United States Court of Appeals
RECOMMENDED FOR PUBLICATION Pursuant to Sixth Circuit I.O.P. 32.1(b) File Name: 20a0284p.06 UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SIXTH CIRCUIT GARY WEST; MARY WEST, ┐ Plaintiffs-Appellants, │ │ > No. 19-6333 v. │ │ │ KENTUCKY HORSE RACING COMMISSION, et al., │ Defendants-Appellees. │ ┘ Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky at Lexington. No. 5:19-cv-00211—Karen K. Caldwell, District Judge. Argued: June 16, 2020 Decided and Filed: August 28, 2020 Before: BATCHELDER, BUSH, and LARSEN, Circuit Judges. _________________ COUNSEL ARGUED: Ronald J. Riccio, MCELROY, DEUTSCH, MULVANEY & CARPENTER, LLP, Tinton Falls, New Jersey, for Appellants. Jennifer Wolsing, KENTUCKY HORSE RACING COMMISSION, Lexington, Kentucky, for Appellees. ON BRIEF: Ronald J. Riccio, Eliott Berman, MCELROY, DEUTSCH, MULVANEY & CARPENTER, LLP, Tinton Falls, New Jersey, D. Barry Stilz, Lynn S. Zellen, KINKEAD & STILZ, PLLC, Lexington, Kentucky, Karen A. Murphy, KAREN A MURPHY, ESQ., Old Chatham, New York, Dennis A. Drazin, DRAZIN & WARSHAW, P.C., Red Bank, New Jersey, for Appellants. Jennifer Wolsing, KENTUCKY HORSE RACING COMMISSION, Lexington, Kentucky, Carmine G. Iaccarino, OFFICE OF THE KENTUCKY ATTORNEY GENERAL, Frankfort, Kentucky, for Appellees. No. 19-6333 West, et al. v. Ky. Horse Racing Comm’n, et al. Page 2 _________________ OPINION _________________ JOHN K. BUSH, Circuit Judge. “Whether true or perceived to be true, a referee’s calls can ‘change the outcome of [a] game.’” Higgins v. Ky. Sports Radio, LLC, 951 F.3d 728, 735 (6th Cir. 2020) (citation omitted). As is true for Kentucky basketball, the same is true for Kentucky horse racing. At issue here is a call made by racing stewards that changed the outcome in the most storied race of them all—the Kentucky Derby.
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