Arroyo withdraws appeals, suspended into new year

DEL MAR, Calif. – Jockey Norberto Arroyo Jr., who has not ridden since Oct. 24, has withdrawn appeals of 17 days of suspensions that were handed down by Del Mar’s stewards during the summer meeting.

As a result, Del Mar’s stewards ruled on Sunday, Arroyo is now officially suspended for the final three days of Del Mar’s fall meeting, Nov. 29 to Dec. 1, plus 14 days at Santa Anita, through Jan. 17.

◗ When racing resumes on Friday, jockey Joe Talamo will be two wins away from career win number 2,000. He has 1,998 wins. He has four rides on an eight-race card Friday.

◗ Slewgoodtobetrue, a 3-year-old filly trained by Peter Eurton, collapsed in the barn shed row shortly after returning from a five-furlong workout Sunday morning at Del Mar and died. A necropsy will be performed to determine cause of death. Slewgoodtobetrue won twice in six starts. She had not raced since finishing fourth in the Santa Anita Oaks in April, but had a steady series of workouts in recent weeks and seemed close to a return to action.

◗ A memorial service was held on Monday, Nov. 18, in Bakersfield, Calif., for Bobby Wayne Grayson Sr., an owner and trainer who died Nov. 8 at age 81 just hours before Happy Trails, owned by his son Bobby Jr. and trained by longtime friend Val Brinkerhoff, won the fourth race at Del Mar. Memorial donations for Grayson can be made to Akindale Thoroughbred Rescue, www.akindalehorserescue.org.

◗ Trainer Jerry Wallace was fined $5,000 owing to his horse Fast Cotton, who won the sixth race at Santa Anita on May 19, testing for the prohibited anti-inflammatory Dexamethasone, his fourth Class 4 offense in the past 365 days, per a ruling from Del Mar’s stewards. Class 4 offenses are one level above the least serious and also include overages for legal medications.