Video: Horse ditches jockey, wins race at Belmont anyway

Horse racing does not have to entertain only during Triple Crown season.

In the sixth race at Belmont Park on Wednesday, Downtown Hottie ditched her rider as soon as she sprung from the gates. Normally, this would be cause for concern among track stewards and spectators. But the mare kept right on racing, and went on to cross the line first.

Of course, Belmont Park officials didn't count her as the winner. In fact, as you'll see from the race video below, they purposely kept Downtown Hottie out of the camera - even though she was only a length or two from "official" winner Wholelottashakin.

I know the rules are the rules, and a jockey-less horse gets counted out no matter what happens. Still, I say Downtown Hottie won this race fair and square, no matter what the final record says.

(Hat tip to Timothy Burke of Deadspin, who routinely finds things that no other human I know of manages to.)