By T. D. Thornton
For the second time in less than a year, jockey Ramon Vazquez been hit with a significant fine by the Prairie Meadows stewards for overzealously whipping a mount during the stretch run of a race.
Vazquez drew a $500 fine in a ruling issued Tuesday for “excessive/indiscriminate whipping” of Special Trip, an 0-for-12 maiden-claiming filly who was encouraged with both right- and left-handed stick work in the first race on May 18.
The ruling states that a racing commission veterinarian reported to the stewards that Special Trip “arrived at the test barn with an open welt on [her] right flank” after she ran second, beaten a half length.
The ruling further states that “The Board notes Jockey Vazquez has had multiple penalties in recent history for excessive or indiscriminate whipping of his horse during a race.”
That statement about previous violations is nearly identical to the language used in a ruling last summer when Vazquez was assessed a $1,000 fine after the stewards deemed he used his whip to apply “48 strikes in the final 3 1/2 furlongs” to Underpressure, who ran second, beaten a neck, in the eighth race on Aug. 3, 2018.
This time, the stewards added, “Further, the Board hereby puts Jockey Vazquez on notice that any further whip violations may result in a more severe penalty.”
The ruling states that Vazquez “waived his right to present evidence and testimony” at a stewards' hearing on the matter. It was unclear before deadline for this story whether or not he intends to appeal.
Vazquez was the runaway leading rider at Prairie Meadows last season. He is currently ninth in the win standings there with a 3-for-21 record.
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