Connections of Secret Gesture have confirmed they are seriously considering appealing the decision to demote the mare to third place after she crossed the line first in the Beverly D at Arlington on Saturday evening.
Ralph Beckett's five-year-old looked to have landed her first top-level success under Jamie Spencer when she crossed the line with over a length to spare from Stephanie's Kitten.
However, she drifted marginally right close to the line, forcing Irad Ortiz to stop riding which allowed Wotsdachances to snatch second on the line, and ultimately benefit from the decision of the local stewards.
"It was no surprise but I'm glad we're having the conversation now and not last night when I was throwing things out of the window," David Redvers, racing manager for Secret Gesture's owner, Qatar Racing Ltd, told At The Races.
"If you ran the race another 10 times Secret Gesture would win every time.
"She was given an inspired ride by Jamie and is seems desperately unfair and unjust so we're looking at appealing but they run by different rules over there.
"We've just got to see whether or not common sense will prevail.
"I was told immediately after the race by a friend over there they thought we would lose it, and so did Sheikh Fahad, but I thought they were both bonkers because the best horse won comfortably.
"Wouldn't it be a wonderful utopia if we all raced by the same rules.
"It's a frustrating state of affairs, I've no idea what way it will go but I just hope common sense prevails.
"I think we have four days to decide. The way we left it last night was that we were definitely appealing but I've not spoken to anybody over there today as it is very early in the morning.
"If it's clearly a complete waste of time there is no point but I'm hoping an appeal can be done over the telephone and we don't have to send Jamie back out there because that would make it impossible.
"Ralph is a magician when it comes to training that type of horse, his results with fillies almost surpass anybody else. It's not that long ago she was second to another filly of his in the Oaks.
"Getting a Grade One win for her is massive, it's massive for Newsells Park Stud, because she is going to be an important part of our breeding operation. Having DSQ against the Beverly D will sit rather uncomfortably when you know she was the best filly."
Beckett is similarly aggrieved and feels for the owners and the filly more than himself.
He said: "Obviously it's deeply frustrating. I'm very upset for the owners, both Newsells and Sheikh Fahad. I'll get over it, but the ramifications for them are endless. It's infuriating for them.
"I'm furious about the whole thing, but I'll get over it and we have to get on with it.
"She came into her five-year-old career as a winner of two Listed races. She won a Group Two and she isn't the winner of a Grade One, but she should be.
"We've very good grounds for an appeal and that will probably go forward.
"On the day the stewards are under pressure to come up with a decision. Perhaps in an appeal, where there's no time limit, we might get a better hearing, or have a better chance of getting it overturned."
