Fuentes gets 11 days for riding infractions

Jockey Ruben Fuentes has been suspended 11 racing days – from Saturday through Oct. 4 – for causing interference in races on Friday and Saturday at Del Mar.

During the time of the suspension, Fuentes will be restricted to riding graded stakes, which are exempt from routine suspensions in California.

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Fuentes was cited for failing to maintain a straight course on Quiet Secretary in the ninth race Friday, resulting in a four-day suspension. Quiet Secretary ($133.80) drifted out in the stretch, forcing runner-up Constantia to be steadied. The stewards conducted an inquiry but did not change the order of finish, concluding the incident did not cost Constantia a better placing. Quiet Secretary won by 1 1/4 lengths.

The suspension covers the final three days of the current Del Mar meeting – Saturday through Sept. 7 – and Sept. 19, the opening day of the Santa Anita autumn meeting. There is no daytime Thoroughbred racing in Southern California from Sept. 8 until Sept. 19.

Saturday, Fuentes was cited for his ride on Le Tub, who was disqualified from first to eighth for causing interference in the fifth race, for maidens at five furlongs on turf.

With racing conducted largely on a Friday-through-Sunday basis in Southern California this year, the seven-day suspension for that infraction stretches from Sept. 20 to Oct. 4, the eighth day of the Santa Anita meeting. Fuentes was hit with a seven-day ban because his penalty on Le Tub was the third instance of a careless riding offense in the last 60 days, according to a ruling published by Del Mar stewards

Through Sunday, Fuentes was tied for 10th in the standings at the Del Mar summer meeting with six wins. The 23-year-old rider has three graded stakes wins this year, including the Grade 3 La Canada Stakes at Santa Anita in January on Queen Bee to You.

Trainer Bonde fined

Trainer Jeff Bonde was fined $500 by Del Mar stewards over the weekend after Raging Tiger tested positive for the prohibited anti-inflammatory Triamcinolone Acetonide following a workout May 20 at Santa Anita.

Raging Tiger was on the veterinarian’s list and underwent a five-furlong workout in 1:01.80 as part of the process to be removed from the list. The procedure includes a post-workout drug test.

Raging Tiger is winless in five starts.