Alvarado suspended, fined for whip violation aboard Chief Wallabee in Belmont

Jockey Junior Alvarado was suspended three days and fined $3,000 for using his whip eight times − twice over the limit − on Chief Wallabee in the Belmont Stakes on June 6 at Saratoga, according to a ruling posted Thursday on the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority website.

The news of the suspension was first posted on the Paulick Report.

Chief Wallabee, trained by Bill Mott, finished fourth in the Belmont Stakes, 8 1/2 lengths behind Golden Tempo.

Typically, jockeys who strike their horses one to three times over the six-strike limit are fined $250 or 10 percent of the purse, whichever is greater. But, according to the HISA ruling, this was Alvarado’s third whip offense in 180 days, which resulted in the $3,000 fine.

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Alvarado will sit out June 21, 25, and 26. He will be back in time to ride Sovereignty in the $2 million Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs on June 27

Alvarado was previously penalized by HISA for whip violations on back-to-back days in April at Keeneland. On April 3, Alvarado was cited for using the whip eight times on Spiced Up, who finished second in an allowance race. Alvarado was suspended one day and fined $500.

On April 4, Alvarado was cited for using the whip nine times on Grand Job, who was beaten a nose in the Grade 1 Madison. Alvarado was suspended two days and fined $2,000 for that violation.
 

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