Jockey Desormeaux fined, suspended for excessive use of whip

ARCADIA, Calif. - Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux has been fined $750 and suspended three racing days after excessive use of the whip in an allowance race on turf at Santa Anita on Saturday.

Desormeaux was cited for his ride aboard Balladeer. According to a ruling published on Sunday by Santa Anita stewards on behalf of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, Desormeaux used his whip 14 times, or eight more than the permitted amount.

Balladeer finished second by a nose to Captain Choochies, and was disqualified to unplaced, according to a separate ruling. Owners Joey Tran and Calvin Nguyen, trainer George Papaprodromou and Desormeaux were ordered to forfeit Balladeer’s $14,200 share of the $73,000 purse.

Desormeaux’s suspension covers racing on March 29 and April 2 and 3.

The ruling is a rare instance in California Thoroughbred racing in which a horse has been disqualified for a rider’s whip violation.

At Del Mar in 2022, Bolt’s Broad was suspended from a win in a maiden race after the filly was struck 11 times by jockey Drayden Van Dyke, who was fined $960 and suspended three days. Owner Ruis Racing was ordered to forfeit $60,000 - $48,000 for the win and a $12,000 bonus paid by Del Mar for winning a maiden race on dirt.

Aguilar receives 10-day suspension

Jockey Armando Aguilar has been suspended 10 racing days for an incident in Saturday’s fourth race at Santa Anita in which his mount was disqualified for an incident that caused a rival jockey to be unseated.

Aguilar rode Mongolian Max in a $10,000 claimer for nonwinners of three at a mile. On the turn, Aguilar tried to move Mongolian Max between two rivals, Elegant Life on the inside and Last Call Paul. Mongolian Max made contact with Elegant Life, causing jockey Pablo Castillo to be unseated.

Aguilar was sanctioned for “entering tight quarters without sufficient room on the turn, causing an accident,” according to a ruling published by Santa Anita stewards on Sunday.

Mongolian Max won by 4 1/4 lengths as the 8-5 favorite, but was disqualified and listed as unplaced.

Castillo was quickly on his feet, but was removed from his two mounts at Los Alamitos on Saturday evening on a precautionary basis on advice of track doctors, officials said. Castillo said on Sunday morning that he plans to return to riding next weekend. He is not booked to ride on Friday’s eight-race program at Santa Anita.

Aguilar’s suspension begins on March 29 and covers racing days April 2-5, 17-19 and 24-25.

Through Saturday, Aguilar, 25, had won nine races at Santa Anita and the Los Alamitos evening meeting.

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