Arroyo to sit out until Feb. 18
ARCADIA, Calif. – Jockey Norberto Arroyo Jr. will not ride until Feb. 18 after losing two appeals of suspensions issued last October, said Nelson Arroyo, his brother and agent.
Through Sunday, Arroyo, 40, was tied for fifth in the Santa Anita standings with nine wins. He did not ride Friday through Sunday to deal with a family emergency in Kentucky, according to stewards.
Arroyo is suspended from Thursday through Feb. 17, a period of six racing days, after losing two appeals for routine riding infractions issued during the Santa Anita autumn meeting.
◗ Apprentice jockey George Wood, who began his career in England last year, will have his first mount in California in Thursday’s eighth race at Santa Anita.
Wood will ride the maiden claimer Lucky Chopra for trainer Leonard Powell. Wood is exercising horses for Powell this winter before a scheduled return to England later this month.
Wood, 19, has won 38 races, according to British Horseracing Authority officials. His most prestigious win came aboard Prize Money in the $98,000 November Handicap at Doncaster Racecourse on Nov. 5 for Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin Racing.