Jockey and Horse Owners Sue over Newspaper Story

The owners of Funny Cide, along with the jockey that rode the horse to victory in the 2003 Kentucky Derby, are suing the Miami Herald for defamation. The suit stems from a story the Herald ran soon after the victory, suggesting that the jockey held an illegal object in his hand during the race. It was later determined that he was holding nothing other than a whip. The newspaper issued a correction six months later, but the jockey claims this was "too little, too late." He claims that the Herald engaged in "reckless disregard" for the truth and failed to retract the allegations in a timely manner, causing damage to his reputation. (Walker, "Newspaper sued over story on Kentucky Derby winner," Daily Bus Rev, 05/23/05).