Del Mar jockeys seek stays of riding suspensions
Seven jockeys have received suspensions for careless riding since the Del Mar season began on July 16.
Most are likely to serve the days in the autumn.
Court action has enabled a majority of the affected jockeys to ride without disruption. Through Sunday, the 18th day of the 31-day season, seven riders had been suspended for riding infractions, but only one – Drayden Van Dyke – has accepted the penalty.
Abel Cedillo, Kent Desormeaux, Kyle Frey, Trevor McCarthy, and Umberto Rispoli have been suspended three to five days, but received temporary restraining orders in San Diego county superior court to avoid immediately serving the penalties.
The riders were denied stays of the suspensions by the California Horse Racing Board, according to stewards Grant Baker, Luis Jauregui and Kim Sawyer. The stays would have allowed the riders to ride while starting an appeal process. Because of the racing board’s decision, the riders turned to court for legal relief until appeals are heard.
Leading rider Flavien Prat is expected to seek similar court relief this week for a recent suspension.
Cedillo, Desormeaux, McCarthy and Prat have been sanctioned once, each with three-day penalties. Frey has been given two suspensions covering nine racing days, while Rispoli has two suspension for seven racing days.
It is quite possible appeals will not be heard. In numerous cases over the years, jockeys have dropped appeals and served penalties at a time when purses are not as lucrative as they are at the current Del Mar meeting. Such a situation could arise at Santa Anita in October, after a flurry of stakes are run on the opening weekend of the month.
Bing Bush, Jr., a Del Mar-based attorney has represented the seven riders. Bush said on Sunday that he typically launches court action as soon as the racing board denies a stay in an effort to prevent a rider from missing a racing day.
This week, Bush said he planned to be in court on Monday to file paperwork, if necessary, requesting a temporary restraining for Prat that would allow him to ride on Friday, the first day of a three-day penalty.
Prat, who leads the jockey standings, was cited for causing interference in a race on Aug. 12 that led to his mount being disqualified from first to fourth.
The court action must be completed before scratches for Friday’s program are announced on Thursday to allow Prat to ride, stewards said.
Bush said some of the riders may not drop their appeals and could ask for hearings in coming months.
“There are a couple that could go to a hearing,” Bush said.
Rispoli was given a four-day suspension for his ride on Sword Zorro, who was demoted from first to third for causing interference in the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap on Aug. 8, the first of three consecutive racing days with a disqualified first-place finisher.
After Prat’s disqualification on Aug. 12, apprentice jockey Jessica Pyfer rode the 2-year-old Busker Allie to a win last Friday, but was disqualified and placed fourth for causing interference in the stretch.
Pyfer met with stewards on Saturday, but was not given a suspension.
“We took into consideration it was a 2-year-old,” Sawyer said.
Sawyer said a disqualification does not always result in a suspension. Riders typically meet with stewards on the next racing day after a disqualification.
“You judge whether the horse was cost a placing, and the next day you adjudicate whether it was careless riding,” she said.
The racing board’s position of consistently denying riders a stay is unlikely to change, chairman Greg Ferraro said on Sunday. In his position, Ferraro can grant or deny a stay.
“There has to be a good reason,” Ferraro said. The stewards’ “judgement is pretty good. They deserve to be supported.”