By Bill Finley
Paco Lopez has been handed a 30-day suspension by the New York York Gaming Commission as a result of his actions that resulted in a scary four-horse spill on opening day at Saratoga. Lopez has appealed the ruling and has been granted a stay.
Lopez was riding I Love Giraffes (Charlatan) in the Wild Applause Stakes and may have triggered the spill, which occurred at the top of the stretch. Here is how the Equibase chart caller recapped the incident: “(I Love Giraffes) bumped with the hindquarters of PILLAR OF BEAUTY then clipped heels with her left foreleg outside the quarter-pole and fell.”
The ruling states that Lopez was suspended for “gross careless riding during the running of the eighth race at Saratoga July 3rd, 2026. I Love Giraffes clipped heels with Pillar of Beauty and goes down causing Lovely Grey, Paris Carver and Smexy to fall as they (were) in close proximity behind the fallen horse.”
I Love Giraffes suffered a broken hip. The three other horses were not seriously injured. Lopez was not hurt and neither were jockeys Tyler Gaffalione and Dylan Davis. Javier Castellano, who took off the remainder of the weekend, will be out for about three weeks with a minor lower back injury.
Lopez has been set down numerous times for a variety of infractions. On Sept. 23, 2025, he was suspended six months by HISA for multiple violations, including raising the riding crop above his helmet when riding Book'em Danno (Bucchero) to victory in the GI Forego Stakes at Saratoga Race. Before his suspension ended, his rode in Louisiana, a state that does not fall under HISA's jurisdiction.
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