For the second time in her racing career, talented mare Desert of Malibu suffered a demotion on Saturday, September 19, 2026, after crossing the line first only to be disqualified and placed third.
Competing in an Open Allowance call over five furlongs round against four rivals, Desert of Malibu, carrying top weight under jockey Dane Dawkins for trainer Gary Subratie, set the early pace and held strong in the straight to fend off late surges from Rainville (Raddesh Roman) and California Crown (Tevin Foster). She covered the distance in a winning time of 1:00.1, following early splits of 23.2 and 47.1.
However, following a stewards’ inquiry into intimidation and interference, the judges lowered Desert of Malibu’s colours, placing her third behind declared winner Rainville and runner-up California Crown.
Jockey Raddesh Roman was notably involved in both of the mare’s career demotions. On April 13, 2024, Roman was actually in the saddle aboard Desert of Malibu when she passed the post first ahead of A Gift From Ben (Ramon Nepare) and Mahogany (Reyan Lewis), only to be disqualified for interference.
While the post-race drama centred on the favourite’s demotion, the effort from Rainville was a standout achievement in its own right. Inheriting the victory in the stewards’ room marked his ninth win from 60 career starts, pushing his total earnings past the $10 million milestone.
