Fresu suspended, will keep stakes mounts

Jockey Antonio Fresu, who led the standings at the Santa Anita spring meeting and was second at the Del Mar summer meeting, will be limited to graded stakes mounts this weekend at Santa Anita while serving the first three days of a four-day suspension.

On Sept. 18, the California Horse Racing Board adopted the position of a hearing officer to reject Fresu’s appeal of a four-day suspension issued last February for causing interference in a race at Santa Anita that led to his mount being disqualified from sixth to eighth. Los Alamitos stewards issued a ruling last Saturday, suspending Fresu from Friday through Sunday this week and on Oct. 3. The Santa Anita autumn meeting begins on Friday.

Tom Knust, who books mounts on behalf of Fresu, expressed frustration last weekend that the stewards assigned the penalty dates on the immediate weekend after the racing board’s decision. Frequently, stewards have issued suspension days approximately two weeks after an infraction, which gives agents time to unwind any conflicts with mounts.

“I have to call the trainers and tell them to find a new rider,” Knust said.

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This weekend, Fresu is booked to ride four graded stakes on Saturday and one on Sunday. Graded stakes are rated as designated races and are exempt from routine suspensions, but if a rider participates in more than one such race on the same day, they must serve an additional day of suspension.

At Del Mar over the summer, Fresu won 37 races, eight fewer than leader Juan Hernandez. At Santa Anita in the spring, Fresu led all riders with 34 wins, four more than Hernandez.

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