Here's my take. If you watch the video, the jockey twirls the crop at the end of the race. This is the time the Miami Herald photo was taken. When it is enlarged, you can see that the "battery" is the same color as the shirt of the jockey behind him. Besides, if he could switch hands with his crop and twirl it with a battery in there at the same time, just think how much money he could make at three card monty!!!!!!!!!!!
That brings up the question: Why can't loser be quiet losers?
Doc