jockey suspended

It wasn't a perfect night for Paco Lopez Thursday night at Delta Downs as he was 0-for-2, finishing eighth with his first mount of the night and third in his second try. But, according to his agent, Jose Garcia, Lopez saw it as a positive night for the simple fact that he was back doing what he loves. "He was very happy to be back," Garcia said. "You have a rider who, basically, loves to ride horses." Lopez had not ridden since Sept. 22 at Parx. Afterward he was suspended...

John Velazquez, the winningest jockey in the history of Saratoga Race Course, will serve a three-day "careless riding" suspension this coming Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday stemming from the disqualification of his mount from a win in the sixth race there Aug. 17. Velazquez waived his right to an appeal, according to an Aug. 20 stewards' ruling posted on the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) website. The race in which Velazquez got disqualified was a $100,000 maiden special weight turf route for 2-year-olds. He was aboard first-timer Scope (Gun Runner),...

Fifty days since his last mount, when he was suspended by HISA for striking a horse in a malicious manner following a race at Parx, Paco Lopez will return Saturday at Laurel, where he will have three rides. They include the mount on Hawkstone (Catalina Cruiser) in the Spectacular Bid Stakes. "I'm feeling good and I've been working very hard to be ready for my comeback," he said. Lopez was aboard National Law (Constitution) in a maiden special weight race at Parx for trainer Jorge Duarte Jr. The horse bore...

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) will reinstate jockey Paco Lopez on a conditional basis effective Jan. 23, following his indefinite suspension Dec. 4, 2024 for striking a horse with a riding crop the previous day at Parx Racing in a manner which violated authority rules, a HISA spokesperson said Saturday morning. The statement said Lopez has met all conditions required for reinstatement, demonstrating his commitment to upholding the standards of conduct and integrity expected of participants in horse racing. During his suspension, Lopez participated in required therapy sessions,...

Irad Ortiz Jr. has been handed a three-day stewards' suspension in the aftermath of his disqualification for interference in the Jan. 11 Pasco Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. Ortiz will sit Jan. 19, 22, 23, as per his agent, Steve Rushing. Dave Grening of Daily Racing Form was first to report this news via a posting on the X social media platform. Ortiz has led North America in victories in each of the last eight years and was voted the Eclipse Award for outstanding jockey in 2018-20 and 2022-23. He...

Jockey Terry "T.D." Houghton on Wednesday was suspended 30 days by the stewards at Mahoning Valley Race Course for failing "to use his utmost exertion to obtain a winning performance by standing up and appear[ing] to have stopped riding before the wire." The alleged lapse of judgment occurred in the second race Jan. 6, when Houghton had cleared the field by 1 1/2 lengths inside the eighth pole aboard the 5-2 third choice, Grace in Excess (Connect), in a $5,000 NW2L claimer over 1 mile 70 yards. The Equibase chart...

Reacting to an incident that took place Tuesday at Parx in which he was caught on video striking the horse National Law (Constitution) in the face with his whip following the fifth race, jockey Paco Lopez has received a provisional suspension from the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA). "In response to the incident yesterday involving jockey Paco Lopez, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority has provisionally suspended Paco Lopez from all racing activities under HISA's jurisdiction, effective immediately," said a HISA spokesperson. "The provisional suspension will proceed under an...

After a hearing before the Board of Stewards, jockey Luan Machado was suspended for three days and fined $2,500 for his ride aboard Ultimate Strike (Mineshaft) in Wednesday's eighth race at Keeneland. Keeneland uses two finish lines, one for mile-and-sixteenth races and the other for mile-and-an-eighth races. Ultimate Strike was five lengths in front as he hit the first finish line and was clearly on his way to victory. But Machado apparently believed the race was over at that point and began to pull up his horse prior to the...

John Velazquez, the winningest jockey in the history of Saratoga Race Course, will serve a three-day suspension Aug. 28-30 stemming from the disqualification of his mount from a win in the tenth race there Aug. 16. Velazquez waived his right to an appeal, according to an Aug. 20 stewards' ruling posted on the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) website. The race in which Velazquez got disqualified was an $80,000 optional claiming/allowance turf route. He was aboard the 4.9-1 fourth choice in the betting, Vino Rouge (Vino Rosso), a filly...