Bejarano drops appeal, will serve suspension
ARCADIA, Calif. – Leading jockey Rafael Bejarano has dropped an appeal of a three-day suspension issued earlier this year, according to a ruling issued by track stewards last weekend.
Bejarano, the leading rider at the spring-summer meeting at Santa Anita through Sunday, will not ride Friday through Sunday this week. He is eligible to ride the Grade 3 Laz Barrera Stakes on Saturday since graded stakes are exempt from routine suspensions.
Bejarano was suspended for causing interference in a race on March 31 in which his mount was disqualified from fifth and placed sixth.
Through Sunday, Bejarano led all riders with 14 wins, two more than Joe Talamo. At the winter-spring meeting, Bejarano finished third in the standings with 38 wins, behind Flavien Prat (62) and Tyler Baze (52).