The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission fined jockey Tyler Gaffalione $2,500 “for touching a rival with his left hand” near the finish of the Kentucky Derby, according to a ruling posted on the KHRC’s website Friday afternoon. In the Kentucky Derby, Sierra Leone finished second, a nose behind Mystik Dan and a nose in front of Forever Young. In midstretch, Sierra Leone drifted in and bumped Forever Young and the two were side-by-side through the stretch, exchanging bumps. Nearing the wire, Gaffalione put his left hand on Forever Young, seemingly in an attempt to create some space so he could use his left-handed stick. The Churchill stewards did not light the inquiry sign after the Derby nor did the jockey of Forever Young, Ryusei Sakai, claim foul. A spokesman for the owners of Forever Young said that Sakai told him he didn’t claim foul because “both horses were fighting together.” In a statement released Monday, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission said the stewards conducted “their standard review of the race, determining no further review or investigation was necessary to conclude there were no incidents that altered the finish of the race.” However, the stewards met with Gaffalione Thursday at Churchill Downs before a twilight racing card but did not mete out the penalty until Friday afternoon, according to someone familiar with the situation. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.