Charles Town-based jockeys suspended after drug charges

Two jockeys based at Charles Town Races in West Virginia have been summarily suspended after being named in an indictment that alleged the riders conspired to distribute cocaine, according to the West Virginia Racing Commission’s top official.

Christian Hiraldo, who was second in wins at Charles Town at the time of the suspension, and Guillermo Rodriguez, another rider with 292 starts at Charles Town this year, were summarily suspended on July 19, according to Joe Moore, the executive director of the racing commission. Both jockeys had hearings on Wednesday morning in front of the commission, but no ruling has been issued yet as a result of the hearings, Moore said.

According to an indictment that was signed but sealed on March 20 due to an ongoing investigation, both riders were alleged to “unlawfully, knowingly, intentionally, and without authority, possess with intent to distribute” a substance including cocaine. The indictment was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia.

The suspensions and indictment were first reported by The Blood-Horse.

Both Hiraldo and Rodriguez rode up until the date of their suspensions by the racing commission. Hiraldo had 68 wins from 323 mounts since the beginning of the year, with $1.03 million in earnings. Rodriguez had 35 wins from 265 starts this year, with earnings of nearly half a million dollars.

Hiraldo has ridden since 2013, and Rodriguez has ridden for nine years.