Dylan Davis begins three-day suspension

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Jockey Dylan Davis on Sunday began serving a three-day suspension handed him by the New York stewards for his ride aboard Strategic Focus at Saratoga on June 6.

That day, Strategic Focus won a first-level allowance by three-quarters of a length over Malarchuk. Strategic Focus, making just his second career start, came over in front of Marlarchuk after clearing him.

The stewards posted the inquiry sign, but there was no objection from Flavien Prat, the rider of Malarchuk. After the inquiry, the stewards made the decision to disqualify Strategic Focus and place him second, elevating Malarchuk to first. Both horses were trained by Chad Brown.

In addition to Sunday, Davis will sit out Thursday and Friday of the coming week.

Davis served a two-day suspension from the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority on June 12-13 for a whip violation on the horse Prides Crossing, who he rode to a second-place finish at Aqueduct on May 15. Davis was deemed to have used the whip seven times, one more than permissible by HISA. Since it was Davis’s second such violation in a 180-day period, he had to serve two days and was fined $1,000.

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Davis entered Sunday’s action at Aqueduct as the second-leading rider at the Belmont at Aqueduct spring/summer meet with 25 wins, two behind Prat. The statistics include wins compiled at the five-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival held at Saratoga where Davis won two Grade 1s - the Acorn on La Cara and the Just a Game on Dynamic Pricing.

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