Bejarano to serve suspension

ARCADIA, Calif. – Leading jockey Rafael Bejarano will begin a three-day suspension Sunday for causing interference in a race on March 20.

Bejarano’s suspension includes racing on April 7-8. Bejarano has one mount Sunday in the $100,000 Tokyo City Cup on Big John B. Bejarano can ride the Grade 3 Tokyo City Cup because the race is graded and exempt from routine suspensions.

Bejarano was cited for his ride on Yellow Bonnet, a first-time starter who finished sixth in a maiden race on the hillside turf course March 20. The stewards ruled that Bejarano altered course without clearance during the race at about 6 1/2 furlongs.

Through Thursday, Bejarano had a commanding lead in the jockey standings with 66 wins, 19 more than runner-up Santiago Gonzalez, who is sidelined with injury.

Edwin Maldonado, fourth in the standings with 40 wins, has dropped an appeal of a three-day suspension issued in January and will serve the days this month.

Maldonado will miss the final two days of the winter-spring meeting – April 9-10 – and the first day of the Los Alamitos spring meeting, April 14. Maldonado will be able to ride designated races which are exempt from routine suspensions.