Arroyo, suspended another five days, may drop appeals

ARCADIA, Calif. – Jockey Norberto Arroyo has been suspended five racing days later this month for causing interference in a race at Santa Anita on April 30 and may drop appeals of seven other suspension days from March, according to his brother and agent, Nelson Arroyo.

Norberto Arroyo has been suspended May 14 and May 18-21 for causing interference aboard Buckys Pick in the ninth race on April 30, a one-mile maiden race on turf. Buckys Pick finished third and was disqualified and placed sixth.

Arroyo was given two suspensions in March – for three days and four days – but appealed the decisions. Nelson Arroyo said his brother is contemplating dropping the appeals and requesting to serve the days in the coming weeks.

Through Thursday, Arroyo, 40, was seventh in the standings at the spring-summer meeting with five wins. He was the leading rider at the Del Mar autumn meeting last year.

“We want to try to win the Del Mar meet again,” Nelson Arroyo said of the track’s summer meeting.

The Del Mar summer meeting runs July 19 to Sept. 4.