Jockey Arroyo placed on probation for almost three years

Jockey Norberto Arroyo Jr. on Sunday was placed on probation for the duration of his license after a test revealed a 0.02 percent blood alcohol level earlier at this Del Mar meet, track stewards said.

Arroyo has had a checkered career that has included incidents of substance abuse and jail time. He recently relocated to Southern California and was granted a license through July 31, 2019, but as a condition to get a license, the California Horse Racing Board required that he sign paperwork consenting to tests at any time, steward Scott Chaney said Sunday.

Del Mar's stewards – Chaney, Grant Baker, and Kim Sawyer – in their ruling said that in addition to continued testing, Arroyo must be evaluated by the Winners Foundation, which aids racetrackers with substance-abuse issues.

"Failure to comply with the terms of probation will be grounds for actions against Norberto Arroyo's license privileges," the ruling states.

Arroyo has won eight races at this meet to place ninth in the jockeys' standings.

• Jockeys Stewart Elliott and Santiago Gonzalez were given three-day suspensions, beginning this Saturday, after being cited for careless riding in races last Saturday.