HISA issues provisional suspension for Paco Lopez after whip incident

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority has issued a provisional suspension of the jockey Paco Lopez after video showed him whipping a horse in the neck after the fifth race at Park Racing outside of Philadelphia on Tuesday.

In the video, Lopez can be seen high in the stirrups while slowing a horse, the 2-year-old colt National Law, before heading back to the winner’s circle. He suddenly raises the whip high over his shoulder and brings the cord of the whip down on the right side of the horse’s neck.

In a statement, HISA said that the adjudication of the provisional suspension “will proceed under an expedited timeline.” HISA’s rules allow the authority to issue provisional suspensions when a licensee’s behavior threatens to undermine public confidence in racing.

“HISA’s mission is to uphold the highest standards of safety and integrity in horse racing,” the statement said. “We take any abuse or behavior that undermines the trust placed in our sport by its participants and fans with the utmost seriousness. We are committed to ensuring accountability and fairness throughout the adjudication process.”

Lopez, the second-leading rider by wins in the U.S., has a checkered history regarding his use of the whip. Since last March, he has been cited seven times for violations of HISA’s crop rules, according to the authority’s records. HISA began enforcing riding crop rules in the summer of 2022.

Lopez was named on four mounts on Parx’s Wednesday card.

On Wednesday morning, prior to the suspension being issued, Parx released its own statement, saying that the track was “cooperating” with the HISA review and with its stewards as they evaluate the incident.

“[We] want to express that we aspire to hold the jockey colony and all of the horsemen and women here at Parx to the highest standards,” the statement said. “Unsportsmanlike behavior should not and will not be tolerated. We will deal with this accordingly.”

The incident occurred after a race in which Lopez struggled to keep National Law from drifting to the outer rail while winning a one mile and 70-yard maiden-special race. The colt entered the stretch near the inner rail with a seven-length lead, which was whittled down to a length and a half at the finish line.

Lopez has 269 wins this year from 1,313 mounts, second by wins this year among all U.S. riders, with total purse earnings of $12.4 million.

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