
Some of the team at Coolmore were said to be extremely unhappy with the decision.
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O’Brien, as ever, remained diplomatic and said: "When you’re in Rome you don’t fight the Pope."
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But the owners of Givemethebeatboys, who were visibly upset at the news that their horse would not run, did not hold back.
Con Marnane told the Racing Post: "I'm in horses all my life, I own a quarter of him. I've had him since he was a foal. I just cannot understand this.”
Marnane and his co-owners witnessed the vet examination which led to the withdrawal, in which assistant trainer Kate Harrington led the horse at a trot over a series of rubber mats and a sandy area.
Marnane added: "The horse was moving like a ballet dancer. He should have been in Swan Lake."
Fellow owner Irene Sands said: "He's in incredible condition and we couldn't have asked for better.
"He has been minded like a baby all week. He was vetted all week and there was no issue.
"He worked yesterday, we were all here to see and he was in great form. So this is a shock and very disappointing, there's no point pretending otherwise.
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"Jessica said it very well, she said that, at the end of the day, vets aren't any different to any other profession, they all have different opinions.
"That's not taking anything from anybody but certainly our own contingent would have been very happy for him to race today."
